Lights 101 ???? (2 Viewers)

[Guest]

I need to know something quickly if so. I HAVE to get SOME kind of lighting on my tank by Sunday. Once I make an initial investment, I am stuck in that direction due to cash. I have found some fair offers thus far, but no heart-stopping offers, so I am still exploring all posibilities.

Al

If you just have some frags let a friend hold them for awhile. Research, research, repeat.

 

[Guest]

reefgeeks duuuuhhhhhhh!!

 

[Guest]

If you're starting from scratch, i'd go MH's and add supplement later (NO, vho, or T5). I don't find T5 to have sufficient output to sustain large growths of sps, but their coverage is a huge advantage... no self-shading issues. Then again, that's the exact reason supplemental was invented.

Are you saying this from experience, or did you just read it somewhere? The general consensus is that T5 will sustain SPS and even grow a little, but the growth rates will not be near what they will with MH.

Experience. I meant to say they wouldn't grow to a great degree; sorry, poor wording.

 

[alstang1]

Is mh a tube type bulb or a bulb type bulb? I am trying to figure out how I would mount them in my tank. Does anyone have a snapshot of MH?

I have found pic's of T5 housings and they would work great on what I have currently. This is another issue I am considering.

Al

 

[Guest]

If you only have $250 for now, get the 2 bulb retrofit kit with 1 Aquablue and 1 Blue+. That will give you a decent amount of light and great fluorescense. I would try to add the other 2 bulbs fairly soon though - 2 T5's (or VHO's) won't sustain anything light hungry for very long, but it will get you started.

 

[Guest]

Is mh a tube type bulb or a bulb type bulb? I am trying to figure out how I would mount them in my tank. Does anyone have a snapshot of MH?

I have found pic's of T5 housings and they would work great on what I have currently. This is another issue I am considering.

Al

MH are bulb type bulbs. The reflectors they come with allow them to cover a larger area. The general rule of thumb is get one MH per 2'x2' area, but you can put more over less water, but I wouldn't spread it more than 30"x30"...

^^imagine a bulb screwed into that. For total output of usable energy, you can't beat MH, but the point source form bugs some people: in which case go T5 or supplement your MH with NO or VHO.

 

[Guest]

i have 7 t5 ho at 38w each 4white 3 actinic i'll sell you and you'll have money to spend

 

[Guest]

I just wanted to add - if you do decide to go metal halide, then that setup that DeviousRhesus has sounds like a pretty good deal. A lot of people don't like the 175w metal halides, but over a 20" tank (like your 75g, if it's standard dimensions) they will do quite well. Since he has the 20k bulbs, it would look pretty good right out of the box - if anything, you might want to supplement with some 10000k bulbs later.

I was considering buying that setup myself, since I am moving to a larger tank, but I decided that 175w wouldn't give me much over a 24" tall tank. I will probably just add 2 more T5's and maybe switch to the IceCap ballasts (which overdrive the bulbs) to give the T5's a little more punch for the taller tank.

 

[Guest]

ooops thats no not ho on them t5s.

 

[Guest]

i have 7 t5 ho at 38w each 4white 3 actinic i'll sell you and you'll have money to spend

Those are not HO - 48" T5 HO's are 54 watts. The 48" 38w are normal output.

EDIT - you beat me to it.

 

[Guest]

now IF we would of done this 6 hours ago you probs would be no more.
just sold 250w mh

 

[Guest]

if you want them t5s let me know ill give you a deal on them cuz im going back to vho. or i may have a vho setup w/36" bulbs.
but ill prob keep the vho

 

[cparka23]

mikester, i thought the icecaps under-drove bulbs to keep them cooler and preserve the life of them.. please, correct me if i'm wrong! this is just what i read in a thread somewhere, so it's very possible that i've been misinformed.

 

[Guest]

From some recent readings the IceCaps run bulbs at between 247-254 watts depending on the brand of 250w SE bulb.

 

[cparka23]

thanks, deviousrhesus. i suppose the discussion i listened in on was specific for the bulb brand.

 

[Guest]

The Icecap 660 will overdrive 4 48" T5 lamps to about 80w each (instead of 54w). There is a decrease in bulb life, but IceCap is now claiming you can still get 18-24 months out of T5's even when overdriving with their ballast, as long as there is sufficient cooling so the bulbs themselves don't overheat.

 

[Guest]

Al, I give you my advice, go with the 175W set that Devious is selling, then later supplement with T5 HO, that way you can have the MH for SPS growth, and have the lesser wattage, longer lasting T5s instead of VHO.

I feel the 175 would do fine.

That is my advice, since I have read several people complain they didn't get the growth rates with T5 that they got with MH.

This way you get strong light up front with the 175s and then get really good supplementation with the T5s later.

Nathan

 

[alstang1]

Yeah, I made plans to pick them up from him on Friday if he does not sell them prior to that.

Now, with the dual 175 MH, and my 110 50/50 PC on there, what would be my best route for evening lighting? Just buy new bulbs for the PC's so that I have my floressing/evening bulbs for now?
If that be the case, what should I look for in a bulb?

When I do acquire the extra cash to supplement with T-5 HO's, what should I start looking for? The same setup mikester suggested above, with the 2 different shades of blue lights?

Thanks for all of the suggestions and help.

Al

 

[Guest]

I have two 175w 10k XMs and 2 54w T5 actinics and love the set up. I really like the T5's and use them for my frag section.

 

[alstang1]

I have two 175w 10k XMs and 2 54w T5 actinics and love the set up. I really like the T5's and use them for my frag section.

Can anyone compare, contrast, or reccomend the quoted setup with the MH / VHO combination?

Thanks

Al