need help finding lighting for frag tank

Jaime_Mata · 11/08/2007, 12:17 AM

im setting up a frag tank and need help with some inexpensive lighting options any help would help thanks in advance!

twon8 · 11/08/2007, 12:19 AM

how about giving some info about the tank?
hard to suggest lighting for tank i know nothing about

hahnmeister · 11/08/2007, 03:15 AM

Yeah... pretty open ended... so Ill say you need 4x250wattDE bulbs in lumenarc stealth pendants and HQI ballasts. Four ushio 20,000Ks for light.

Jaime_Mata · 11/08/2007, 11:41 PM

at this point its 2 20g long tanks that are 12x12x30! i guess that would help a bit! sorry bout i was half asleep when i posted i was tiered of surfing the net for a good deal!

Jaime_Mata · 11/08/2007, 11:43 PM

also i have a 36 long display tank at work that i was thinking about taking that light which is a 175 14k mh pendent and getting a new one any ideas?

hahnmeister · 11/09/2007, 01:11 AM

Hmm... dual 20Ls... If you put them end on end (60" long), I would suggest using one of two T5 setups...

One would use the Icecap660 ballast...
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_...Retrofit_Kit_w!_Bulbs_by_IceCap

This would be a 300 watt setup though... perhaps overkill for 40g... but it would be 3 bulbs, Icecap reflectors, etc... it would allow you to grow SPS very well. You could use a 1:1:1 ratio of ATI aquablue+, blue+, and pro color for bulbs, and everything would be pretty happy. That would be the 'top shelf' lighting for those tanks, good for SPS farming.

The second choice would be this...
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_...Retrofit_Kit_w!_Bulbs_by_IceCap

Only 4', but thats only 6" short at both ends. Whoopie. Its a little bit less expensive, and only 216 watts. This would be good for SPS, but also some medium light species.

With either of these systems, they could be easily re-used down the road as supplimental lighting for 4' or 6' tanks, or on a larger frag tank.

The reason I pick T5 over halide is because its a more even spread across the tanks, and more light into the tanks, FWIW. There are no 'spotlight' areas like with halides... good for when you have tanks for frag growing.

Jaime_Mata · 11/10/2007, 02:30 PM

what about vho's? or pc's? i am planning on doing everything from sps to mushroom.

hahnmeister · 11/10/2007, 07:23 PM

Waste of money IMO. T5s will cost less in the long run, and are much more efficient to maintain/electricity/etc. VHO's (T12's) arent even going to be made for that much longer, and PC's wear out way too fast.

Jaime_Mata · 11/11/2007, 12:26 AM

they also have t5 vho's!! this link is to t5 ho's (high-output) http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_...Retrofit_Kit_w!_Bulbs_by_IceCap and this one says very high-output http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_...Retrofit_Kit_w!_Bulbs_by_IceCap

hahnmeister · 11/11/2007, 02:31 AM

Well, the 3x80wattT5 one I suggested was a VHO (3x100 watt actually). That setup would be very nice for your tanks.

11/08/2007, 12:17 AM	#1
Jaime_Mata Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 8	need help finding lighting for frag tank im setting up a frag tank and need help with some inexpensive lighting options any help would help thanks in advance!

11/08/2007, 12:19 AM	#2
twon8 Formally registered membe Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: slightly sw of richmond, va Posts: 5,920	how about giving some info about the tank? hard to suggest lighting for tank i know nothing about __________________ 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

11/08/2007, 03:15 AM	#3
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	Yeah... pretty open ended... so Ill say you need 4x250wattDE bulbs in lumenarc stealth pendants and HQI ballasts. Four ushio 20,000Ks for light.

11/08/2007, 11:41 PM	#4
Jaime_Mata Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 8	at this point its 2 20g long tanks that are 12x12x30! i guess that would help a bit! sorry bout i was half asleep when i posted i was tiered of surfing the net for a good deal!

11/08/2007, 11:43 PM	#5
Jaime_Mata Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 8	also i have a 36 long display tank at work that i was thinking about taking that light which is a 175 14k mh pendent and getting a new one any ideas?

11/09/2007, 01:11 AM	#6
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	Hmm... dual 20Ls... If you put them end on end (60" long), I would suggest using one of two T5 setups... One would use the Icecap660 ballast... http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_...Retrofit_Kit_w!_Bulbs_by_IceCap This would be a 300 watt setup though... perhaps overkill for 40g... but it would be 3 bulbs, Icecap reflectors, etc... it would allow you to grow SPS very well. You could use a 1:1:1 ratio of ATI aquablue+, blue+, and pro color for bulbs, and everything would be pretty happy. That would be the 'top shelf' lighting for those tanks, good for SPS farming. The second choice would be this... http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_...Retrofit_Kit_w!_Bulbs_by_IceCap Only 4', but thats only 6" short at both ends. Whoopie. Its a little bit less expensive, and only 216 watts. This would be good for SPS, but also some medium light species. With either of these systems, they could be easily re-used down the road as supplimental lighting for 4' or 6' tanks, or on a larger frag tank. The reason I pick T5 over halide is because its a more even spread across the tanks, and more light into the tanks, FWIW. There are no 'spotlight' areas like with halides... good for when you have tanks for frag growing.

11/10/2007, 02:30 PM	#7
Jaime_Mata Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 8	what about vho's? or pc's? i am planning on doing everything from sps to mushroom.

11/10/2007, 07:23 PM	#8
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	Waste of money IMO. T5s will cost less in the long run, and are much more efficient to maintain/electricity/etc. VHO's (T12's) arent even going to be made for that much longer, and PC's wear out way too fast.

11/11/2007, 12:26 AM	#9
Jaime_Mata Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 8	they also have t5 vho's!! this link is to t5 ho's (high-output) http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_...Retrofit_Kit_w!_Bulbs_by_IceCap and this one says very high-output http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_...Retrofit_Kit_w!_Bulbs_by_IceCap

11/11/2007, 02:31 AM	#10
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	Well, the 3x80wattT5 one I suggested was a VHO (3x100 watt actually). That setup would be very nice for your tanks.