Jump to content

Lighting

newfish

By newfish,
in New to the Hobby

 Share

Recommended Posts

newfish

newfish

(edited)

I am trying to prepare my "budget plan" for what I want to get for my 30 Gallon.

I would like to get some easy beginner corals and an anemone to hopefully host my future clowns.

Any suggestions on coral/anemone types would be helpfult too but now the big question.

Keeping in mind a low budget what type of light fixture/lighting would you recommend for some easier beginner corals/anemone. I need a 24" long fixture.

Any suggestions on what to get and/or where would be greatful.

If anyone has one that they would be interested in selling please let me know and we can arrange for the eventual purchase.

 

Thanks for the help

Edited by newfish
gmubeach

gmubeach

Well, Your not "allowed" to buy sell outside of the members forom. Now with that said I have never tried to tackle anemies heard they are very hard to do. I would buy your membership as for corals try starting out with zoo and xenia thats what I started with 4 watts per gallon is the bare minium for them. SO you have a 30gallon tall thats about 120 watts of light minium

ctenophore

ctenophore

For what you want to keep in that tank dimension, I would use a 175w metal halide pendant. Use fans across the water to keep cool if necessary.

gmubeach

gmubeach

(edited)

Good thing about a metal haldine once you buy it you won't need an upgrade for a while compact florences just don't cut it for higher light corals. Anyway I pmed you about helping me... Hope all is well

 

Oh and you need to figure out how your going to cool your tank. IF you do decide to go corals

Edited by gmubeach
Buucca

Buucca

(edited)

I am trying to prepare my "budget plan" for what I want to get for my 30 Gallon.

I would like to get some easy beginner corals and an anemone to hopefully host my future clowns.

Any suggestions on coral/anemone types would be helpfult too but now the big question.

Keeping in mind a low budget what type of light fixture/lighting would you recommend for some easier beginner corals/anemone. I need a 24" long fixture.

Any suggestions on what to get and/or where would be greatful.

If anyone has one that they would be interested in selling please let me know and we can arrange for the eventual purchase.

 

 

 

Check out "Aquatraders.com". I have bought 5 light fixtures from them over the years and love them.

 

Bill

Edited by Buucca
gmubeach

gmubeach

I just bought my lights from aqua traders too I hope they are good quality! Anyway hope all is going well with your tank see ya later Troy

newfish

newfish

  • Author

I am trying to prepare my "budget plan" for what I want to get for my 30 Gallon.

I would like to get some easy beginner corals and an anemone to hopefully host my future clowns.

Any suggestions on coral/anemone types would be helpfult too but now the big question.

Keeping in mind a low budget what type of light fixture/lighting would you recommend for some easier beginner corals/anemone. I need a 24" long fixture.

Any suggestions on what to get and/or where would be greatful.

If anyone has one that they would be interested in selling please let me know and we can arrange for the eventual purchase.

Check out "Aquatraders.com". I have bought 5 light fixtures from them over the years and love them.

 

Bill

 

 

Looking on aquatraders.com do you guys think that this light would be sufficient for most beginners corals and anemones. http://www.aquatraders.com/index.asp?PageA...&ProdID=309

I couldnt find any metal halide lights on there but what do you think?

Brian Ward

Brian Ward

(edited)

 

 

Looking on aquatraders.com do you guys think that this light would be sufficient for most beginners corals and anemones. http://www.aquatraders.com/index.asp?PageA...&ProdID=309

I couldnt find any metal halide lights on there but what do you think?

 

 

 

Sometimes an anemone can be kept under PC, but I would consider this an "expert" experiment since I would expect water quality and feeding to become more of an issue. You would also need to monitor closely and move to a higher light environment if it wasn't doing well. As a newbie you probably wouldn't know exactly what to watch for (as I don't either since I've never had one). You need T5 or MH for the anemone. Watts per gallon isn't a great way to measure since depending on the type of lighting, the PAR (photosythetically available radiation) will be different. 120W PC has a much lower PAR than 120W MH. Anemones are photosythetic creatures - consider it a high-light "coral" like a clam.

 

Check out www.reefgeek.com and www.aquariumspecialty.com - they usually have good prices on lighting.

Edited by Brian Ward
gastone Grandmaster Reefer

gastone

(edited)

IME if you are even slightly handy, t5s would be the way to go. You'll probably want to think about what species of anemone you want to keep. If you are thinking of a clown hosting anemone, entacmaea quadricolor (BTA-bulb tip or bubble tip anemone) is the consensus "first" anemone. That and the fact that it is probably the only hosting anemone that won't outgrow a 30. T5s are nice in that they will give you the opportunity to alter you lighting color and simulate a dusk/dawn effect. FWIW if this is your first tank my recommendation would be to hold off for a minimum of 6 months, preferably a year before adding an anemone.

 

good luck.

 

Garrett.

 

FWIW Chip (flowerseller) has a BTA anemone "farm" under normal output flourescent lamps.

Edited by gastone
treesprite Neptune Reefer

treesprite

I have to push the WAMAS membership when it scomes to things like equipment purchases.

 

Try to buy used if you can - it will work just as well and be MUCH cheaper. I watch the WAMAS buy/sell board here for good opportunities to get things I need sooner than I would otherwise have been able to get them. You can post there that you are looking for an item and may find someone who will sell you something that they didn't have on the sell list. Just remember to always try before you buy, no matter who the person is.

 

If you are going to buy something new, look for "group buy" opportunities here (have to be a WAMAS member). Sometimes we get great deals buy having several people get together and put everything in one order... we often get good discounts that way and save on shipping costs.

 

If you do decide to buy something independently that is brand new: before purchasing online, add the shipping cost to the price then compare against LFS prices. It often ends up being the same cost and you can then save yourself the online buying hassle while supporting a LFS.

 

For chosing the lighting.... you may be better off doing retrofits than buying a pre-feb fixture. I didn't really know about retrofits when I got my fixtures but will probably do retrofit next time around.

 

As far as pre-fab fixtures go, Current USA fixtures are sturdy. I knocked my a PC fixture from tanktop to floor on 3 ocassions and the bulbs never even flinched off in the sockets and there was no damage (never work in the tank with the fixture sitting diagonal up there!) (That fixture was a used item from a member for only $50.00... right there I more than made up for the cost of WAMAS membership).

newfish

newfish

  • Author

Ok,

So I did a trade for a Tank setup mainly so that I could get the Canister filter out of the deal. With the setup I got 2 Lights. One looks like a normal florescent T-8. The other I cant really tell what it is. All it says on the bulb is Marine-Glo 15W. But it is really bright blue. Could this possibly be an actinic bulb.

Here are some pictures of it. If so would this and the other light that I have work for corals.

55Gallon001.jpg

 

55Gallon004.jpg

 

55Gallon005.jpg

 

Thanks for the help.

Josh

gmubeach

gmubeach

Still not enough watts for a coral population .. its a standard florecent aquarium light...with a saltwater bulb

gmubeach

gmubeach

Magentic one if you have any more information about the fire hazard situation I just bought from them and I am curious about it.... don't want to burn my house down.

lanman

lanman

(edited)

what is the depth of your 30-gallon tank??

 

If you are going to be using PC's - depth is important, they don't have really good light penetration through the water.

 

bob

 

This NOT a budget solution - but you could grow most anything under these lights on your 30...

 

Tek- Light

Edited by lanman
newfish

newfish

  • Author

I have someone that is offering me a T12 VHO setup using Icecap 660 with wiring assembly, 3 - 24" actinic/daylight 75W VHO and reflector.

Would this work or is this too much.

I am not sure how much is wanted for it but any ideas on a decent price.

 

Thanks

ctenophore

ctenophore

I still think you would be better off with the 175w MH. The VHO's don't have enough intensity to light a 30g high tank. A 30L maybe, since they are only 12" tall I believe. I suppose you could try to keep the anemone up high, maybe 5-6" from the bulbs, but anemones decide for themselves where they want to go.

 

In any case, $150 for that kit is probably reasonable, assuming it's in good shape and not too old.

 

Personally I would wait and try to pick up a used MH kit. I have a spiderlight reflector + mogul socket you can have cheap ($15?) and the reflector is in almost perfect shape. You can probably find a used 175w ballast for under $50. Then, $60 for an XM 20k bulb and you'll have a better light option for around $125. Also, you'll be using less power (vs. 3x75w = 225w).

 

If you stop by for the reflector, you can see my 29g tall tank that has a 175w MH and you can decide for yourself if you like the look.

 

Justin

newfish

newfish

  • Author

I still think you would be better off with the 175w MH. The VHO's don't have enough intensity to light a 30g high tank. A 30L maybe, since they are only 12" tall I believe. I suppose you could try to keep the anemone up high, maybe 5-6" from the bulbs, but anemones decide for themselves where they want to go.

 

In any case, $150 for that kit is probably reasonable, assuming it's in good shape and not too old.

 

Personally I would wait and try to pick up a used MH kit. I have a spiderlight reflector + mogul socket you can have cheap ($15?) and the reflector is in almost perfect shape. You can probably find a used 175w ballast for under $50. Then, $60 for an XM 20k bulb and you'll have a better light option for around $125. Also, you'll be using less power (vs. 3x75w = 225w).

 

If you stop by for the reflector, you can see my 29g tall tank that has a 175w MH and you can decide for yourself if you like the look.

 

Justin

 

I will let you know, I think that I want an Aquapod or something similar. Something that as PCs and an MH bulb.

 

Thanks

Josh

newfish

newfish

  • Author
(edited)

I will let you know, I think that I want an Aquapod or something similar. Something that as PCs and an MH bulb.

 

Thanks

Josh

 

Does anyone have any experience with this.

Or

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~idp...1150~tab~0.html

 

 

Which would work best for me.

I am trying to find something that is not much more than $200. I know that lighting is expensive but I kinda have to watch my money.

If anyone that has one of these units or experience with these units could let me know how it works that would be great.

 

Thanks everyone for their help

Josh

Edited by newfish
newfish

newfish

  • Author

Josh,

 

I would try this one, a combo of MH + (not sure T5 or PC 65W actinic). Plus it is on sale with $100+ off.

 

You can put any anemone in and any corals in at any placement level in your tank without worry about not having enough light.

 

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~idP...ct~CU01040.html

 

KLee

 

 

That is exactly what I am looking for actually. Just a little more than I want to spend. If anyone has one used that would be Great.

Thanks

vaironman

vaironman

Josh,

 

I see your signature with a visi-jet skimmer. That skimmer will not work if you plan to put in anemone and coral in the future. Try to save up and purchase a used skimmer when someone has a nice used one up for sale here. I think someone in the club is selling a used Euro-Reef RS80. That is a very good skimmer for your tank. This hobby is costly. Yes we all are experience that and it's pretty addictive. :)

 

HTH,

 

KLee

newfish

newfish

  • Author

Josh,

 

I see your signature with a visi-jet skimmer. That skimmer will not work if you plan to put in anemone and coral in the future. Try to save up and purchase a used skimmer when someone has a nice used one up for sale here. I think someone in the club is selling a used Euro-Reef RS80. That is a very good skimmer for your tank. This hobby is costly. Yes we all are experience that and it's pretty addictive. :)

 

HTH,

 

KLee

 

Sent him a message. My lighting is #1 Priority right now though. I will work on my skimmer next though.

Thanks

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...