Noob Lighting Question

Hubbace · 11/01/2011, 01:53 PM

OK, setting up a 100G reef tank, purchased used off CL, came with three 60" VHO lamps with Icecap ballast. I am planning on beginer corals, inverts, and fish. Will this light suit me for now? Understanding that in the future I have plans to put in a t5, 6 lamp 48" fixture. If the existing will suit for now, what configuration do those that are in know advise, as far as color/lamp temp, etc?

shifty51008 · 11/01/2011, 02:39 PM

you should be fine with softies, shrooms, zoas and some LPS corals, inverts and fish will all be fine except anemones.

Dustin1300 · 11/01/2011, 02:45 PM

What type of coral do you want and common temperatures/colors are 10k, 14k, and 20k. The higher the k the more blue.

Ron Reefman · 11/01/2011, 02:48 PM

I had 5 VHO bulbs over my old 75g reef and everything did just fine. SPS were kept alive, but they didn't grow much,if at all and they didn't color up as well as they do in the new tank with MH lights. You should be OK as shifty says... except for the anemones comment, I had 2 condys and 2 RBTA and they all did fine, both RBTA even split once each.

calbert0 · 11/01/2011, 05:45 PM

I also had an RBTA that did fine under power compacts for 1.5 years before it died when i broke the tank down and travelled 400 miles to a new apartment.

Southreef · 11/02/2011, 06:57 AM

It will be fine to start your reef. Depending on your goals and budget, the sky is quite literally the limit with lighting options. My tank started and did well with base line entry to lighting and since then I have easily poured more money into this portion of my tank than any other.

Congrats on the purchase!

Hubbace · 11/02/2011, 09:40 AM

Thank you all for the help. I can see RC is going to be a mainstay of mine for the next many months while I get fully emmersed into this new additction. Great to have such a nice support group. :-)

11/01/2011, 01:53 PM	#1
Hubbace Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 28	Noob Lighting Question OK, setting up a 100G reef tank, purchased used off CL, came with three 60" VHO lamps with Icecap ballast. I am planning on beginer corals, inverts, and fish. Will this light suit me for now? Understanding that in the future I have plans to put in a t5, 6 lamp 48" fixture. If the existing will suit for now, what configuration do those that are in know advise, as far as color/lamp temp, etc?

11/01/2011, 02:39 PM	#2
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	you should be fine with softies, shrooms, zoas and some LPS corals, inverts and fish will all be fine except anemones. __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

11/01/2011, 02:45 PM	#3
Dustin1300 Reefaholic Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Carmel, IN Posts: 5,135	What type of coral do you want and common temperatures/colors are 10k, 14k, and 20k. The higher the k the more blue. __________________ INDMAS President Check out my tank in the Large Tank Forums, "A Reefaholic's 1000+ Gallon Mixed Reef System Build"! Current Tank Info: 600 Gallon DT, 140 Gallon Grow Out Tank, 125 Gallon Sump, 90 Gallon Fuge, 200 Gallon Fish QT, 15 Gallon Frag QT

11/01/2011, 02:48 PM	#4
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	I had 5 VHO bulbs over my old 75g reef and everything did just fine. SPS were kept alive, but they didn't grow much,if at all and they didn't color up as well as they do in the new tank with MH lights. You should be OK as shifty says... except for the anemones comment, I had 2 condys and 2 RBTA and they all did fine, both RBTA even split once each. __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

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11/01/2011, 05:45 PM	#5
calbert0 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: City of Chicago Posts: 198	I also had an RBTA that did fine under power compacts for 1.5 years before it died when i broke the tank down and travelled 400 miles to a new apartment.

11/02/2011, 06:57 AM	#6
Southreef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Lake Worth, FL Posts: 188	It will be fine to start your reef. Depending on your goals and budget, the sky is quite literally the limit with lighting options. My tank started and did well with base line entry to lighting and since then I have easily poured more money into this portion of my tank than any other. Congrats on the purchase!

11/02/2011, 09:40 AM	#7
Hubbace Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 28	Thank you all for the help. I can see RC is going to be a mainstay of mine for the next many months while I get fully emmersed into this new additction. Great to have such a nice support group. :-)