Lighting on a 54 gallon corner

Tight Lines · 05/15/2008, 07:02 PM

Hi everyone,

I'm converting a previous FOWLR tank into my first reef tank. My concern at the moment is what I should do for lighting. I currently have the following coralife light which I understand to be insufficient http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt...~vendor~.html.

What are my options as far as lighting? Would a 24 inch 150 MH pendant be sufficient lighting? 1 250 Bulb?

Would there be any other PC lighting options that would be sufficient to light a 54 gallon corner tank?

My concern also is in having multiple balasts so that I can fire just the actinics at night.

Thanks in advance for all the help and I look forward to being part of RC.

birdman1979 · 05/15/2008, 07:11 PM

I had a 54 g corner a few years ago. they are tricky to light. I tried a 175W MH and it was insuffucient IMO. I would go at least 250 on a luminarc. 400 for sps.

Tight Lines · 05/15/2008, 08:08 PM

little help guys? Someone's got to have a clue.

OnlyCrimson · 05/15/2008, 10:22 PM

What do you want to keep? 150w in a decent pendant will be enough for soft and lps everywhere and sps in the upper portion. If all sps go 250w.

rockworm · 05/16/2008, 06:24 AM

Tight Lines, I am in the similar boat as you. I have two 54s but I am going to use one as a softie and one as a FOWLR. These are tricky to light. The following is my opinion and is noit based on my actual. setup. Rather, it is what I plan to do, unless I find other info that contradicts my plan.

I agree with OnlyCrimson on MH. I currently have a 90g with 250w and I am happy with it. This tank is 24"h with 3" sand. My 54s are 23" high, so if I have 2" sand, the 250w for SPS will work well. I will be going with a 150HQI or 175 mogul for the softie tank. I will supplement with T5.

The next question: will you do it yourself or are you looking for a fixture. The shape of these tanks does not lend well to a fixture althought there are some that will work, with conditions. I believe an Outer Orbit 24" will work but there will be dark areas at the back of the tank and outer corners.

If diy, I plan to use the Luminarc Mini with 175w and supplement with 24" T5. The T5s can be run along the edges of the tank and across the front. However, I will be building a canopy to attach them to.

Good luck

EnderG60 · 05/16/2008, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by birdman1979
I had a 54 g corner a few years ago. they are tricky to light. I tried a 175W MH and it was insuffucient IMO. I would go at least 250 on a luminarc. 400 for sps.

thats all you need to know

fazio92 · 05/16/2008, 08:33 AM

i'm in the same predicament with my new 92 corner. I was thinking of doing a lumenarc mini with 400W SE and suplementing with T5's around the lumenarc. (SPS tank) Not sure if this will be enough though?

GSMguy · 05/16/2008, 09:32 AM

fazio go with full size lumenarc.

fazio92 · 05/16/2008, 09:40 AM

I was going to do that, but then the T-5's will hang almost outside the tank right?

Jefe12234 · 05/16/2008, 09:48 AM

I used a Lumenarc mini on my 54 corner with no supplemental lighting and it worked perfectly. The entire tank appeared evenly lit. But for this you need to use a canopy or hang it from overhead. I would only go 400w if you're planning on using a blue bulb and want to keep high light corals.

fazio92 · 05/16/2008, 09:58 AM

how blue are the XM 20K's, i have the 15K's right now and love them.

Tight Lines · 05/17/2008, 08:03 AM

Thanks for the responses. Unfortunately I'd like to steer clear of a canopy because I don't have one and I find it more aesthetically pleasing without. The looks of a pendant keep the tank looking sleek and modern.

I'm planning on keeping softies and LPS only, definitely some anemones.

So i'm looking for something that isn't painful to look at hanging over my tank in the living room and something that will give me sufficient lighting for these corals and the ability to fire actinics seperately.

Tight Lines · 05/17/2008, 01:33 PM

bump for some help, I'm trying to get a light on this thing ASAP.

eric's reef · 05/17/2008, 09:32 PM

running the three 24" bulbs along the sides sounds great. If you had choose between t5 or vho for pure actinic only to give that pop, which would you choose? The t5's sound nice because of lower energy use but you have to buy individual reflectors to make them work well where vho you could just screw them to the top of the canopy. I will be using a lumenarc mini as well right in the middle. Thanks eric

eric's reef · 05/17/2008, 09:33 PM

also did you look at this 54gal? really well done.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=848627

cskollmann · 05/18/2008, 06:30 AM

I upgraded the lighting on my 54 corner last year, and also asked for advice here. I also didn't want a hood. Basically, I concluded that T5 alone wouldn't work well, and halide was the way to go. Then it just becomes a question of what wattage and finding the right pendant. I went with a Aquamedic Oceanlight 24" T5 250 Watt HQI Combo, and have been very happy so far.

http://www.aqua-medic.com/oceanlight_T5_HQI_combo.shtml

At the moment I have 5 LPS in the tank, too many shrooms and protopalythoa, and a birdsnest coral up at the top, and everybody seems happy.

Looks like Aquamedic has a new line of pendants, the Spacelight EX, but I don't know anything about them.

05/15/2008, 07:02 PM	#1
Tight Lines Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 11	Lighting on a 54 gallon corner Hi everyone, I'm converting a previous FOWLR tank into my first reef tank. My concern at the moment is what I should do for lighting. I currently have the following coralife light which I understand to be insufficient http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt...~vendor~.html. What are my options as far as lighting? Would a 24 inch 150 MH pendant be sufficient lighting? 1 250 Bulb? Would there be any other PC lighting options that would be sufficient to light a 54 gallon corner tank? My concern also is in having multiple balasts so that I can fire just the actinics at night. Thanks in advance for all the help and I look forward to being part of RC.

05/16/2008, 06:24 AM	#5
rockworm A-counting guy Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 673	Tight Lines, I am in the similar boat as you. I have two 54s but I am going to use one as a softie and one as a FOWLR. These are tricky to light. The following is my opinion and is noit based on my actual. setup. Rather, it is what I plan to do, unless I find other info that contradicts my plan. I agree with OnlyCrimson on MH. I currently have a 90g with 250w and I am happy with it. This tank is 24"h with 3" sand. My 54s are 23" high, so if I have 2" sand, the 250w for SPS will work well. I will be going with a 150HQI or 175 mogul for the softie tank. I will supplement with T5. The next question: will you do it yourself or are you looking for a fixture. The shape of these tanks does not lend well to a fixture althought there are some that will work, with conditions. I believe an Outer Orbit 24" will work but there will be dark areas at the back of the tank and outer corners. If diy, I plan to use the Luminarc Mini with 175w and supplement with 24" T5. The T5s can be run along the edges of the tank and across the front. However, I will be building a canopy to attach them to. Good luck __________________ You can see my 400g build thread here: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2577596 Current Tank Info: 400g SPS and 75g non SPS

05/16/2008, 09:32 AM	#8
GSMguy Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northern New Mexico Posts: 17,420	fazio go with full size lumenarc. __________________ Nick. Conehead. Shallow Reef club. Current Tank Info: 48"x27"x14" Envision Acrylic rimless, 6x39w ATi Sunpower, Custom ATB Deluxe Skimmer, 4x tunze nano stream,ATB flowstar 1500, ACJR, Tunze osmolator.

05/16/2008, 09:48 AM	#10
Jefe12234 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: MN Posts: 885	I used a Lumenarc mini on my 54 corner with no supplemental lighting and it worked perfectly. The entire tank appeared evenly lit. But for this you need to use a canopy or hang it from overhead. I would only go 400w if you're planning on using a blue bulb and want to keep high light corals. __________________ Serenity now!!!

05/17/2008, 09:32 PM	#14
eric's reef Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: gainesville,florida Posts: 237	running the three 24" bulbs along the sides sounds great. If you had choose between t5 or vho for pure actinic only to give that pop, which would you choose? The t5's sound nice because of lower energy use but you have to buy individual reflectors to make them work well where vho you could just screw them to the top of the canopy. I will be using a lumenarc mini as well right in the middle. Thanks eric __________________ I joined reef keeping when it was cool to buy aptasia!! Current Tank Info: 800gal in the works

05/15/2008, 07:11 PM	#2
birdman1979 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 373	I had a 54 g corner a few years ago. they are tricky to light. I tried a 175W MH and it was insuffucient IMO. I would go at least 250 on a luminarc. 400 for sps.

05/15/2008, 08:08 PM	#3
Tight Lines Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 11	little help guys? Someone's got to have a clue.

05/15/2008, 10:22 PM	#4
OnlyCrimson Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Royal Oak,Michigan Posts: 863	What do you want to keep? 150w in a decent pendant will be enough for soft and lps everywhere and sps in the upper portion. If all sps go 250w.

05/16/2008, 08:33 AM	#7
fazio92 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Reston, VA Posts: 153	i'm in the same predicament with my new 92 corner. I was thinking of doing a lumenarc mini with 400W SE and suplementing with T5's around the lumenarc. (SPS tank) Not sure if this will be enough though?

05/16/2008, 09:40 AM	#9
fazio92 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Reston, VA Posts: 153	I was going to do that, but then the T-5's will hang almost outside the tank right?

05/16/2008, 09:58 AM	#11
fazio92 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Reston, VA Posts: 153	how blue are the XM 20K's, i have the 15K's right now and love them.

05/17/2008, 08:03 AM	#12
Tight Lines Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 11	Thanks for the responses. Unfortunately I'd like to steer clear of a canopy because I don't have one and I find it more aesthetically pleasing without. The looks of a pendant keep the tank looking sleek and modern. I'm planning on keeping softies and LPS only, definitely some anemones. So i'm looking for something that isn't painful to look at hanging over my tank in the living room and something that will give me sufficient lighting for these corals and the ability to fire actinics seperately.

05/17/2008, 01:33 PM	#13
Tight Lines Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 11	bump for some help, I'm trying to get a light on this thing ASAP.

05/17/2008, 09:33 PM	#15
eric's reef Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: gainesville,florida Posts: 237	also did you look at this 54gal? really well done. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=848627 __________________ I joined reef keeping when it was cool to buy aptasia!! Current Tank Info: 800gal in the works

05/18/2008, 06:30 AM	#16
cskollmann Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 22	I upgraded the lighting on my 54 corner last year, and also asked for advice here. I also didn't want a hood. Basically, I concluded that T5 alone wouldn't work well, and halide was the way to go. Then it just becomes a question of what wattage and finding the right pendant. I went with a Aquamedic Oceanlight 24" T5 250 Watt HQI Combo, and have been very happy so far. http://www.aqua-medic.com/oceanlight_T5_HQI_combo.shtml At the moment I have 5 LPS in the tank, too many shrooms and protopalythoa, and a birdsnest coral up at the top, and everybody seems happy. Looks like Aquamedic has a new line of pendants, the Spacelight EX, but I don't know anything about them.