What should I do for lights in my new tank??

SeaHorse_Fanatic · #1 10-16-2010, 06:10 AM

Actually, that's what I would do. Make a light weight, but strong, circular ring, about 3' or a little bit more in diameter. Attach the four pendants across from each other and the mount the light strip in an -|- pattern. Don't know if you'd need supplemental on the outside with this system. I would think its enough. Am I confusing you?

reefwars · #2 10-16-2010, 06:29 AM

Not at all I wasn't sure f I could word what I was thinking lol but that's it.. Basically a circle ring over my square tank with the 4 pendants and I can do striplights running across the gaps of the pendants . With a metal ring it would look clean and I would just hang the ring and mount the pendants and strips possibly some moonlights led's if the budget or room allows it

SeaHorse_Fanatic · #3 10-16-2010, 06:41 AM

On the other hand, with a 20" deep tank, you could go T5HO easily. Me, I love the shimmer of MH.

lastlight · #4 10-16-2010, 07:34 AM

Lighting 16 square feet with T5s could be pretty expensive come bulb replacement time. I'd have some as supplemental but stick to mh for the core.

With that much surface area evaporation will be huge. How are you planning to deal with that (thread hijack not intended!)?

reefwars · #5 10-16-2010, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lastlight

Lighting 16 square feet with T5s could be pretty expensive come bulb replacement time. I'd have some as supplemental but stick to mh for the core.

With that much surface area evaporation will be huge. How are you planning to deal with that (thread hijack not intended!)?

Not sure yet I will have a dehumidifier and air conditioner for the hotter months but I'll have an ato underneathe. The good thing about a tank this big is lots of room under the tank. I just finished the framing for the stand and I can almost walk around under there lol it's huge

seahorse fanatic I too love the shimmer. I was at a friends house the other day and ge has a new led light very cool fixture and has a nice shimmer but at 2000-3000 for a 24" , it wouldn't be cost effective for my build as u would need several lol

I'm thinking the fish need it pendants 250w and I'm not sure on the brand fir strip lights.

There's slot of kinks in this build that I'm trying to work out because of it's huge footprint

I'm taking my and to Kelly from the reefshoppe on Monday to try to get some more solid ideas

IRS funny I have several mh/t5 combos and a dew diy mh's and diy t5's of which none can be used here lol I want nothing to touch the tank so ut will all have to be mounted to something and hung so I don't have 10 cables coming from my ceiling

thanks for some great input guys

lastlight · #6 10-16-2010, 03:38 PM

You could hang a floating light skirt much like I did and then install whatever you have into it. You don't see any of it if it hangs low enough. Then you have 4 or so wires.

reefwars · #7 10-16-2010, 10:04 PM

S that the one fom your Solon I think it called?? If so I seen it many times in pictures and loved it , me and a friend were saying this morning that I I were to use a giant ring to hang the pendants from I may make some sort of "skirt" for it so it keeps the girlfriend happy, if anything from this build I do it needs to be approved by her, her rules lol

so if I were to do a light ring I was thinking I'll take the pendants apart I'll drill a hole and use bolts and washers/seals to join to the ring so I can take them apart for whatever reason

BEing as I have no clue about led's lol how could I mount some moonlights onto my ring??? Can I get little round led housings to join on or do they all come in made fixtures?? Any good led sites ???

I would like to add some strip lights in between my pendants who makes good strip lights?? Thanks guys