Pumps And Lights What To Get? (question not statement) (2 Viewers)

[Mpolasek]

ok first of off you are the nicest person ever but sadly i have a light in my tank which is a freshwater light and a cheap one at that it really only tells my fish when to wake up so it would die so thank you so much but i cant.
edit
im not 100% sure its fresh but the thing i know for sure is that i it long made by aquanaut and has blue and white and they mainly make freshwater lights so it might be marine but even if it most likely is a weak one and even if the nem lives in it he/she might be miserable

 

[Stickboy97]

Ok, let me know.

On a different note, you can buy a cheap Odyssea t5 fixture online for pretty cheap. Not the best, but it'll work for easy corals (NO SPS). You could buy one with bulbs that will cover a 75g tank for around $100 - $150.

Thats what I used on my first 75g tank.

 

[Mpolasek]

well how often do you have to replace t5 bulbs

 

[Stickboy97]

Not real sure. I used to replace them as they went out.... probably not the best practice. I'm sure as they age they lose strength. Others probably have more info.

But some of the 165w black box LED lights are cheaper. Get 1 and hang it over your tank.

 

[decimal]

well how often do you have to replace t5 bulbs

every 10-12 months new bulbs. thing is, you cant tell from the look. you just start having algae problems and start hunting for the culprit (not starting with bulb age) and then, after finding nothing (or a bunch of stuff) does it eventually become clear that you just need new bulbs. there has got to be someone here with a 48" t5 fixture they are willing to let go cheap.

 

[Mpolasek]

how much do new bulbs cost? (sorry if asking too much but this area i am clueless in)

 

[Luman01]

how much do new bulbs cost? (sorry if asking too much but this area i am clueless in)

I use the ati brand and I pay like 20$ per bulb(whatever Dennis at FJW sells them for I get my bulbs from him) I run 4 so $80 but I have them on an alternate schedule. So my 2 inner bulbs are newer than my 2 Outer bulbs. I’ll prob switch the outer bulbs in the next 2 months. So that I can split up the cost. It gets expensive if u have a 6-10 bulb system. So I use both led and t5.

 

[Mpolasek]

so say i replace them every 8 months and if i need maybe 4 for about a 75(i think) its 80 dollars and than its really 10 dollars a month needs to be saved away for light replacement, huh that might be a good temp setup

 

[Luman01]

You can also do over time if you’d like what @Cody did for his light setup over his 150g that I need to go see . He runs retro fit t5s and the black boxes. So u can start out with either or and over time you can add to ur setup. Ps he has some huge sps colonies under that light set up so it def works.

 

[Mpolasek]

and just hear me out cant i just take like a superconductive bar wrap it in pvc or something and hang it from my ceiling with the lights attached or is that too dangerous

 

[Luman01]

so say i replace them every 8 months and if i need maybe 4 for about a 75(i think) its 80 dollars and than its really 10 dollars a month needs to be saved away for light replacement, huh that might be a good temp setup

Since what your gonna have under them you can go for every 12 months so that it will be easier to save. But still putting a side 10/month is still a good practice.

 

[Mpolasek]

so is 4 lights reasonable for most corals i dont like desperately want SPS its more of i will probloy want to one day and that might result in more money i have to spend, but could it support anenomes and be good and last question how much would a fixture thingy cost

 

[Luman01]

Don’t see why you would need a superconductive bar in the first place to hang it. I would simply build a light wood frame or even a painted pvc Frame would do.

 

[Mpolasek]

ya but i have to power the lights

 

[Luman01]

so is 4 lights reasonable for most corals i dont like desperately want SPS its more of i will probloy want to one day and that might result in more money i have to spend, but could it support anenomes and be good and last question how much would a fixture thingy cost

Yes it should be Able to keep sps alive, it should keep all corals alive. Heck u can even keep a clam if u wanted one. And as far as price I’m not sure. Brand new around the same as the black box, you can prob find used ones for cheaper but you gotta look around and keep an eye out for them.

 

[Luman01]

ya but i have to power the lights

Oh I’m not sure. My t5s came with a wall plug. So I wouldn’t be much help in that realm.

 

[decimal]

too bad hes in austin..

2- 4ft sunblaster NanoTech T5's with ATI bulbs

Have 2 4ft Sunblaster NanoTech T5's with 3 month old ATI actinic and Blue Plus bulbs. Info from manufacture: https://www.sunblasterlighting.com/our-products/grow-lighting/nanotech-t5-reflectors/ $50

www.austinreefclub.com

 

[Mpolasek]

well i literary have this page always open cause i look around marsh when i get bored so when things i want come up if i can get them i most likely will except rare instances like last night

 

[Mpolasek]

isnt that like 6 bulbs?

 

[Mpolasek]

i might message him wondering about how much it would cost to have him ship it to me cause i dont mind paying extra if that's as good of a deal i think it is (probably wrong though