Lighting Recommendation - 35 Tall

TheBends · 07/22/2011, 08:35 AM

Display Tank
35 Gallon Tall
18" Wide
18" Deep
25" Tall

Sump
55 Gallon Standard
48" Wide
12.5" Deep
21" Tall

Auxillary Display Tank (Plumbed into same sump)
70 Gallon Tall
36" Wide
18" Deep
25" Tall

35 Gallon Tall Inhabitants
Zoanthids
Frogspawn
Torch
Pair of Gold Stripe Maroons
Nem for the GSMs... Would prefer a Haddoni but would settle otherwise

The question today is lighting for the 35 gallon tall. The problem is the relatively small footprint being 18" x 18". I currently have 6 T5s over the 70 tall and the coral in it have shown AMAZING growth and I would like to replicate this in the 35.

Metal Halide... I like the ability to have a dark, dawn, day, dusk, night that I can adjust with multiple ballasts and 6 bulbs, around $200 for the MH.

LEDs... I just finished a 12 bulb fixture from RapidLED (Awesome btw

) but I know I would need a larger fixture (more $$$$) for the 35. Probably 18 or 24 bulbs, roughly $200.

T5s... The footprint kills most T5 fixtures however I noticed that the Nova Extreme comes in a 2 bulb x 18" fixture that I could double or even triple up on but that would come close to $200 @ $70 per fixture.

Compact Fluorescent... Some of the dual pin single turn bulbs look fairly promising but of course there isn't a single fixture that I have found that will fit the bill for number of bulbs plus footprint. I could build one but is it even worth it?

Thoughts?

thegrun · 07/22/2011, 08:43 AM

I would go LED, in the long run you will save money in lower elecricity costs and bulb replacements.

leedoherty · 07/22/2011, 08:56 AM

I would also go led really like the look of them now

sponger0 · 07/22/2011, 09:00 AM

Go for LED. The T5 fixture your thinking of will be a pain to get replacement bulbs cause I was looking at the same for a 20" wide tank but Im going with 24" instead. Id say just do LED

TheBends · 07/22/2011, 09:20 AM

That's what I was leaning towards, although it will undoubtedly be the most expensive short term option. In that case, would I be correct in thinking that 24 LEDs should be enough coverage for the tank?

Two of these:
http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-...4.25%22/Detail

And this:
http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-...ium-LED/Detail

Jocko · 07/22/2011, 03:37 PM

I know that's probably over budget already but if you can swing it, I'd highly recommend the dimmable version of that kit. Although you'd also need something like this:

http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-...dimming/Detail

So that would be another $60 total. But those LEDs are amazingly powerful, and it's nice to have the ability to dial them in to make your livestock happy. That will also let you dial the two colors independently which will let you custom tailor the look of your tank.

Something to think about I guess.

TheBends · 07/27/2011, 08:40 AM

I went with the 24 LED setup through RapidLED, shipping time was INCREDIBLE and it is already installed in the canopy I built for it.

The lighting is AMAZING. Of course I could take photos but there is no way it will do the intensity justice. The kit I purchased has 12 blue and 12 whites however I can definitely see the benefit of offsetting it to 14 -16 blues and 8 - 10 whites as the current combination is very white when they are both on.

I will however attempt to take some pictures of my zoos and frogspawn with the blues on, they look phenomenal in person.

Thanks for all of the help!

07/22/2011, 08:35 AM	#1
TheBends Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Mankato, MN Posts: 99	Lighting Recommendation - 35 Tall Display Tank 35 Gallon Tall 18" Wide 18" Deep 25" Tall Sump 55 Gallon Standard 48" Wide 12.5" Deep 21" Tall Auxillary Display Tank (Plumbed into same sump) 70 Gallon Tall 36" Wide 18" Deep 25" Tall 35 Gallon Tall Inhabitants Zoanthids Frogspawn Torch Pair of Gold Stripe Maroons Nem for the GSMs... Would prefer a Haddoni but would settle otherwise The question today is lighting for the 35 gallon tall. The problem is the relatively small footprint being 18" x 18". I currently have 6 T5s over the 70 tall and the coral in it have shown AMAZING growth and I would like to replicate this in the 35. Metal Halide... I like the ability to have a dark, dawn, day, dusk, night that I can adjust with multiple ballasts and 6 bulbs, around $200 for the MH. LEDs... I just finished a 12 bulb fixture from RapidLED (Awesome btw ) but I know I would need a larger fixture (more $$$$) for the 35. Probably 18 or 24 bulbs, roughly $200. T5s... The footprint kills most T5 fixtures however I noticed that the Nova Extreme comes in a 2 bulb x 18" fixture that I could double or even triple up on but that would come close to $200 @ $70 per fixture. Compact Fluorescent... Some of the dual pin single turn bulbs look fairly promising but of course there isn't a single fixture that I have found that will fit the bill for number of bulbs plus footprint. I could build one but is it even worth it? Thoughts? Last edited by TheBends; 07/22/2011 at 09:25 AM.

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07/22/2011, 08:43 AM	#2
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	I would go LED, in the long run you will save money in lower elecricity costs and bulb replacements.

07/22/2011, 08:56 AM	#3
leedoherty Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Cambridge UK Posts: 66	I would also go led really like the look of them now

07/22/2011, 09:00 AM	#4
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	Go for LED. The T5 fixture your thinking of will be a pain to get replacement bulbs cause I was looking at the same for a 20" wide tank but Im going with 24" instead. Id say just do LED

07/22/2011, 09:20 AM	#5
TheBends Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Mankato, MN Posts: 99	That's what I was leaning towards, although it will undoubtedly be the most expensive short term option. In that case, would I be correct in thinking that 24 LEDs should be enough coverage for the tank? Two of these: http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-...4.25%22/Detail And this: http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-...ium-LED/Detail

07/22/2011, 03:37 PM	#6
Jocko Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Boston Posts: 595	I know that's probably over budget already but if you can swing it, I'd highly recommend the dimmable version of that kit. Although you'd also need something like this: http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-...dimming/Detail So that would be another $60 total. But those LEDs are amazingly powerful, and it's nice to have the ability to dial them in to make your livestock happy. That will also let you dial the two colors independently which will let you custom tailor the look of your tank. Something to think about I guess.

07/27/2011, 08:40 AM	#7
TheBends Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Mankato, MN Posts: 99	I went with the 24 LED setup through RapidLED, shipping time was INCREDIBLE and it is already installed in the canopy I built for it. The lighting is AMAZING. Of course I could take photos but there is no way it will do the intensity justice. The kit I purchased has 12 blue and 12 whites however I can definitely see the benefit of offsetting it to 14 -16 blues and 8 - 10 whites as the current combination is very white when they are both on. I will however attempt to take some pictures of my zoos and frogspawn with the blues on, they look phenomenal in person. Thanks for all of the help!