90 gal. tank lighting- HELP NEEDED

SQuerio · 03/06/2006, 08:13 PM

Well, I'm relatively new to this and have heard every different opinion on lighting known to mankind from the local shops. I am setting up a reef tank and would like to grow various corals, maybe mushrooms, etc. I have a hood on my tank and am looking for some opinions (from the experts

) on what type of lighting should be used that is not too pricey, but will get the job done for me. As this is new to me, I'll also need help on the number and size of bulbs.

Thanks for the help......

weaver5 · 03/06/2006, 08:40 PM

I also have a 90 gal reef ready tank.It has been up and running very well for 2 plus years and I have used 4 48'' VHO lights on it (total 440 watts) I have successfully kept mushrooms and about all softies.I am just in the process of switching to a metal haliode and VHO combo and doing away with the canopy and all.The only reason I am doing this is because I want to be able tokeep harder corals.You could go with something like that or maybe even power compacts.From what I have read you should stay min. of around 5 watts per/gal. Hope this helps scott Also if your close to me I might be selling these feel free to pm me and let me know where about your are

landragon · 03/06/2006, 08:46 PM

If you go flourescent, go t5ho, and get two 54watt, with IceCap or similar reflectors. What other corals do you want to grow? If more demanding than shrooms go 4 bulb setup and go tek reflectors, then you should not melyt shrooms. This will save on initial and energy costs big time over vho.

twon8 · 03/06/2006, 08:48 PM

i will try but there really is not a right answer to this question, it will depend on how into this hobby you get and how much free time/money you have to give to it. i suppose most people end up upgrading their lights a number of times as they try to keep more and more animals, and you would be better by avoiding the cost of repeated upgrades. that is your determining factor, the livestock you wish to keep. i have a 90 and i have 2 250 w metal hallides and one vho actinic, with this i can keep anything. i suggest two 250 watt metal halides and a vho actinic if you can afford it. i started with normal flourescents and if all you want is mushrooms go with some four foot shop lights from walmart with daylight bulbs and maybe a few actinic. if you want clams, which are beautiful and pretty undemanding if given bright light, you should have mh. if you want sps you need bright lights. look around at some pics of tanks of the months and on some of the tank specific picture threads on reef central. see what others have done, what mistakes they have made. think about for a while and decide which direction you are headed, then your lights should be good till a tank upgrade

if you go with mh and you have the room in your canopy go with some luminarc minis.

SQuerio · 03/06/2006, 08:48 PM

Forgive me for my ignorance, as this is all pretty new to me, but do the bulbs have to extend the full length of the tank? From what I have been reading your decision to go with the metal halide and VHO combo seems right.

ChunksInClemson · 03/06/2006, 08:49 PM

I just got a 90g and I am gonna run 2 X 250 MH with an actinic and a 10K. You can grow anything under that.

SQuerio · 03/06/2006, 08:54 PM

By the way, I definately want to go more demanding than just mushrooms

03/06/2006, 08:13 PM	#1
SQuerio Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6	90 gal. tank lighting- HELP NEEDED Well, I'm relatively new to this and have heard every different opinion on lighting known to mankind from the local shops. I am setting up a reef tank and would like to grow various corals, maybe mushrooms, etc. I have a hood on my tank and am looking for some opinions (from the experts ) on what type of lighting should be used that is not too pricey, but will get the job done for me. As this is new to me, I'll also need help on the number and size of bulbs. Thanks for the help......

03/06/2006, 08:46 PM	#3
landragon Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 892	If you go flourescent, go t5ho, and get two 54watt, with IceCap or similar reflectors. What other corals do you want to grow? If more demanding than shrooms go 4 bulb setup and go tek reflectors, then you should not melyt shrooms. This will save on initial and energy costs big time over vho. __________________ "Experience is the only tool we aren't born with." Unknown

03/06/2006, 08:48 PM	#4
twon8 Formally registered membe Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: slightly sw of richmond, va Posts: 5,920	i will try but there really is not a right answer to this question, it will depend on how into this hobby you get and how much free time/money you have to give to it. i suppose most people end up upgrading their lights a number of times as they try to keep more and more animals, and you would be better by avoiding the cost of repeated upgrades. that is your determining factor, the livestock you wish to keep. i have a 90 and i have 2 250 w metal hallides and one vho actinic, with this i can keep anything. i suggest two 250 watt metal halides and a vho actinic if you can afford it. i started with normal flourescents and if all you want is mushrooms go with some four foot shop lights from walmart with daylight bulbs and maybe a few actinic. if you want clams, which are beautiful and pretty undemanding if given bright light, you should have mh. if you want sps you need bright lights. look around at some pics of tanks of the months and on some of the tank specific picture threads on reef central. see what others have done, what mistakes they have made. think about for a while and decide which direction you are headed, then your lights should be good till a tank upgrade if you go with mh and you have the room in your canopy go with some luminarc minis. __________________ Anthony Richmond Reef Club "and as things fell apart, nobody paid much attention." Not building a wall but making a brick Current Tank Info: 300g DD display, 60g frag tank

03/06/2006, 08:49 PM	#6
ChunksInClemson Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Anderson, SC Posts: 824	I just got a 90g and I am gonna run 2 X 250 MH with an actinic and a 10K. You can grow anything under that. __________________ Me to my brother-"Dude, you don't need to spend 75 dollars on a shirt! My brother to me-"Man, you just spent 100 dollars on some rocks" Me and him- "Laughs" Current Tank Info: 29g, a pair of true percs so far. Tank is newer!

03/06/2006, 08:40 PM	#2
weaver5 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Batavia Posts: 1,249	I also have a 90 gal reef ready tank.It has been up and running very well for 2 plus years and I have used 4 48'' VHO lights on it (total 440 watts) I have successfully kept mushrooms and about all softies.I am just in the process of switching to a metal haliode and VHO combo and doing away with the canopy and all.The only reason I am doing this is because I want to be able tokeep harder corals.You could go with something like that or maybe even power compacts.From what I have read you should stay min. of around 5 watts per/gal. Hope this helps scott Also if your close to me I might be selling these feel free to pm me and let me know where about your are

03/06/2006, 08:54 PM	#7
SQuerio Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6	By the way, I definately want to go more demanding than just mushrooms