Lighting for Shallow Cube??

forddna · 05/07/2008, 08:27 AM

I am considering ordering a 30x30x16high rimless glass tank. I plan on creating sort of a lagoon in the center of the tank and having the lighting right over that lagoon.

I do plan to keep corals, but not sure which ones.

I do not have the option to hang anything from the ceiling, so I am looking at alternatives.

One option I found was the Viper 150w HQI clamp on. Is that enough light? What about the fixture itself..good, bad??

GSMguy · 05/07/2008, 09:52 AM

not a good light, poor reflector and build quality

get a pendant like a lumenarc and a zero edge light tree to hang it from

forddna · 05/07/2008, 09:59 AM

More info on this light tree? Google was no help. I'm still new and learning.

Also, how do you feel about 150w hqi? Is it enough? I don't want light that is so bright that I can't keep mushrooms, but I also don't want to be too limited with corals that need strong light.

Like I said, it's only 16" deep and open top.

joeycadre · 05/07/2008, 10:39 AM

i had a 24"x24"x16" and i had a 250w se over it in a pfo pendant. i ran a 14k bulb. i could keep anything i wanted in it really. just at different heights in the tank.

plus with a 250w bulb i had a lot more choices in bulbs.

forddna · 05/07/2008, 11:02 AM

What about a fixture that has:

1x175w HQI plus 2x65w CF?

dv0920 · 05/07/2008, 11:23 AM

Learn from my experience here.
I have a 30X30X17 cube.

I have a 6 bulb Tek5 T5 lighing fixture and quite honestly its not a good light choice for this type of setup, either too much or too little light for certain corals.

Depth for this tank is crucial.

Im currently upgrading my fixture, either retrofitting it with a 250watt or going to scrap it and buy a 24 fixture with 2 T5's for dawn dusk with a 250 watt over center.

I have just what you described a small shallow lagoon in the center with many sps zoos and 1 lps.

Go with a 250 or 400 watt with T5 supplement.
imho
D

littleoldme · 05/07/2008, 11:30 AM

Here is the link on the light tree.

http://www.zeroedgeaquarium.com/SLB1Brackets.htm

forddna · 05/07/2008, 11:49 AM

Thanks for the input, and thanks for the link!

What do you guys think of the Aqua Medic brand HQI pendants? They have just a plain HQI or they also have HQI/T5 combo.

forddna · 05/07/2008, 09:19 PM

Looking into all options here. If I go with 20" or 24" depth, is 250w HQI still enough?

greenmonkey51 · 05/07/2008, 10:12 PM

Deepest I would go with is 20". That would allow you to raise the light a bit and get a little more coverage. Since you only need one light, I would go top of the line on everything and stick the 250w

forddna · 05/07/2008, 10:15 PM

"Top of the line" isn't within budget right now.

greenmonkey51 · 05/07/2008, 10:22 PM

I would at least go with a really good reflector. That should make up for any deficiency's. Going retro would save a lot of money.

forddna · 05/07/2008, 10:32 PM

Did you say to stick with 250w? (not sure what you meant)

05/07/2008, 08:27 AM	#1
forddna Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Crossville, TN (Tampa native) Posts: 5,143	Lighting for Shallow Cube?? I am considering ordering a 30x30x16high rimless glass tank. I plan on creating sort of a lagoon in the center of the tank and having the lighting right over that lagoon. I do plan to keep corals, but not sure which ones. I do not have the option to hang anything from the ceiling, so I am looking at alternatives. One option I found was the Viper 150w HQI clamp on. Is that enough light? What about the fixture itself..good, bad?? __________________ ~Amanda~ Returning to the hobby after a 5+ year hiatus Current Tank Info: 93g Cube - Build in Progress

05/07/2008, 09:52 AM	#2
GSMguy Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northern New Mexico Posts: 17,420	not a good light, poor reflector and build quality get a pendant like a lumenarc and a zero edge light tree to hang it from __________________ 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.

05/07/2008, 09:59 AM	#3
forddna Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Crossville, TN (Tampa native) Posts: 5,143	More info on this light tree? Google was no help. I'm still new and learning. Also, how do you feel about 150w hqi? Is it enough? I don't want light that is so bright that I can't keep mushrooms, but I also don't want to be too limited with corals that need strong light. Like I said, it's only 16" deep and open top. __________________ ~Amanda~ Returning to the hobby after a 5+ year hiatus Current Tank Info: 93g Cube - Build in Progress

05/07/2008, 10:39 AM	#4
joeycadre Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: jackson Posts: 1,371	i had a 24"x24"x16" and i had a 250w se over it in a pfo pendant. i ran a 14k bulb. i could keep anything i wanted in it really. just at different heights in the tank. plus with a 250w bulb i had a lot more choices in bulbs. __________________ "it's not the heat, it's the humility" Current Tank Info: 90 gal. sps mostly. bubble master 200. pci cl-300 chiller

05/07/2008, 11:02 AM	#5
forddna Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Crossville, TN (Tampa native) Posts: 5,143	What about a fixture that has: 1x175w HQI plus 2x65w CF? __________________ ~Amanda~ Returning to the hobby after a 5+ year hiatus Current Tank Info: 93g Cube - Build in Progress

05/07/2008, 11:23 AM	#6
dv0920 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 202	umm Learn from my experience here. I have a 30X30X17 cube. I have a 6 bulb Tek5 T5 lighing fixture and quite honestly its not a good light choice for this type of setup, either too much or too little light for certain corals. Depth for this tank is crucial. Im currently upgrading my fixture, either retrofitting it with a 250watt or going to scrap it and buy a 24 fixture with 2 T5's for dawn dusk with a 250 watt over center. I have just what you described a small shallow lagoon in the center with many sps zoos and 1 lps. Go with a 250 or 400 watt with T5 supplement. imho D

05/07/2008, 11:30 AM	#7
littleoldme Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 32	Here is the link on the light tree. http://www.zeroedgeaquarium.com/SLB1Brackets.htm

05/07/2008, 11:49 AM	#8
forddna Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Crossville, TN (Tampa native) Posts: 5,143	Thanks for the input, and thanks for the link! What do you guys think of the Aqua Medic brand HQI pendants? They have just a plain HQI or they also have HQI/T5 combo. __________________ ~Amanda~ Returning to the hobby after a 5+ year hiatus Current Tank Info: 93g Cube - Build in Progress

05/07/2008, 09:19 PM	#9
forddna Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Crossville, TN (Tampa native) Posts: 5,143	Looking into all options here. If I go with 20" or 24" depth, is 250w HQI still enough? __________________ ~Amanda~ Returning to the hobby after a 5+ year hiatus Current Tank Info: 93g Cube - Build in Progress

05/07/2008, 10:12 PM	#10
greenmonkey51 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,092	Deepest I would go with is 20". That would allow you to raise the light a bit and get a little more coverage. Since you only need one light, I would go top of the line on everything and stick the 250w

05/07/2008, 10:15 PM	#11
forddna Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Crossville, TN (Tampa native) Posts: 5,143	"Top of the line" isn't within budget right now. __________________ ~Amanda~ Returning to the hobby after a 5+ year hiatus Current Tank Info: 93g Cube - Build in Progress

05/07/2008, 10:22 PM	#12
greenmonkey51 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,092	I would at least go with a really good reflector. That should make up for any deficiency's. Going retro would save a lot of money.

05/07/2008, 10:32 PM	#13
forddna Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Crossville, TN (Tampa native) Posts: 5,143	Did you say to stick with 250w? (not sure what you meant) __________________ ~Amanda~ Returning to the hobby after a 5+ year hiatus Current Tank Info: 93g Cube - Build in Progress