Help with DIY T5 lighting for 150g

haynzuna77 · 07/27/2009, 02:09 AM

I have a 150g (72L x 18W x 27H) tank that came with the "old style" full plastic canopy and 4- 36" light fixtures. Each fixture houses 2- 18" 15W bulbs with starters, for a total of 8 bulbs and 120W. I liked the lighting my LFS used which was Coralife 20,000k bulbs so I replaced all 8 bulbs with Coralife 18" 15W 20k bulbs @ $27/ea. (I'm in Hawaii so everything is more expensive!)- the guy at the LFS did say because the height of the tank it may not be enough...........he was right. While the color is nice it doesn't penetrate all the way.

I have been told I have to use MH but I think it's overkill and XXXpensive. My tanks are both FOWLR, kind of. I have live sand and mostly dead base rock with a few peices of store bought @ $7/lb, aquacultured LR ( it's illegal to harvest LR from the ocean here) that I hope will seed the dead rock. While I love the reef tanks, corals are also illegal here but we do have zoanthids, which I want to add in the future. So without corals I think the MHs are overkill (not to mention out of my price range)........am I right?

I wanna use T5s because on my 50g (36L x 15W x 20H) I have a single Coralife 36" dual bulb 42W fixture with T5s, 1- 10,000k and 1- actinic bulb and it is amazing. The brightness and coloring is great, brings out the color in the fish, and most importantly it penetrates. On the 150 the lights sit flush, right on the canopy. This fixture I have elevated with stands (2- CD cases taped together on each side- so about 6-7") and it still penetrates.

My problem is that the Coralife fixture which is probably their base model, I bought for $86 (again with the Hawaii pricing- it's only like $45-50/online)- so 4x is kinda out of my budget. I've read a lot online about DIY lighting, Advance ballasts, overdriving, etc. and while I have a good basic understanding they always refer to T8 & T12, 48" bulbs (I need 36"), and regular Home Depot bulbs whose wattage differs- usually lower. Can someone PLEASE help guide me towards and explain a cost effective lighting solution that with be nice to look at, sufficient for future addition of zoanthids, and most importantly PENETRATES to the bottom of the tank. Thanks a lot for hearing me out and I appologize for the long post but wanted to be informative and cover all bases. I look forward to any suggestions. Mahalo

haynzuna77 · 07/28/2009, 12:26 AM

hmmmmmmm.

addicted2reefin · 07/28/2009, 07:38 AM

i would go buy a few of 2x22 watt 36 in NO t5 fixtures and screw them in the the plastic canopy holders that u have. i think there around 25 bux a pop and thats gonna be the cheapest after u buy encaps, standoffs and ballasts.

07/27/2009, 02:09 AM	#1
haynzuna77 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Hawaii Posts: 6	Help with DIY T5 lighting for 150g I have a 150g (72L x 18W x 27H) tank that came with the "old style" full plastic canopy and 4- 36" light fixtures. Each fixture houses 2- 18" 15W bulbs with starters, for a total of 8 bulbs and 120W. I liked the lighting my LFS used which was Coralife 20,000k bulbs so I replaced all 8 bulbs with Coralife 18" 15W 20k bulbs @ $27/ea. (I'm in Hawaii so everything is more expensive!)- the guy at the LFS did say because the height of the tank it may not be enough...........he was right. While the color is nice it doesn't penetrate all the way. I have been told I have to use MH but I think it's overkill and XXXpensive. My tanks are both FOWLR, kind of. I have live sand and mostly dead base rock with a few peices of store bought @ $7/lb, aquacultured LR ( it's illegal to harvest LR from the ocean here) that I hope will seed the dead rock. While I love the reef tanks, corals are also illegal here but we do have zoanthids, which I want to add in the future. So without corals I think the MHs are overkill (not to mention out of my price range)........am I right? I wanna use T5s because on my 50g (36L x 15W x 20H) I have a single Coralife 36" dual bulb 42W fixture with T5s, 1- 10,000k and 1- actinic bulb and it is amazing. The brightness and coloring is great, brings out the color in the fish, and most importantly it penetrates. On the 150 the lights sit flush, right on the canopy. This fixture I have elevated with stands (2- CD cases taped together on each side- so about 6-7") and it still penetrates. My problem is that the Coralife fixture which is probably their base model, I bought for $86 (again with the Hawaii pricing- it's only like $45-50/online)- so 4x is kinda out of my budget. I've read a lot online about DIY lighting, Advance ballasts, overdriving, etc. and while I have a good basic understanding they always refer to T8 & T12, 48" bulbs (I need 36"), and regular Home Depot bulbs whose wattage differs- usually lower. Can someone PLEASE help guide me towards and explain a cost effective lighting solution that with be nice to look at, sufficient for future addition of zoanthids, and most importantly PENETRATES to the bottom of the tank. Thanks a lot for hearing me out and I appologize for the long post but wanted to be informative and cover all bases. I look forward to any suggestions. Mahalo

07/28/2009, 12:26 AM	#2
haynzuna77 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Hawaii Posts: 6	hmmmmmmm.

07/28/2009, 07:38 AM	#3
addicted2reefin Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: hell, delaware Posts: 628	i would go buy a few of 2x22 watt 36 in NO t5 fixtures and screw them in the the plastic canopy holders that u have. i think there around 25 bux a pop and thats gonna be the cheapest after u buy encaps, standoffs and ballasts.