Questions on RO/DI & Lighting (MH vs LED)

Danroth · 04/22/2012, 05:56 PM

A few more quick questions for the day, as I start to plan my setup, and estimate cost, and make those important decisions.

After reading up on RO/DI vs chemically treating water, I've decided to go with RO/DI. The problem is my home is relatively small, and I don't have a basement. Since I live in Michigan, garage is pretty much out as I have no desire to heat the garage in winter, which means the unit will need to go under my kitchen sink.

Can someone please give me what the measurements are to hang one of these up? I tried several sites online, forum boards, and couldn't find any measurements at all. I want to make sure one will fit.

Also, I found this: http://www.aquacave.com/IceCap-24-Re...ure-P2844.aspx
while I was searching for lighting ideas/information. It seems pretty much ideal, I get my MH's, along with some moonlight LED lighting which I know I'd want eventually anyways, and fans/cooling system built specifically for the hood, along with the necessary ballasts. Would this single unit cover a 90 gal/48" space, or would I need two of those instead?

And if it is enough to cover, they've two units. One is only T5's for shallower, the other is T5's with a MH. I'm presuming since depth will be 24" for the 90 gal, maybe 22 actually with sandbed, I don't want to have 'too much' light either.

I will be using a hood on this tank, that will be approximately 12" above the tank. I'll feel safer with the hood, both having a cat in the house & just the general phobia one of my critters might try to escape, so whatever lighting fixture I use will have to go into that. Since I'm doing my own hood though, I can probably work in some customizations from the blueprints.

When I'd previously been researching, I'd pretty much decided I liked MH's also, better than LED. Apparently now, looking at the forums, various sites online, it seems a lot of people in the hobby are moving or have moved to LEDs. I've found a few pictures here, of people with LED tanks, but none that have convinced me I'd want to try it. It seems a lot of 'trial and error', unless you're a tech-head and have a keen understanding of the light spectrum.

I've sifted through the various discussions on T5's & MHs before, but I see no such forum or discussion thread (unless I'm blind, which is entirely possible) on LEDs, save people showing how they've done LED fixtures & setups, but no discussions on benefits/drawbacks besides someone stating that LEDs can be 'too bright' and hurt/kill new corals to the tank.

If someone could point me in a direction that's more informative of LED lighting, or a better discussion thread, or even just give a rundown themselves, that would be good. What really would be helpful to me, and other 'Newbies' to the hobby would some comparative pictures to T5's, MHs, and LEDs, but I know that'd be a lot of work.

I'm willing to invest the money, and if LEDs are viable, I'd really rather prefer to go that route to not have to worry about the added heating/cooling factor & lower energy footprint.

04/22/2012, 05:56 PM	#1
Danroth Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 32	Questions on RO/DI & Lighting (MH vs LED) A few more quick questions for the day, as I start to plan my setup, and estimate cost, and make those important decisions. After reading up on RO/DI vs chemically treating water, I've decided to go with RO/DI. The problem is my home is relatively small, and I don't have a basement. Since I live in Michigan, garage is pretty much out as I have no desire to heat the garage in winter, which means the unit will need to go under my kitchen sink. Can someone please give me what the measurements are to hang one of these up? I tried several sites online, forum boards, and couldn't find any measurements at all. I want to make sure one will fit. Also, I found this: http://www.aquacave.com/IceCap-24-Re...ure-P2844.aspx while I was searching for lighting ideas/information. It seems pretty much ideal, I get my MH's, along with some moonlight LED lighting which I know I'd want eventually anyways, and fans/cooling system built specifically for the hood, along with the necessary ballasts. Would this single unit cover a 90 gal/48" space, or would I need two of those instead? And if it is enough to cover, they've two units. One is only T5's for shallower, the other is T5's with a MH. I'm presuming since depth will be 24" for the 90 gal, maybe 22 actually with sandbed, I don't want to have 'too much' light either. I will be using a hood on this tank, that will be approximately 12" above the tank. I'll feel safer with the hood, both having a cat in the house & just the general phobia one of my critters might try to escape, so whatever lighting fixture I use will have to go into that. Since I'm doing my own hood though, I can probably work in some customizations from the blueprints. When I'd previously been researching, I'd pretty much decided I liked MH's also, better than LED. Apparently now, looking at the forums, various sites online, it seems a lot of people in the hobby are moving or have moved to LEDs. I've found a few pictures here, of people with LED tanks, but none that have convinced me I'd want to try it. It seems a lot of 'trial and error', unless you're a tech-head and have a keen understanding of the light spectrum. I've sifted through the various discussions on T5's & MHs before, but I see no such forum or discussion thread (unless I'm blind, which is entirely possible) on LEDs, save people showing how they've done LED fixtures & setups, but no discussions on benefits/drawbacks besides someone stating that LEDs can be 'too bright' and hurt/kill new corals to the tank. If someone could point me in a direction that's more informative of LED lighting, or a better discussion thread, or even just give a rundown themselves, that would be good. What really would be helpful to me, and other 'Newbies' to the hobby would some comparative pictures to T5's, MHs, and LEDs, but I know that'd be a lot of work. I'm willing to invest the money, and if LEDs are viable, I'd really rather prefer to go that route to not have to worry about the added heating/cooling factor & lower energy footprint.