How much light????

[shcuck]

Ok I seem to be getting the impression that I need MORE light. But how much more? This is my first reef tank, so I would like some suggestions. Currently I have (2) 15W Hagen PowerGlo 18,000K bulbs. My tank is 55G. I want to be able to have some corals and anemones in there with a few fish. So I guess my questions are:
1) How many watts do I need?
2)What type of bulbs?
3)What hardware will I need, can I use my existing and just change the bulbs? (see pics for existing lights)
4)Do you have any links of products/setups that I can see?

I have had freshwater tanks for a long time now, but this is my first reef tank (man what a differnce $ wise and setup).

Any help would be greatly appreciated by me and my Pink Tip Anemone :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

If it were me, I'd go with 2x250w mh w/ some pc actinic just for good measure. With the mh, you can do so much more. Almost nothing is out of range.

 

[shcuck]

knowse

Thanks Knowse,

How much are we talking about with the setup you mentioned, and is there are another alternative that will not be as expensive, but with good results?

 

[Anonymous]

dual 150w DE bulbs would be good. 4x 110watt VHOs would work well too.

 

[SnowManSnow]

Since you are new to the lighting world maybe this will help.

MH = Metal Halide
VHO = Very High Output
CP = Compact Flour.

I know that when I first started all the different kinds were MIND BLOWING!

Although it isn't set in stone; if you're going to keep an anemone and some light hungry corals you should shoot for around 7w/g. That's a minimum of around 380W for your 55g tank. Personally I have a 37G reef with a 250w MH pendant over it, and it's plenty of light for my tank, although I could probably stand another few watts.

You'll also notice that each bulb has a K (Kelvin) rating. Simply put the K rating is how BLUE the light is. Some people run a MH bulb with a low K rating and suppliment it with higher K VHO or PC bulbs. The cheapest way is to just get a single bulb you can be satisfied with. You'll also notice that each manufacturer's K rating looks different. For example I run a single 250w DE (double ended) MH bulb over my tank that is a BlueLine 14K and it is MUCH bluer than the stock AquaMedic 20K bulb that came with my pendant. It just takes some research.

To give some idea of price... my AquaMedic 250w DE pendant cost apx. $250 (GREAT DEALS IF YOU'RE WILLING TO FIND THEM). I would estimate that to set up a 55g tank with MH lighting you'll need around $400 min.

Hope this all helps!

B

 

[SnowManSnow]

Here's some pics of how my pendant is set up. It just hangs from the ceiling with a 3 sided hood around it.

 

[Anonymous]

Since you are new to the lighting world maybe this will help.

MH = Metal Halide
VHO = Very High Output
CP = Compact Flour.

I know that when I first started all the different kinds were MIND BLOWING!

Although it isn't set in stone; if you're going to keep an anemone and some light hungry corals you should shoot for around 7w/g. That's a minimum of around 380W for your 55g tank. Personally I have a 37G reef with a 250w MH pendant over it, and it's plenty of light for my tank, although I could probably stand another few watts.

You'll also notice that each bulb has a K (Kelvin) rating. Simply put the K rating is how BLUE the light is. Some people run a MH bulb with a low K rating and suppliment it with higher K VHO or PC bulbs. The cheapest way is to just get a single bulb you can be satisfied with. You'll also notice that each manufacturer's K rating looks different. For example I run a single 250w DE (double ended) MH bulb over my tank that is a BlueLine 14K and it is MUCH bluer than the stock AquaMedic 20K bulb that came with my pendant. It just takes some research.

To give some idea of price... my AquaMedic 250w DE pendant cost apx. $250 (GREAT DEALS IF YOU'RE WILLING TO FIND THEM). I would estimate that to set up a 55g tank with MH lighting you'll need around $400 min.

Hope this all helps!

B

WOOT, that info helps me, I need to replace my lamp soon. Thanks snow But I'll add this, I personaly don't care for the single mh look, I like having the extra that actinics threw in there. My mh (same as snowmans) just doesn't light the tank the way I want it.

Maybe, it's just the lamp :wink:, but I'm seriouly thinking of adding another pendant. 8)

 

[SnowManSnow]

See if you can get your LFS to light up a 14K BlueLine bulb. It's what I have on my tank now and it looks really nice.

 

[shcuck]

Thanks a lot SnowMan. This really helps. I will post my pic with the new lights.

One last question. Do you guys have any links of where I can get these lights?

Thanks again.

 

[Anonymous]

www.hellolights.com

 

[Tackett]

The snowman is correct. A couple of 250watt aquamedic pendants and your in buisness. My next purchase now that I have my RO unit. For 250 beans a peace you cant really beat them.

 

[shcuck]

What about these? Any good?

http://www.championlighting.com/product ... 578&page=1

 

[utahsaltreefer]

I just got this from hellolights.com http://www.hellolights.com/arocu25rekit.html

You'll need to build a hood for it, but the price is nice. $140 for all the parts and bulb. I used the 400Watt 20K XM bulb and it looks great

 

[shcuck]

ok well I finally got my lights, and man, what a differnce. This is what I got:

48" 4x65W Coralife Aqualight CF hood, 2x Actinic and 2x 10,000K, -Straight Pin Total 260 W.

I know it is not top of the line, but for what I want to accomplish, it think this will work just fine.

 

[Sprayin70]

I think, that it will work great!!! I haave a 36 watt coralife pc on my mini bow 7. What kind of filtration do you have. That will be your next big purchase.

 

[shcuck]

I have a Rena XP2 Canister filter, Red Sea Prizm Hang-on Protein Skimmer and 3 powerheads for circulation. Will this do for now, or what else do I urgently need?

thanks

 

[Sprayin70]

It sounds like you have a great filtration system. I am going to build a sump in the near future. It will house a skimmer and be a partial fuge.

 

[Anonymous]

I have a 46 gal bow

General concensus...is a 400W MH to much light? It would cost me about 1/2 than if I got 2 175w. On my last tank, 55g run of the mill, I had dual 250W, so it seems like a lot of light for a 46 to me. BUT for 158 you can't beat the price compared to almost 400 for 2 175W. Any thoughts? Thanks

Currently have 2x96w PC, but I got some bad bulbs on my last order which is causing some algae growth I believe, and I am going to upgrade eventually anyway, so why not put the money I would pay for new PC bulbs towards a new system right? lol Ahh the logic of an addict lol.

 

[Anonymous]

I have a Rena XP2 Canister filter, Red Sea Prizm Hang-on Protein Skimmer and 3 powerheads for circulation. Will this do for now, or what else do I urgently need?

thanks

I would get a better skimmer. Without a sump a Hang On(HO) Remora would work well.

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem. ... oduct=ACRM

This one would be even better:

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem. ... duct=ACRPB

 

[dodo99]

Ranger: I'm running 400w over my 29g without major problems. I just keep the bulb fairly high off the water and sometimes use a fan when the lights are on. (12") I also run a 20K bulb whish delivers a bit less intensity than 10K or 14K.

I agree with changing your skimmer. I had s Prizm. It didn't produce much skimmate and was kinda noisy. Now I use a Coralife needle-wheel skimmer. No comparison... The AquaC skimmers a great as well.