Lighting?

jmote86 · 05/24/2011, 08:43 PM

I am currently setting up a 90 Gallon saltwater reef aquarium... I am trying to figure out what lights i need... i have a 4 bulb GLO T5 HO setup... What bulbs do i need and should i think about going to a 6 bulb setup?

BurntOutReefer · 05/24/2011, 08:54 PM

what coral do you want to keep? IMO when in doubt, go with MH with actnic T5's

peppie · 05/24/2011, 09:19 PM

Lighting will depend on what you want to have in your tank. Many will say get the best you can buy, even if you have to save up for it. Because in most cases you will want to keeps SPS in the future.
IMO, buy what you can afford.Enjoy the life in your tank that the lights will support. Research and save for the wish list to be added later.
"They Say" 4 to 5watts per gal. for a reef tank. That is a ballpark statement IMO. If I were to keep SPS I would go more watts, If keeping softies you could go alittle less.
Read, ask, And read some more. While you enjoy the corals your current lights will support

jmote86 · 05/24/2011, 09:57 PM

thank you for your post.I need all the help i can get! I would like to have SPS, LPS, Polyp, Mushroom, and Soft Corals

BurntOutReefer · 05/24/2011, 09:59 PM

IMO, SPS = MH lights

jmote86 · 05/24/2011, 10:24 PM

the only prob with that is i would have to change my lighting system out completely!

peppie · 05/24/2011, 10:33 PM

Sometimes life is not fair. If you want to keep what you have listed, then you will need to follow the advice that will be given.
I am with BurntOutReefer.
There are other options.

BurntOutReefer · 05/24/2011, 10:48 PM

^what pep said.

BurntOutReefer · 05/24/2011, 10:50 PM

however, check this thread also:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2024024

jmote86 · 05/24/2011, 11:00 PM

i gotcha... like i said i am new to all of this and just trying to figure out what is needed.

zeeter · 05/25/2011, 09:07 AM

Well, four bulbs isn't enough. You'll need a six bulb fixture.

Contrary to what most people believe, while PAR is important it is the light temperature that is more important. Assuming you don't put an SPS coral on the bottom of a 24" tall tank you can get away with T5HO. You can even flourish under those conditions. Just keep the SPS in the upper 3rd of the tank. I posted on the thread referenced above so no need to repeat myself here.

But like I said, unless you kept all of your SPS six inches below the light a 4 bulb fixture won't do the trick for you. However to answer your original question, if you had a six bulb fixture I'd get three Geissemanne Aqua-Blue bulbs, one Actinic+ on the daylight circuit, and then two Pure Actinics on the Actinic circuit.

RocketSurgeon · 05/26/2011, 06:54 AM

http://home.comcast.net/~stevelarsen00/site/?/home/

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...06461&page=407

4 bulbs will be a little weak on a 90 gallon, in most cases. 6 bulbs will not only give you more par, but also a little greater color variety as well.

05/24/2011, 08:43 PM	#1
jmote86 Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 7	Lighting? I am currently setting up a 90 Gallon saltwater reef aquarium... I am trying to figure out what lights i need... i have a 4 bulb GLO T5 HO setup... What bulbs do i need and should i think about going to a 6 bulb setup?

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05/24/2011, 08:54 PM	#2
BurntOutReefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Granada Hills Posts: 4,376	what coral do you want to keep? IMO when in doubt, go with MH with actnic T5's

05/24/2011, 09:19 PM	#3
peppie Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1,883	Lighting will depend on what you want to have in your tank. Many will say get the best you can buy, even if you have to save up for it. Because in most cases you will want to keeps SPS in the future. IMO, buy what you can afford.Enjoy the life in your tank that the lights will support. Research and save for the wish list to be added later. "They Say" 4 to 5watts per gal. for a reef tank. That is a ballpark statement IMO. If I were to keep SPS I would go more watts, If keeping softies you could go alittle less. Read, ask, And read some more. While you enjoy the corals your current lights will support

05/24/2011, 09:57 PM	#4
jmote86 Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 7	thank you for your post.I need all the help i can get! I would like to have SPS, LPS, Polyp, Mushroom, and Soft Corals

05/24/2011, 09:59 PM	#5
BurntOutReefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Granada Hills Posts: 4,376	IMO, SPS = MH lights

05/24/2011, 10:24 PM	#6
jmote86 Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 7	the only prob with that is i would have to change my lighting system out completely!

05/24/2011, 10:33 PM	#7
peppie Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1,883	Sometimes life is not fair. If you want to keep what you have listed, then you will need to follow the advice that will be given. I am with BurntOutReefer. There are other options.

05/24/2011, 10:48 PM	#8
BurntOutReefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Granada Hills Posts: 4,376	^what pep said.

05/24/2011, 10:50 PM	#9
BurntOutReefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Granada Hills Posts: 4,376	however, check this thread also: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2024024

05/24/2011, 11:00 PM	#10
jmote86 Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 7	i gotcha... like i said i am new to all of this and just trying to figure out what is needed.

05/25/2011, 09:07 AM	#11
zeeter Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 386	Well, four bulbs isn't enough. You'll need a six bulb fixture. Contrary to what most people believe, while PAR is important it is the light temperature that is more important. Assuming you don't put an SPS coral on the bottom of a 24" tall tank you can get away with T5HO. You can even flourish under those conditions. Just keep the SPS in the upper 3rd of the tank. I posted on the thread referenced above so no need to repeat myself here. But like I said, unless you kept all of your SPS six inches below the light a 4 bulb fixture won't do the trick for you. However to answer your original question, if you had a six bulb fixture I'd get three Geissemanne Aqua-Blue bulbs, one Actinic+ on the daylight circuit, and then two Pure Actinics on the Actinic circuit.

05/26/2011, 06:54 AM	#12
RocketSurgeon Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 653	http://home.comcast.net/~stevelarsen00/site/?/home/ http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...06461&page=407 4 bulbs will be a little weak on a 90 gallon, in most cases. 6 bulbs will not only give you more par, but also a little greater color variety as well.