Lighting Advice for newbie

[dram2000]

Hi This is my first post here I am fairly new to reef aquriums, I have had a saltwater tank on and off for the last 10 years, with varied success, I am looking to work into soft and hard corals, I saw a craigslist post for some frags, and after I got there and talked to the really nice guy I figured out after much help that my lighting (or lack of)) would kill the coral, so I am in need of some advice on lighting, right now I have a new corallife hood with 2x 65W 10k daylight compact florecents and 2x 65w actitin blue, then 4 lunar light, I was told that they are not a good system and should consider MH or T5, I have since ordered a matching wood canopy to put lights in, now the question what to go with??? I have found 2 400 MH with 14k bulbs what would I want to add to those to suplement light or should I go with T5's.
oh sorryt my tank is a 90g tall with a LOT of base rock that was dead from another tank and has been in this tank for 5 months so it is starting to come around pretty well.

Any advice would be mmuch appreciated
Thanks
David

[oyam123]

A 100% T5 system will fit the same hood as your PC lights.
If you go MH, you will need a new tall hood or no hood at all.
With the luck people are having with T5 and corals, id go with that.
Less cost to buy, less heat and less power cost.
If you need the SHIMMMMER look from the MH, then go for it.
PS: T5 will need URI bulbs and IC reflectors to be a top quality system.

[Redwinger]

Welcome to TCMAS David!

[mattb]

The other thing to think about with a MH and T5 combo is that T5s operate best when they are cooler. MH, the higher the wattage, the more heat involved. So you T5s may not last as long when combined with MH. I have a 4', 3 x 250 hqi hood with 2 X 54 T5s, and the two large muffin fans do not keep the T5s cool enough..

[mtfatwork]

muffin fans



:confused:


hmmm.....:gay1:

[Frogbone]

[QUOTE=mattb;9131]muffin fans QUOTE]



:confused:


hmmm.....:gay1:

now that belongs in the dirty sump :doh: :lol_hitting:

[mtfatwork]

now that belongs in the dirty sump :doh: :lol_hitting:



Thats what I thought!!!:rotflmao:

[Frogbone]

Muffin Fan = Havre :lol_hitting:

[dram2000]

Thanks for the info....If I go with just t5's will I get enough to grow hard corals? and what wattage and how many bulbs for a 90 tall will I need?

[spsick]

I saw a craigslist post for some frags, and after I got there and talked to the really nice guy I figured out after much help that my lighting (or lack of))
Thanks for the kind words, Ideally I would reccomend 2 250 watt MH and 2 VHO actinic, but if you want to roll T5, I would say 6 bulbs being that you have such a tall tank. Something along these lines X3
http://www.hellolights.com/482x54wt5hor.html
or check out this
http://www.hellolights.com/hl488lamp.html
if you want a easy,clean setup.
http://www.hellolights.com/486lateklisu.html
better fixture, but got to buy 6 lamps
otherwise that 2X400 setup would not be bad at all, as long as you have enough gallons in your sump to keep cool.
BTW, your setup wouldn't kill the corals, they would just brown out and never grow.

[Turf]

Just to add more conviction to your choice... I ran two 400watt Radium(20k's) on my 90... didn't have it but a few inches off the water and was fine but needed a ton of air flow. Loved the lights and didn't need to supplement BUT by no means did I need that much power to grow anything either so I'm switching to T5's as well... unless I win the lottery and get some new solaris lights!

[mattb]

Sorry for the freudian slip... I thought that's what they were called?!?

Turf bringsup another possibility... radiums on hqis, 250 watts would be fine. Go with the lumenarcs...

[kjdeut]

2x250 HQI have been great on my 92 corner, I dont see any need to go any higher in power. As as been mentioned heat is something you have to plan for if going MH.

Ken

[epidemic]

I have a 4x54W 4' T5 retro kit that I dont think I am going to use.

[spectrum]

I just went form power compact to T-5 and they seem to b e really good and not much heat at all. and way cheaper the MH welcome to the club

[wes]

I'll be going T5s when I upgrade, but for now I have hard corals growing under PC, and I've even got a few changing into nice and pretty colors.

[Dirk Griffin]

A normal factory canopy is not set up for MH, they are not high enough. So if a MH hood or retro system is used it would have to go on top of that canopy....with the top of the canopy taken off. Not sure what you ordered. Vho or T-5's would work ok, probably need at least 1 fan, maybe more.
ALso have all of these combinations available with ballasts/bulbs from Pfo, ice cap, and UV lighting. Mail order prices plus tax.