What Kind of lighting should I have/get

[jason the filter freak]

I have been informed that my 150 watt, with 2 24 watt atinics light fixture is entirely to small and underpowered for my 55 gallon set up.

 

I need suggestions.

 

I want to have some pretty "simple" stuff; zoos, xenia, some thing like kenya tree, and maybe hammer. Other than that just LR and Fish.

 

It's a standard 55 gallon tank, with a "nice" hood/capony (open back), the lights would be positioned 8 inches off the water... I was thinking 2 or three 250 MH 10,000k with some sort of atinic.

Edited September 13, 2006 by jason the filter freak

[YBeNormal]

I have been informed that my 150 watt, with 2 24 watt atinics light fixture is entirely to small and underpowered for my 55 gallon set up.

 

I need suggestions.

 

I want to have some pretty "simple" stuff; zoos, xenia, some thing like kenya tree, and maybe hammer. Other than that just LR and Fish.

 

It's a standard 55 gallon tank, with a "nice" hood/capony (open back), the lights would be positioned 8 inches off the water... I was thinking 2 or three 250 MH 10,000k with some sort of atinic.

 

4x54W T5 would work fine for a 55 w/ those and many other corals, generates less heat than MH and lower cost to operate. You don't get the shimmer of MH though. If you go T5, get a quality light fixture or retro kit with individual reflectors for each bulb.

 

Bob

[jamesbuf]

If you can wait a couple weeks, I'm going to be upgrading to a larger T5 unit and will be selling my current T5 unit. Its a plug and play 4foot long 6 bulb(54watt each) T5 unit. Nothing wrong with it, I just need a 6 foot long unit for my 180gal, not a 4 foot. I'll be looking to get around $250 for it since the bulbs are only about a month old. I was going to list it in a few weeks once I got the 6 foot unit, but you can have first dibs if you want it. just let me know.

[stevil]

James' would be a good deal. I have 2 T5's and 2 VHOs on my 90 gallon and basically have everything you've listed. It's all doing well.

[jason the filter freak]

So aside from the lower heat out put, why would I want T5 over halide? The halide seems prettier... But then again I've olny seen 1 T5 tank

[steveoutlaw]

I would have to disagree. I think that the T5s actually give better color than the MH. If you go with VHO actinics you also get a good shimmer effect (but not as much as with MH). You also have more options of bulb combinations with the T5s.

 

IMHO.

[jason the filter freak]

In peoples experience, how do prices of T5's stack up against MH?

[Sharkb8]

When I did my research before buying my T5 unit I recall reading that the T5 bulbs are cheaper, last longer, and suck up less electricity than MH bulbs. Can anyone else verify?

[jason the filter freak]

Are they? Thats, awsome!! Why in the world would anyone have MH then?>

[fishdrummer]

uh oh here we go. jamesbuf where are you getting your lights for the 180.

im considering that for my setup

[dandy7200]

Are they? Thats, awsome!! Why in the world would anyone have MH then?>

 

haha don't get me started . To be honest though I keep every coral you mentioned above with the exception of hammer just fine in my 29 with NO flourecents. I think your lights are perfectly fine for what you want to accomplish with your system.

[Sharkb8]

Are they? Thats, awsome!! Why in the world would anyone have MH then?>

 

My understanding from what I read was simply that the T5 technology was newer, that's all. Some prefer the look of MH over T5 and T5 has only just recently become available. So we now have two good options. In my mind, it just depends on how much you want to spend.

[jason the filter freak]

haha don't get me started . To be honest though I keep every coral you mentioned above with the exception of hammer just fine in my 29 with NO flourecents. I think your lights are perfectly fine for what you want to accomplish with your system.

 

A 29 my tank is not, I have a 55, and I'm thinking I need at least some more wattage for corals, but I'm glad you're tellting me I don't makes me a bit more comfortable with the cost. But I need some more at least to cover all my space so the entire tank is lit, I'll still have over hangs and caves and such for shadows

[wolfman]

if it were me i would put three 400 watt mh above it and you wont have to worry about any coral. :wink:

[Gatortailale]

1) How much money you want to spend - will you have any money left to buy other things you want, need to make system success; skimmer, pump, salt .....

 

2) what corals you want to keep? [ as poste above] nothing there requiring tons of light

 

3) on the basis you have money (not issue) when do you plan to buy bigger tank? If your going bigger in future, buy what you can use on next system

 

4) just get another 150 hqi if you plan to keep it since you already own one unit + the t5's

 

5) what "pro" gave you the advice that 150 is not enough for it. A 55 is small, both in front to back length and depth of water. I think 250's would be overkill for a 55

 

Your registered as a student - thus guess you have limited funds. Best bet to do it on the low tech side until you are out of school. Change of schools, moves ... all that could impact your setup in 6-12+ months Might as well wait until you are at stable point in life - out of school and into a job & on you own- then if you still like hobby, get a fancy system.

 

Just my .02 of seeing lots of students jump in only to head off to college in year or 2 and a either sell off cause family doesn't want to care or needs the cash downt he road.

[jason the filter freak]

1) How much money you want to spend - will you have any money left to buy other things you want, need to make system success; skimmer, pump, salt .....

 

2) what corals you want to keep? [ as poste above] nothing there requiring tons of light

 

3) on the basis you have money (not issue) when do you plan to buy bigger tank? If your going bigger in future, buy what you can use on next system

 

4) just get another 150 hqi if you plan to keep it since you already own one unit + the t5's

 

5) what "pro" gave you the advice that 150 is not enough for it. A 55 is small, both in front to back length and depth of water. I think 250's would be overkill for a 55

 

Your registered as a student - thus guess you have limited funds. Best bet to do it on the low tech side until you are out of school. Change of schools, moves ... all that could impact your setup in 6-12+ months Might as well wait until you are at stable point in life - out of school and into a job & on you own- then if you still like hobby, get a fancy system.

 

Just my .02 of seeing lots of students jump in only to head off to college in year or 2 and a either sell off cause family doesn't want to care or needs the cash downt he road.

 

After buying about $700 in text books the olny fund i have left for my tank, are selling off stuff that I already have, i.e. my sump, skimmer, inadequate? lighting, power heads

 

I'm currently in college now, and I'm not planning to going bigger than a 55 for many many many years, i just want color, and interesting suff, xenia, zoos, mushroom (possibly), kenya tree, hammer errm or frog spawn, and a WHILE down the road anemonel, I haven't done a ton of research I'm I'm learngin quickly, that nothing good happens quickly, so I'm trying to have some paticence.

 

I already have what I belive is a decent skimmer, and once i sell off the one i have now, I plan to make my own sump, hopefull i can get ahold of one of those 200 gal boxes of salt from BRK and I'll be set there, from there I just need more exp feeding, and with dosing

[dandy7200]

A 29 my tank is not, I have a 55, and I'm thinking I need at least some more wattage for corals, but I'm glad you're tellting me I don't makes me a bit more comfortable with the cost. But I need some more at least to cover all my space so the entire tank is lit, I'll still have over hangs and caves and such for shadows

 

 

I couldn't agree more with all points Craig made. Do you have a fixture that is limiting you to the setup you described or is it all retro? I am going to assume it is a fixture: Gut it! Spread your light out a little bit, and add another 150w hqi retro from hello lights for $180 (includes the bulb) An you will have plenty of light for all but the more demanding sps and even still you will be able to grow those high up in the tank.

I guess the point here is that if you are thinking about youer light setup you really need to look at the livestock you plan to keep. Softies, palys, and LPS? You will have no problem with the setup as mentioned. If you want to go to T5 then by all means do so but, it is in no way required to accomplish your goals.

 

Dan

[jason the filter freak]

As much as i paid for thsi set up I'd rather try to sell it , it has a remote balast, with two switchs and two cords comming from the light going to the balast, and then from the balast to the wall, the entire fixture is less than a year old, and the bulb in MH is less than a month old. The entire thing is snugly contained in the brushed aluminum or behind glass in order not to expose the bulbs to salt creep

 

 

[Gatortailale]

Maybe I missed length of fixture - looks like 24. Your 55 is 48 long. Nothing wrong with having darker areas 12 inches, on each end of tank. Just put your low light items there. Concentrate more light demanding stuff in center. Unless someone pays you what it cost you, no need to mess with the fixture. Looks like a good one.

[jason the filter freak]

150 will be enough light for most softies, and such anems? I'd eventaully like a bi-valve, but I heard / have read they require a very very high amount of lighting.

[dschflier]

Well Jason this appears to be the second time I will give a suggestion to one of your threads. I am far from a proffesional but have used both the T-5s and the MH. Currently I have 3 250 watt MH in my 210 and my 46 bowfront is T-5s. I love the color I get from my 4 t-5s and everything grows fine in the tank. I will say I have very limited experience with SPS corals, but everything else not only does well but looks really good. I think when you have a deeper tank the MH become much more important. Another thing with the MH. I do like them, but I feel that the color of the bulbs is not as consistent. Also the cost of keeping the tank cool and of pwr usage is obviously much more expensive with the MH. Just my thought

[danskim]

There is potentially a never ending debate between MH and T5 lighting. The most important thing about T5s, as mentioned earlier, is the use of high quality individual reflectors (like IceCap SLR or SLS). Their performance can be even better with the use of a ballast capable of overdriving the bulbs about 50-60% (IceCap 440 or 660).

 

As for intensity at a certain depth... I think someone on RC did some of his own tests with a PAR meter comparing T5 and MH at certain depths, and the T5s were able to have higher PAR readings at a deeper level. (I'm sure a 1000w MH would be more intense than any current type of fluorescent, but for most of us, it could be true). The stated hypothesis (which makes a lot of sense to me) is that T5 is a linear source of light so it is easier to make a highly efficient reflector in a parabolic shape without much light loss. MH lighting is point source, so the reflector needs to be 3D. This makes the task of creating a good reflector more challenging.

While this is by no means conclusive evidence, it goes to show that T5 is a real contender to MH lighting.

 

MH has been around for a long time, and many, many people have been successful with them... even without supplemental lighting

Here is a link: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthre...ghlight=Italian

That person uses only EVC 10000K bulbs for his reef.

 

On the other hand, people have been successful with only T5 lighting as well. Here are two links:

Iwan's tank: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.p...mp;pagenumber=1

Danano's tank: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-03/totm/index.php

 

I personally went with T5s on my 140g because of a bit less heat output, and it just looks sleeker as a room divider between my kitchen and sunroom.

This was also said too, but in general, even overdriven T5 bulbs should last between 18-24 months (bluer ones need to be replaced sooner).

Edited September 17, 2006 by danskim