Researching new lights - opinions?

HumanIMDB · 09/18/2006, 10:12 AM

I'm looking at purchasing some new lights for my All-Glass 92 Corner. The system is currently dry and waiting to be moved to my new apartment so I am doing as much research as I can before actually spending the money to get it up and running. I think I've got most of the equipment I need figured out but have a few questions about lighting.

I want to be "unlimited" as to what I can put in my tank, but I don't want to bake anything that I choose because I have too much light. Is it possible to have too much light?

So far my research has indicated that I should have a minimum of 6-8 watt per gallon and the colour temperature should be around 10,000K.

I've pieced together the following configurations using one of the various online vendors I've found, let me know what you think:

36" PFO Professional Series Metal Halide + VHO Fixture - 2MH + 2VHO
http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/s...t_ID=pfo-hd32v

IceCap Electronic MH Ballast 2x400W
Two 400W 13,000K Giesemann Halide Better/worse than 10,000K? Advantages?
Two 95W VHO Actinic
Two LED Night Light*
Dual Fan (IceCap)

Total Wattage = 990 Watts Too Much?

36" Hamilton Technology Deluxe Metal Halide Fixture - 2 x MH + 2 x VHO
http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/s..._ID=zhm-hdf32v

Two 250W 10,000K MH
One 36" 95W Aquasun Daylight VHO
One 36" 95W Super Actinic Blue VHO
Hammertone Reflector
Dual Fan

Total Wattage = 690 Watts Goldilocks configuration...not too much or too little...just right?

Coralife 36" AquaLight Pro Metal Halide Fixture - 1 x 250W
http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/s..._ID=mh-calp362

One 250 watt 10,000K HQI, double-ended, metal halide lamp
Two 65 watt True Actinic 03 Blue Power Compact
Two 1 watt Lunar Blue-Moon-Glow 470nm LED lamps*

Total Wattage = 380 Watts Not Enough for most hard corals, clams, and anemones?

*not included in total wattage

If you compare the price per watt, these configurations are about the same price and I would rather spend a little bit more up front than to have to pay even more later to get what I really needed to get in the first place.

09/18/2006, 10:12 AM	#1
HumanIMDB Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Winnipeg, MB Posts: 1,556	Researching new lights - opinions? I'm looking at purchasing some new lights for my All-Glass 92 Corner. The system is currently dry and waiting to be moved to my new apartment so I am doing as much research as I can before actually spending the money to get it up and running. I think I've got most of the equipment I need figured out but have a few questions about lighting. I want to be "unlimited" as to what I can put in my tank, but I don't want to bake anything that I choose because I have too much light. Is it possible to have too much light? So far my research has indicated that I should have a minimum of 6-8 watt per gallon and the colour temperature should be around 10,000K. I've pieced together the following configurations using one of the various online vendors I've found, let me know what you think: 36" PFO Professional Series Metal Halide + VHO Fixture - 2MH + 2VHO http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/s...t_ID=pfo-hd32v IceCap Electronic MH Ballast 2x400W Two 400W 13,000K Giesemann Halide Better/worse than 10,000K? Advantages? Two 95W VHO Actinic Two LED Night Light* Dual Fan (IceCap) Total Wattage = 990 Watts Too Much? 36" Hamilton Technology Deluxe Metal Halide Fixture - 2 x MH + 2 x VHO http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/s..._ID=zhm-hdf32v Two 250W 10,000K MH One 36" 95W Aquasun Daylight VHO One 36" 95W Super Actinic Blue VHO Hammertone Reflector Dual Fan Total Wattage = 690 Watts Goldilocks configuration...not too much or too little...just right? Coralife 36" AquaLight Pro Metal Halide Fixture - 1 x 250W http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/s..._ID=mh-calp362 One 250 watt 10,000K HQI, double-ended, metal halide lamp Two 65 watt True Actinic 03 Blue Power Compact Two 1 watt Lunar Blue-Moon-Glow 470nm LED lamps* Total Wattage = 380 Watts Not Enough for most hard corals, clams, and anemones? *not included in total wattage If you compare the price per watt, these configurations are about the same price and I would rather spend a little bit more up front than to have to pay even more later to get what I really needed to get in the first place.