Can't find good lights.... Maybe found one!

[Joekneebone]

Hey,
I have been searching for ages to find some good cfl floodlights for my algae scrubber.
The screen is to be 8.36 inches by 8.36 inches.
Heres what I have found, I may have to change the globe: http://lightingpro.com.au/catalog/produ ... cts_id=178
Do you think this is suitable?
Please note: I live in Australia and that makes it harder to find these lights because you can't really buy cheap cheap basic lights like the clip on cfl floodlights used in the bucket designs.
Thanks!

[SantaMonica]

No... that is incandescent. Must be CFL.

Get this in CFL 11 watt, warm daylight:

http://www.buysterlighting.com.au/Hermo ... M1375.html

then get a clip-on socket with reflector. Or just get a CFL flood:

http://www.buysterlighting.com.au/Brill ... L1026.html

[Joekneebone]

Thanks for your reply!
I've worked out it would be cheaper just buying this: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/1ft-30cm-Aquariu ... 4a9b2eda98

Thanks!

[Joekneebone]

I'm thinking I would do a horizontal scrubber with this light.
The fish tank is almost 40 gallons and will have 15 kilos of live rock and 9.1 kg of sand.
How big should the screen be if its going to be horizontal?

Thanks!

[SantaMonica]

Twice as big, with twice the light on the top. The more angled the slope the better.

[Joekneebone]

So that lights good enough for a sloped screen 13 inches by 4.5?
I will be using a 1600 litre an hour (422 gallons) pump.
because its going to be so thin would you recommend just dumping the water on to it, or slitting a pipe like for vertical set ups?
Also, would you put up a barrier on the side of the screen to stop water coming off the side?
Thank you very much for your help!

[SantaMonica]

Horizontals are less effective for a given size (even after you double the area), because as algae gets thicker, it blocks further flow. The more vertical it is, the less this happens.

Thus your screen and light are too little. For a 40 gal, you'd want at least 80 square inches of single-sided. You only have about 60. And you'd also want the higher amount of light: 1 watt per gallon, which would be 40 watts for you. You have only 9 watts.

At least your flow would be good. I'm assuming the screen would be 4.5 wide?

[Joekneebone]

How much watts per gallon for a vertical?
I could use the T5 on a vertical setup with the 1600 LPH because it is enough for 12 inches.
Thanks!

[SantaMonica]

Basic for all scrubber is 0.5w per gallon medium, and 1.0 for high. So 20 watts to 40 watts for you.

[Joekneebone]

In that case I'll just do it with CFl lights.

Thank you very much for your help!