How much is enough?

HELP! · 04/24/2006, 12:50 PM

Ok so i have just set up a 46g bowfront with a 10g sump and just took my 110w pc unit i had around and retrofited it into a 36" flourescent fixture. this works for now but i am going to want to start keeping some corals and am planning to upgrade my lights and i dont want to pay the money now and realize later that i need more to keep what i want. i am thinking about going with t5's because of the heat issues and the shimmer dosent do a lot for me. but how much light is enough. i hear people say that this needs a lot of light. but how much is "a lot".

Thanks,
Branden

dwdenny · 04/24/2006, 01:31 PM

if you like the shrooms and lower light corals a 4 bulb system will work just fine. If you decide later on you want higher light corals you can just add more lamps with reflectors. Are you going to retro this into a canopy? I would go with the IC reflectors and good bulbs. You cold do a IC retro form reefgeek.com 4X39w would be overdriven to about 60w each but would be bright. If I remeber correctly the 46g is 20" deep or so. Might want to do the 6X39w with either the spec T5ho ballast or two IC 660 and not have to worry about the light for SPS type corals. HTH

HELP! · 04/24/2006, 02:09 PM

i was thinking about a 6x39 just wanted to make sure that was enough light. also when you said i can push the bulbd to 60w each. how do i go about that and what does it do for the longevity of the bulbs/ ballast? also i am having trouble finding a canopy for this tank so was considering one of the pendant type fixtures with legs.

dwdenny · 04/24/2006, 02:22 PM

Yeah you would have to make a canopy for it or look into a local cabinet shop and see what they can do. The IC 430 and 660 ballast overdrive the T5's and are not that bad when it comes to longevity. Just take a look in the Icecap forum and you can read for yurself. Most are keeping them to around 14 months or so. I know I will be replacing mine starting at about 12 months or so and replacing one every two or three weeks until all are new again. This is so I dont hammer them with intesity that they have not seen in a while. IC claims that you can get 18 months out of the T5 when overdriven with IC ballasts. HTH

04/24/2006, 12:50 PM	#1
HELP! Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 16	How much is enough? Ok so i have just set up a 46g bowfront with a 10g sump and just took my 110w pc unit i had around and retrofited it into a 36" flourescent fixture. this works for now but i am going to want to start keeping some corals and am planning to upgrade my lights and i dont want to pay the money now and realize later that i need more to keep what i want. i am thinking about going with t5's because of the heat issues and the shimmer dosent do a lot for me. but how much light is enough. i hear people say that this needs a lot of light. but how much is "a lot". Thanks, Branden

04/24/2006, 01:31 PM	#2
dwdenny Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Edinburg, Texas Posts: 1,369	if you like the shrooms and lower light corals a 4 bulb system will work just fine. If you decide later on you want higher light corals you can just add more lamps with reflectors. Are you going to retro this into a canopy? I would go with the IC reflectors and good bulbs. You cold do a IC retro form reefgeek.com 4X39w would be overdriven to about 60w each but would be bright. If I remeber correctly the 46g is 20" deep or so. Might want to do the 6X39w with either the spec T5ho ballast or two IC 660 and not have to worry about the light for SPS type corals. HTH __________________ "Attitude determine altitude" Visit MAAST.org just click the "Red House" Current Tank Info: 40g Breeder in the works

04/24/2006, 02:22 PM	#4
dwdenny Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Edinburg, Texas Posts: 1,369	Yeah you would have to make a canopy for it or look into a local cabinet shop and see what they can do. The IC 430 and 660 ballast overdrive the T5's and are not that bad when it comes to longevity. Just take a look in the Icecap forum and you can read for yurself. Most are keeping them to around 14 months or so. I know I will be replacing mine starting at about 12 months or so and replacing one every two or three weeks until all are new again. This is so I dont hammer them with intesity that they have not seen in a while. IC claims that you can get 18 months out of the T5 when overdriven with IC ballasts. HTH __________________ "Attitude determine altitude" Visit MAAST.org just click the "Red House" Current Tank Info: 40g Breeder in the works

04/24/2006, 02:09 PM	#3
HELP! Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 16	i was thinking about a 6x39 just wanted to make sure that was enough light. also when you said i can push the bulbd to 60w each. how do i go about that and what does it do for the longevity of the bulbs/ ballast? also i am having trouble finding a canopy for this tank so was considering one of the pendant type fixtures with legs.