Help me finally decide this lighting thing

muttley000 · 05/11/2010, 06:26 PM

I am finally getting ready to get my 29 gal set up after 5 years of reading and a year and a half accumulating stuff. I have my skimmer, RODI, salt, substrate, sump/fuge and return pump all in place. I'll document it all in a build thread when I finally get to put it together in June or July. I am now ready to buy my last piece, the lighting. I have built a custom canopy that has 15 inches from the top to the water. Adding fans to it is no big deal. I intend to keep SPS corals and a pair of clowns in the tank. I have waivered between 4 or 6 bulb T5 retrofits and 250 watt MH with T5 supplementation. If I bought today I would go with the later unit. Any last input before I pull the trigger, and any suggestions on which one, would be quite welcome!

Beaun · 05/11/2010, 06:36 PM

4 T5's with good reflectors would be fine, 6 would be great. You really don't need MH over a 29 gallon, it's really not deep enough to justify it. I would go with a 6 bulb T5 set up.

muttley000 · 05/13/2010, 05:31 PM

I haven't found a 6 bulb fixture that will fit over my 29, it's only 12 inches front to back and the closest fixture I found was 13.5 inches. Will I be limited in what I can keep with 4 Very High output t5s?

gonpostal · 05/13/2010, 06:54 PM

If your tank is 30" long, you're going to be limited in your choice of T5 fixtures. I had a 30" Current USA Sundial 4 bulb T5 HO fixture on my 56 gallon tank, which was 30" long and 24" tall. I was able to keep LPS and softies with no problems, but never tried SPS. Since your tank is not as tall, you may be able to keep some SPS, especially if you get a good set of bulbs. The Sundial has some nice features (moonlights, timers), and is a decent fixture. It's also only 9.5" from front to back. I'm not sure if there are any other good 30" T5 fixtures out there (haven't looked around lately).
Your other option would be to do a retrofit. If you do this, you can buy the best reflectors, and use as many bulbs as will fit into your canopy. You can even overdrive them with icecap ballasts.

pardalis · 05/13/2010, 07:13 PM

I would go with a good retrofit kit that includes separate reflectors for each bulb. You could also run an Icecap ballast and overdrive a four bulb set up. That should be plenty of light to keep anything you like. I am running eight four foot bulbs on Icecap ballast and I have clams, sps, lps etc in my 120g tank.

Johnny C · 05/13/2010, 10:15 PM

I owned the same aquarium before I purchased my 57. I used a 6x24w T5 setup and had great results keeping LPS + SPS. Unless you plan to house SPS low in the tank, you can get away with four bulbs just fine. If you do plan to retrofit with an Icecap, be sure to use fans to cool the bulbs.

Either way, I would avoid MH's. You won't get even coverage and will waste money on electricity vs. T5's. JMO!

zachfishman · 05/19/2010, 02:14 PM

For those of you running 4x24 T5s, how do you think it compares to a 2x65watt PC hood? I'm looking at lighting a 29 as well, and am reluctant to go T5 (for $100 more) vs PCs which I've had such great luck with in the past.

Johnny C · 05/19/2010, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zachfishman

For those of you running 4x24 T5s, how do you think it compares to a 2x65watt PC hood? I'm looking at lighting a 29 as well, and am reluctant to go T5 (for $100 more) vs PCs which I've had such great luck with in the past.

It's probably at least double the amount of PAR and will cost less to relamp. There's a reason that nobody sells PC's anymore!

05/11/2010, 06:26 PM	#1
muttley000 MTS Sufferer! Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: NW Ohio Posts: 1,926	Help me finally decide this lighting thing I am finally getting ready to get my 29 gal set up after 5 years of reading and a year and a half accumulating stuff. I have my skimmer, RODI, salt, substrate, sump/fuge and return pump all in place. I'll document it all in a build thread when I finally get to put it together in June or July. I am now ready to buy my last piece, the lighting. I have built a custom canopy that has 15 inches from the top to the water. Adding fans to it is no big deal. I intend to keep SPS corals and a pair of clowns in the tank. I have waivered between 4 or 6 bulb T5 retrofits and 250 watt MH with T5 supplementation. If I bought today I would go with the later unit. Any last input before I pull the trigger, and any suggestions on which one, would be quite welcome!

05/11/2010, 06:36 PM	#2
Beaun It's pronounced Bone Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Hampton, NY Posts: 1,967	4 T5's with good reflectors would be fine, 6 would be great. You really don't need MH over a 29 gallon, it's really not deep enough to justify it. I would go with a 6 bulb T5 set up. __________________ -Tyler "The only legitimate use of a computer is to play games." -Eugene Jarvis Current Tank Info: None

05/13/2010, 07:13 PM	#5
pardalis Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Pacing the cage Posts: 123	I would go with a good retrofit kit that includes separate reflectors for each bulb. You could also run an Icecap ballast and overdrive a four bulb set up. That should be plenty of light to keep anything you like. I am running eight four foot bulbs on Icecap ballast and I have clams, sps, lps etc in my 120g tank. __________________ Custom Deep Sea 56g "neo nano", "attached" 18g rimless tube anemone / mantis tank, Custom modern stand, AI SOL blue x 2, Apex controller, 2 x Vortech mp10es, Trigger Systems ruby 36s, Eheim 1262 and 1260 pumps, SWC 160 Cone skimmer w/ modded impellar and XL cup, 3 x Drews dosing pumps, phosban reactor, bio pellet reactor..... Various tarantulas, 3 pairs of panther chameleons, 2 pair of veiled chameleons, 1 pair of carpet chameleons..... -Greg Power-

05/13/2010, 10:15 PM	#6
Johnny C Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 4,140	I owned the same aquarium before I purchased my 57. I used a 6x24w T5 setup and had great results keeping LPS + SPS. Unless you plan to house SPS low in the tank, you can get away with four bulbs just fine. If you do plan to retrofit with an Icecap, be sure to use fans to cool the bulbs. Either way, I would avoid MH's. You won't get even coverage and will waste money on electricity vs. T5's. JMO! __________________ "...the sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonders forever" -Jacques Cousteau

05/19/2010, 02:14 PM	#7
zachfishman Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: St Petersburg, FL Posts: 3,577	For those of you running 4x24 T5s, how do you think it compares to a 2x65watt PC hood? I'm looking at lighting a 29 as well, and am reluctant to go T5 (for $100 more) vs PCs which I've had such great luck with in the past. __________________ Patience is a reefer's best tool. Secret Xenia lover. M.S. Marine Biology Staff - Marine Discovery Center, St. Petersburg FL Tampa Bay Reef Club BOD 2018 Current Tank Info: 34g modded Solana

05/13/2010, 05:31 PM	#3
muttley000 MTS Sufferer! Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: NW Ohio Posts: 1,926	I haven't found a 6 bulb fixture that will fit over my 29, it's only 12 inches front to back and the closest fixture I found was 13.5 inches. Will I be limited in what I can keep with 4 Very High output t5s?

05/13/2010, 06:54 PM	#4
gonpostal Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 550	If your tank is 30" long, you're going to be limited in your choice of T5 fixtures. I had a 30" Current USA Sundial 4 bulb T5 HO fixture on my 56 gallon tank, which was 30" long and 24" tall. I was able to keep LPS and softies with no problems, but never tried SPS. Since your tank is not as tall, you may be able to keep some SPS, especially if you get a good set of bulbs. The Sundial has some nice features (moonlights, timers), and is a decent fixture. It's also only 9.5" from front to back. I'm not sure if there are any other good 30" T5 fixtures out there (haven't looked around lately). Your other option would be to do a retrofit. If you do this, you can buy the best reflectors, and use as many bulbs as will fit into your canopy. You can even overdrive them with icecap ballasts.

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