What light/retrofit for LPS dominated tank????

hapka16 · 02/05/2009, 06:00 PM

I was wondering which light/retro would be the best for an LPS dominated tank? I currently have a cheap catalina aquarium 36" 6 x 39 watt light with crappy individual reflectors. Any ideas would be great!! Thanks

Justin

divewsharks · 02/05/2009, 06:31 PM

for only LPS I would look at:
if retro:
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_...Retrofit_Kit_w!_Bulbs_by_IceCap

fixture:
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_...utput_Fixture_(Black)_by_Sunlight_Supply

there is also a Icecap ballast-based retro, that puts out even more light, as well as 6-bulb versions of both above items if you wanted more bulbs running.

hapka16 · 02/05/2009, 07:41 PM

both links are broke.......can you try reposting them....also, i was wondering if a 6 bulb light w/ good reflectors would be too much light? Would i be better going with a 4 bulb setup?

Mark426 · 02/05/2009, 07:57 PM

4 lamp...most LPS really do better in low light. I know the current trend is to blast ALL corals with light brighter than a super nova...but the truth is.... most LPS like very low light.

divewsharks · 02/05/2009, 08:35 PM

Here they are again
Fixture:
http://*******.com/d3vqnk

retro:
http://*******.com/bb3ly5

lpsluver · 02/05/2009, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mark426
4 lamp...most LPS really do better in low light. I know the current trend is to blast ALL corals with light brighter than a super nova...but the truth is.... most LPS like very low light.

I'd have to say I disagree with this. Unless you are talking in comparison to SPS. Most of my books disagree too. T5 lighting is perfect for LPS. A 4 bulb fixture is more than enough. LPS definitely do not need as much as SPS.

hapka16 · 02/05/2009, 10:43 PM

Looking at the icecap retrofits....does anyone have any idea why they don't use there own icecap ballast to power it. I see they use two different brands.

divewsharks · 02/05/2009, 11:39 PM

That is one option, if you look on the main page they list a "very high output", that one would be using their own ballast. An icecap ballast will overdive a T5, a 54w will produce closer to 80w, and for a LPS tank you really wouldn't need that; now if you wanted an SPS dominated tank, that would be a very good kit.

hapka16 · 02/05/2009, 11:48 PM

ahh i see....i was thinking that the high output ones would be for t5HO and the very high output was VHO. Makes sense now. I was trying to go for a mix of sps and lps but sps is such a labor intensive thing so i'm gonna go for mainly softies and lps. Like i said before...i already have a 6 x 39 T5 fixture which uses a workhorse 5 ballast. Is this ballast junk, and should i get a new and better one.....if so which one would you recommend?

nikon187 · 02/06/2009, 02:47 AM

If looking for new balasts i would just go icecap with the lights you have now. You will need 2 balasts though ( a 660 and 440) for your six bulbs but it should be enough for any LPS you want to keep.

hapka16 · 02/06/2009, 09:47 AM

Do you think it would be enough to just run a 4 bulb config with just a 660?

jefathome · 02/06/2009, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mark426
4 lamp...most LPS really do better in low light. I know the current trend is to blast ALL corals with light brighter than a super nova...but the truth is.... most LPS like very low light.

I'm going to disagree as well.

I have a 400w 15k bulb and 200w of T5 over a 120g with Frogs and bubble corals up near the top and they LOVE the light. I'm getting tremendous growth out of them. The Froggy is the size of a basketball and the Bubble is the size of a football.

Granted, there are a few Chalice that I have that don't like to be front and center, but they do fine on the bottom still (30in deep tank)

divewsharks · 02/06/2009, 12:34 PM

I think Mark426 was speaking comparatively, but that is only an assumption.

The workhorse ballast is just not a top performer, it is not as efficient as others out there, and such doesn't produce as much light as you could get.

4 lamps driven by a IC660 will be plenty for you LPS (6 is better as it allow for more bulb options), how tall is your tank (and how high above the water would the lights be), because with the IC660 and 4 bulbs and good reflectors, you could keep SPS as well (if you wanted too down the road).
In the kit you would get IC reflectors, you could also call reefgeek and see about getting those changed for reefgeek reflectors, they are a little better than the IC, they just aren't listed on the website yet.

hapka16 · 02/06/2009, 04:04 PM

My tank is only 18" high but I'm going to upgrade to a 65 tall which is 24" high once I move to Denver this fall. Once I get the new tank I'm going to put the lights in the hood above the tank. So it would be about 5 or 6 inches above the water.

divewsharks · 02/07/2009, 01:31 AM

You should still be good to go, good T5's are usually good to a depth of 24", if you use IC ballasts (& good reflectors) you should be good to about 30". More than that though and you would want to begin exploring MH options, that is if you wanted to keep clams or SPS down on the sandbed.

02/05/2009, 06:00 PM	#1
hapka16 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: dallas, Texas Posts: 169	What light/retrofit for LPS dominated tank???? I was wondering which light/retro would be the best for an LPS dominated tank? I currently have a cheap catalina aquarium 36" 6 x 39 watt light with crappy individual reflectors. Any ideas would be great!! Thanks Justin

02/06/2009, 02:47 AM	#10
nikon187 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Edmonton Alberta Posts: 4,717	If looking for new balasts i would just go icecap with the lights you have now. You will need 2 balasts though ( a 660 and 440) for your six bulbs but it should be enough for any LPS you want to keep. __________________ ----------------- Current Tanks: New 210 custom 84 x 24 x 24, 60g sump, SWC 250 extreme with bubble blaster 5000, 2 vortech mp40, 2 vortech mp10, 12 T5, Water blaster 5000, warner marine bio pellets, 60g clownfish cube, red carpet anemone with a 25g sump,SRO octopus 1000sss, 250w radium, lumenarc large.

02/05/2009, 06:31 PM	#2
divewsharks Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 1,905	for only LPS I would look at: if retro: http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_...Retrofit_Kit_w!_Bulbs_by_IceCap fixture: http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_...utput_Fixture_(Black)_by_Sunlight_Supply there is also a Icecap ballast-based retro, that puts out even more light, as well as 6-bulb versions of both above items if you wanted more bulbs running.

02/05/2009, 07:41 PM	#3
hapka16 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: dallas, Texas Posts: 169	both links are broke.......can you try reposting them....also, i was wondering if a 6 bulb light w/ good reflectors would be too much light? Would i be better going with a 4 bulb setup?

02/05/2009, 07:57 PM	#4
Mark426 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 2,479	4 lamp...most LPS really do better in low light. I know the current trend is to blast ALL corals with light brighter than a super nova...but the truth is.... most LPS like very low light.

02/05/2009, 08:35 PM	#5
divewsharks Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 1,905	Here they are again Fixture: http://*****.com/d3vqnk retro: http://*****.com/bb3ly5

02/05/2009, 10:43 PM	#7
hapka16 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: dallas, Texas Posts: 169	Looking at the icecap retrofits....does anyone have any idea why they don't use there own icecap ballast to power it. I see they use two different brands.

02/05/2009, 11:39 PM	#8
divewsharks Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 1,905	That is one option, if you look on the main page they list a "very high output", that one would be using their own ballast. An icecap ballast will overdive a T5, a 54w will produce closer to 80w, and for a LPS tank you really wouldn't need that; now if you wanted an SPS dominated tank, that would be a very good kit.

02/05/2009, 11:48 PM	#9
hapka16 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: dallas, Texas Posts: 169	ahh i see....i was thinking that the high output ones would be for t5HO and the very high output was VHO. Makes sense now. I was trying to go for a mix of sps and lps but sps is such a labor intensive thing so i'm gonna go for mainly softies and lps. Like i said before...i already have a 6 x 39 T5 fixture which uses a workhorse 5 ballast. Is this ballast junk, and should i get a new and better one.....if so which one would you recommend?

02/06/2009, 09:47 AM	#11
hapka16 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: dallas, Texas Posts: 169	Do you think it would be enough to just run a 4 bulb config with just a 660?

02/06/2009, 12:34 PM	#13
divewsharks Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 1,905	I think Mark426 was speaking comparatively, but that is only an assumption. The workhorse ballast is just not a top performer, it is not as efficient as others out there, and such doesn't produce as much light as you could get. 4 lamps driven by a IC660 will be plenty for you LPS (6 is better as it allow for more bulb options), how tall is your tank (and how high above the water would the lights be), because with the IC660 and 4 bulbs and good reflectors, you could keep SPS as well (if you wanted too down the road). In the kit you would get IC reflectors, you could also call reefgeek and see about getting those changed for reefgeek reflectors, they are a little better than the IC, they just aren't listed on the website yet.

02/06/2009, 04:04 PM	#14
hapka16 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: dallas, Texas Posts: 169	My tank is only 18" high but I'm going to upgrade to a 65 tall which is 24" high once I move to Denver this fall. Once I get the new tank I'm going to put the lights in the hood above the tank. So it would be about 5 or 6 inches above the water.

02/07/2009, 01:31 AM	#15
divewsharks Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 1,905	You should still be good to go, good T5's are usually good to a depth of 24", if you use IC ballasts (& good reflectors) you should be good to about 30". More than that though and you would want to begin exploring MH options, that is if you wanted to keep clams or SPS down on the sandbed.