Advise please on lights.

Kostas · #1 10-15-2008, 03:56 AM

Advise please on lights.

Ok so I have a 90g bow front it’s only 13”wide at each end
and gets to be about 17” at the middle of the bow front in the front.

And after looking at the lights on j&L aquatics, I found some I like to only find that the dimensions are too wide at 15”

(Does anyone have these lights, do the legs base at the end, or in the middle so it will fit on my 13”wide tank?)

http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/mh...+2+x+150W.html
http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/gi...+4x54W+T5.html
These are interesting
http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/pf...g+Fixture.html

or should I just buy two 250clamp lights and hang on one each side of the tank? (I know the link is for 150w)
http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/MH...+1+x+150W.html

what should I do? right now I have a 48” cp coralight 4x 65W fixture only 7”wide, and the legs fit on the end which make it about 8”wide so it fits on the 90g great.

But turning my tank into a reef one and I know I need more Watts.

I’m curious, what would you guys do???
Suggestions would greatly be appreciated.
Or feel free to share which lights you use, I’m curious as in what is more popular.

lorenz0 · #2 10-15-2008, 04:06 AM

judging by your choices i take it your looking at getting into SPS right??

take a look into tek fixtures as well. the results of T5HO are impressive with the right bulb choices. how long is your 90gal? and how deep?

Kostas · #3 10-15-2008, 04:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lorenz0

judging by your choices i take it your looking at getting into SPS right??

take a look into tek fixtures as well. the results of T5HO are impressive with the right bulb choices. how long is your 90gal? and how deep?

48'L and 28' H

JDigital · #4 10-15-2008, 04:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kostas

48'L and 28' H

Feet eh?... That's a big tank..

Kostas · #5 10-15-2008, 04:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDigital

Feet eh?... That's a big tank..

haha opps - i wish it was that big!

Trigger Man · #6 10-15-2008, 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lorenz0

judging by your choices i take it your looking at getting into SPS right??

take a look into tek fixtures as well. the results of T5HO are impressive with the right bulb choices. how long is your 90gal? and how deep?

I would agree, check out the tek T5 HO units. I'm running the 48 inch 4 bulb one on my 125ish gallon tank and all my corals have done well with good coloring and growth. I've got many sps in there as well (some easy ones some hard), and have had no problems (running them for over 2 years). The best part about the T5s is the fact that they don't heat up the tank in the summer (also they are cheaper to buy, and bulb replacement is a lot cheaper with many bulbs to choose from).

Kostas · #7 10-15-2008, 04:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trigger Man

I would agree, check out the tek T5 HO units. I'm running the 48 inch 4 bulb one on my 125ish gallon tank and all my corals have done well with good coloring and growth. I've got many sps in there as well (some easy ones some hard), and have had no problems (running them for over 2 years). The best part about the T5s is the fact that they don't heat up the tank in the summer (also they are cheaper to buy, and bulb replacement is a lot cheaper with many bulbs to choose from).

how many watts are cheap bulb?
i know someone with a t5 each 54w. so my cp are strong then those.

lorenz0 · #8 10-15-2008, 04:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kostas

how many watts are cheap bulb?
i know someone with a t5 each 54w. so my cp are strong then those.

Chuck that whole watt per gal theory out the window. lol best thing i learned about lighting. it all depends on the output of the light. even though PC might put out more watts its still not giving off the proper light for certain coral (SPS mostly). than when you add reflectors into it your increasing the light. I have a 130watt PC on my 20H and a 108watt T5OH on my 10gal and the difference is insane. the T5's put out way better lighting.

T5's have won the battle with me when it comes to lighting. the two things that sold me on T5's were the heating issue and shadowing with MH lighting. Once i get my larger tank up and running i am looking forward to comparing my roomate MH/t5 set up to my T5OH set up.

here are the two fixtures i would reccomend:

http://www.current-usa.com/nova_extreme_pro

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt...ILTFIT58U.html

the tek fixture doesn't come with bulbs but from what i heard they have better reflectors but you need to buy the bulbs. the one plus side to the NEP is the fact you don't need to buy bulbs right away and is a bit cheaper on the wallet. I am happy with my NEP but the 20" lighting is a whole different story since there isn't any bulb support for it besides what current has to offer.

to be honest look at peoples tanks that have the lighting your looking at and see how it is effecting the coral. here are 2 thread on RC that i watch:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...hreadid=421647

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...5&pagenumber=1

pastout · #9 10-15-2008, 06:05 AM

so are there any lighting guru's here? i need help with lights to haha. i just bought t5ho 8 bulb 48 inch set up for a 90 gallon tank and was wondering what a good bulb configuration yet iu olny have 2 bulbs so far just a fiji purple and a midday

JDigital · #10 10-15-2008, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lorenz0

T5's have won the battle with me when it comes to lighting. the two things that sold me on T5's were the heating issue and shadowing with MH lighting. Once i get my larger tank up and running i am looking forward to comparing my roomate MH/t5 set up to my T5OH set up.

haha.. See, I prefer the shimmer of the MH on the water... More natural looking to the ocean.