lights

hayes_101 · 06/12/2010, 09:10 PM

I started a 55 gal reef about 4 months back, I know I do not have the $ to do the hard corals but I do want to git in to the low light softies. so what do I need for light? this tank is just a wall mart special it just has 2 normal hood lights that came with it. This tank is just a starter for me I want to git a good grasp on things before I start my 180 to 200 gal build in the basement (that is where I want to sink the big bucks). so if any one has any suggestions I am all ears! I do have a Kenya tree and a brown mushroom and they are doing ok but I want more than ok!

mfd574 · 06/12/2010, 10:29 PM

You don't need metal halides but that is what I prefer. If you plan on starting a tank in the basement I would suggest that you keep that tank in mind when buying equipment. If you can get things for the tank you have now and use it on your future one than that's what I would do. As far as just for the tank right now for lower light stuff than I would suggest either pc or t5. Check the used goods forum. Can usually get lights way cheaper than if you bought them new at LFS.

jenjen · 06/13/2010, 09:33 AM

Personally I wouldn't spend $ on PC lighting. If you're looking to upgrade, go with T5 or MH.

hayes_101 · 06/13/2010, 10:04 AM

I am looking in to t5 but I don't know if I should go with 2, 4 or 6 lights I do need something that will do the proper job.

thegrun · 06/13/2010, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hayes_101

I am looking in to t5 but I don't know if I should go with 2, 4 or 6 lights I do need something that will do the proper job.

You could squeeze by with 2 for just softies, but if at all possible, 4 would look a lot better and allow you some possibilities of growing more light demanding corals. 6 would allow you to keep anything in the tank.

hayes_101 · 06/13/2010, 04:36 PM

thanks! that does help out a lot! so I will look for a t5 with 4 lights!
thanks again for the help!

coral_killer37 · 06/13/2010, 04:55 PM

MH lighting is the best lighting to buy. Its a waste of time to buy anything lower because if you are like most in this hobby, you will want corals eventually that your light will not support. I have wasted money on vho's and power compacts and with the money i spent, i could have bought MH's to begin with and spent that money somewhere else.

lisafoster · 06/13/2010, 06:16 PM

Metal halides all the way the shimmer is great and there are no restrictions on what you can keep. Metal halide retrofits are cheaper to buy than t5 fixture not all t5's are the same

hayes_101 · 06/13/2010, 07:31 PM

this tank is just a starter, it will be in about 3 or 4 years a sump to a much larger tank! that is where I will be spending the big $ on lighting and corals. for now I just want to git use to the hole thing and I want to go with low to med. light softies.

coral_killer37 · 06/13/2010, 08:02 PM

Hayes, what is your budget for lights? This will help determine what you really can get.

hayes_101 · 06/14/2010, 04:10 AM

I would say as of rate now my max is about 350$. and the bugger of it is I have to do most of my shopping on e-bay, the closest store is a 2 hr drive and they are only a small shop and don't carry much for that kinda thing.

coral_killer37 · 06/14/2010, 04:52 AM

look at Hamilton technology's website and check out the MH retrofits. You can get a 250 watt ballast, bulb and 2'retrofit reflector for about 300 dead presidents. That is plenty of light for your tank and you can definitely carry it over to your 180 gal in the future. If you run a radium you wont need actinics.

bmiller1234 · 06/14/2010, 08:59 AM

Personally I would just get a nice 4 bulb t5ho set up. If its going to be 3to4 years then just go t5. You will be able to keep softies and lps no problem and even some forgiving sps higher in tank with good bulbs. A decent t5 can prob be found around the 150 to 200 range and will give you some extra money for livestock. Until you get into a 24 inch wide tank halides will be wasted and 2 250 halides is a lot of light. With it not being a deep tank your going to have to hang them way up high and its going to cause slot of wash out light in your room.

You can also look into an icecap retro kit. if you get a 660 ballast and end caps you can run your 48 " lights and them when you upgrade you can use it to supplement your new lighting on big tank or just get another kit and run t5. That would probably be your best option so if you run halide when you upgrade you can use t5 for color.

bmiller1234 · 06/14/2010, 09:00 AM

Doubled sorry

hayes_101 · 06/14/2010, 03:52 PM

ok I seen this on e-bay how does this look?

* Dimensions - 47.50” x 7.25” x 2.75”
* Brackets add 2.75" in height
* Supports 4x 54W T5 High Output lamps
* Supports 4x Bluemoon LED
* Supports standard T5 lamps
* 216W total power
* Individual power cords for each function
* Black, non corrosive powder coated aluminum housing
* Non-corrosive powder coated aluminum housing
* Highly polished reflector
* Cooling Fan
* Mounting brackets flips up for convenience
* CE Certified

Listing includes:

* 1x 48" T5 Quad fixture
* 1x Mounting Bracket (Free Item*)
* 2x 54W T5 HO lamps 12000K (Free Item*)
* 2x 54W T5 HO lamps Actinic Blue (Free Item*)
* 4x LED (Free Item*)

hayes_101 · 06/14/2010, 03:52 PM

ok I seen this on e-bay how does this look?

* Dimensions - 47.50” x 7.25” x 2.75”
* Brackets add 2.75" in height
* Supports 4x 54W T5 High Output lamps
* Supports 4x Bluemoon LED
* Supports standard T5 lamps
* 216W total power
* Individual power cords for each function
* Black, non corrosive powder coated aluminum housing
* Non-corrosive powder coated aluminum housing
* Highly polished reflector
* Cooling Fan
* Mounting brackets flips up for convenience
* CE Certified

Listing includes:

* 1x 48" T5 Quad fixture
* 1x Mounting Bracket (Free Item*)
* 2x 54W T5 HO lamps 12000K (Free Item*)
* 2x 54W T5 HO lamps Actinic Blue (Free Item*)
* 4x LED (Free Item*)

hayes_101 · 06/14/2010, 03:54 PM

sorry for the repeat

hayes_101 · 06/16/2010, 07:08 PM

picked up my lights today! man what a difference in my tank! I got a 48" 2 bulb GLO system. I know it is not the best but it was a good price and from what I have read I think it will do fine. any comments I am all ears just tel me what you think I can return it if I have to!

06/12/2010, 09:10 PM	#1
hayes_101 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: yarmouth N.S Posts: 214	lights I started a 55 gal reef about 4 months back, I know I do not have the $ to do the hard corals but I do want to git in to the low light softies. so what do I need for light? this tank is just a wall mart special it just has 2 normal hood lights that came with it. This tank is just a starter for me I want to git a good grasp on things before I start my 180 to 200 gal build in the basement (that is where I want to sink the big bucks). so if any one has any suggestions I am all ears! I do have a Kenya tree and a brown mushroom and they are doing ok but I want more than ok!

06/13/2010, 09:33 AM	#3
jenjen Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Langley BC, Canada Posts: 1,710	Personally I wouldn't spend $ on PC lighting. If you're looking to upgrade, go with T5 or MH. __________________ "Challenges forge the greatness in you" Current Tank Info: 180gal softy reef (Apr '09)

06/14/2010, 08:59 AM	#13
bmiller1234 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cranberry TWP PA Posts: 802	Personally I would just get a nice 4 bulb t5ho set up. If its going to be 3to4 years then just go t5. You will be able to keep softies and lps no problem and even some forgiving sps higher in tank with good bulbs. A decent t5 can prob be found around the 150 to 200 range and will give you some extra money for livestock. Until you get into a 24 inch wide tank halides will be wasted and 2 250 halides is a lot of light. With it not being a deep tank your going to have to hang them way up high and its going to cause slot of wash out light in your room. You can also look into an icecap retro kit. if you get a 660 ballast and end caps you can run your 48 " lights and them when you upgrade you can use it to supplement your new lighting on big tank or just get another kit and run t5. That would probably be your best option so if you run halide when you upgrade you can use t5 for color. __________________ Brian Am I hallucinating here? Just what in the hell do you think you're doing?

06/14/2010, 09:00 AM	#14
bmiller1234 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cranberry TWP PA Posts: 802	Doubled sorry Last edited by bmiller1234; 06/14/2010 at 09:34 AM. Reason: ...

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06/12/2010, 10:29 PM	#2
mfd574 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: South Dakota Posts: 79	You don't need metal halides but that is what I prefer. If you plan on starting a tank in the basement I would suggest that you keep that tank in mind when buying equipment. If you can get things for the tank you have now and use it on your future one than that's what I would do. As far as just for the tank right now for lower light stuff than I would suggest either pc or t5. Check the used goods forum. Can usually get lights way cheaper than if you bought them new at LFS.

06/13/2010, 10:04 AM	#4
hayes_101 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: yarmouth N.S Posts: 214	I am looking in to t5 but I don't know if I should go with 2, 4 or 6 lights I do need something that will do the proper job.

06/13/2010, 04:36 PM	#6
hayes_101 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: yarmouth N.S Posts: 214	thanks! that does help out a lot! so I will look for a t5 with 4 lights! thanks again for the help!

06/13/2010, 04:55 PM	#7
coral_killer37 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: hesperia, ca Posts: 198	MH lighting is the best lighting to buy. Its a waste of time to buy anything lower because if you are like most in this hobby, you will want corals eventually that your light will not support. I have wasted money on vho's and power compacts and with the money i spent, i could have bought MH's to begin with and spent that money somewhere else.

06/13/2010, 06:16 PM	#8
lisafoster so much to learn Join Date: May 2010 Location: massachusetts Posts: 621	Metal halides all the way the shimmer is great and there are no restrictions on what you can keep. Metal halide retrofits are cheaper to buy than t5 fixture not all t5's are the same

06/13/2010, 07:31 PM	#9
hayes_101 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: yarmouth N.S Posts: 214	this tank is just a starter, it will be in about 3 or 4 years a sump to a much larger tank! that is where I will be spending the big $ on lighting and corals. for now I just want to git use to the hole thing and I want to go with low to med. light softies.

06/13/2010, 08:02 PM	#10
coral_killer37 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: hesperia, ca Posts: 198	Hayes, what is your budget for lights? This will help determine what you really can get.

06/14/2010, 04:10 AM	#11
hayes_101 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: yarmouth N.S Posts: 214	I would say as of rate now my max is about 350$. and the bugger of it is I have to do most of my shopping on e-bay, the closest store is a 2 hr drive and they are only a small shop and don't carry much for that kinda thing.

06/14/2010, 04:52 AM	#12
coral_killer37 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: hesperia, ca Posts: 198	look at Hamilton technology's website and check out the MH retrofits. You can get a 250 watt ballast, bulb and 2'retrofit reflector for about 300 dead presidents. That is plenty of light for your tank and you can definitely carry it over to your 180 gal in the future. If you run a radium you wont need actinics.

06/14/2010, 03:52 PM	#15
hayes_101 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: yarmouth N.S Posts: 214	ok I seen this on e-bay how does this look? * Dimensions - 47.50” x 7.25” x 2.75” * Brackets add 2.75" in height * Supports 4x 54W T5 High Output lamps * Supports 4x Bluemoon LED * Supports standard T5 lamps * 216W total power * Individual power cords for each function * Black, non corrosive powder coated aluminum housing * Non-corrosive powder coated aluminum housing * Highly polished reflector * Cooling Fan * Mounting brackets flips up for convenience * CE Certified Listing includes: * 1x 48" T5 Quad fixture * 1x Mounting Bracket (Free Item) 2x 54W T5 HO lamps 12000K (Free Item) 2x 54W T5 HO lamps Actinic Blue (Free Item) 4x LED (Free Item*)

06/14/2010, 03:54 PM	#17
hayes_101 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: yarmouth N.S Posts: 214	sorry for the repeat

06/16/2010, 07:08 PM	#18
hayes_101 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: yarmouth N.S Posts: 214	picked up my lights today! man what a difference in my tank! I got a 48" 2 bulb GLO system. I know it is not the best but it was a good price and from what I have read I think it will do fine. any comments I am all ears just tel me what you think I can return it if I have to!