sonofgaladriel
Shiny!
Hi guys,
Well, I'm back to serious planning on the 96"x48"x30" 600 gallon to replace my 240 cube. This will most likely happen this summer
I'm trying to come up with the best (read: most efficient, cost effective, and attractive) lighting system for the tank. I am going with a 'canopy less' design, just like me current cube.
Here is what I'm considering:
Option 1:
Keep my two 48" Aquamedica Oceanlight dual 250 watt with T5 pendants and order two more and hang them over the tank.
Pros: I get to keep what I've already got.
Love the T5 and halide combo.
Cons: Cost: roughly another $1200 for the other two pendants.
Option 2:
Sell the Oceanlight pendants with the cube and get 2 1000 watt 20K bulbs in Luminarc III reflectors.
Pros: Love the intensity and coloration from these bright 20Ks.
Relatively cheap and only two bulbs to replace every year.
Cons: Ugly reflector hanging over a 'canopy less' design.
Heat and light overspill.
Option 3:
Get a 72" 3 halide (400watt?) Oceanlight pendant to hang over the back half of the new tank and keep one of the 48" pendants I have to hang over the front half. This would provide some off set lighting and give a unique look to the reef with shadow and bright spots.
Pros: Get to keep one of my pendants.
Would get to keep a nice clean look over the tank and have T5s and halide combination.
Cons: 72" fixture would be expensive.
May not light the reef the way I envision.
Option 4:
Get 4 400 watt Reef Optix pendants and spread them over the tank.
Option 5:
Build a canopy and install 4 luminarcs with 400s and plenty of 48" T5's.
Help me out guys. I'll keep reviewing the other threads of similar size tanks to get more ideas.
What would you do?
Thanks a bunch!
Well, I'm back to serious planning on the 96"x48"x30" 600 gallon to replace my 240 cube. This will most likely happen this summer
I'm trying to come up with the best (read: most efficient, cost effective, and attractive) lighting system for the tank. I am going with a 'canopy less' design, just like me current cube.
Here is what I'm considering:
Option 1:
Keep my two 48" Aquamedica Oceanlight dual 250 watt with T5 pendants and order two more and hang them over the tank.
Pros: I get to keep what I've already got.
Love the T5 and halide combo.
Cons: Cost: roughly another $1200 for the other two pendants.
Option 2:
Sell the Oceanlight pendants with the cube and get 2 1000 watt 20K bulbs in Luminarc III reflectors.
Pros: Love the intensity and coloration from these bright 20Ks.
Relatively cheap and only two bulbs to replace every year.
Cons: Ugly reflector hanging over a 'canopy less' design.
Heat and light overspill.
Option 3:
Get a 72" 3 halide (400watt?) Oceanlight pendant to hang over the back half of the new tank and keep one of the 48" pendants I have to hang over the front half. This would provide some off set lighting and give a unique look to the reef with shadow and bright spots.
Pros: Get to keep one of my pendants.
Would get to keep a nice clean look over the tank and have T5s and halide combination.
Cons: 72" fixture would be expensive.
May not light the reef the way I envision.
Option 4:
Get 4 400 watt Reef Optix pendants and spread them over the tank.
Option 5:
Build a canopy and install 4 luminarcs with 400s and plenty of 48" T5's.
Help me out guys. I'll keep reviewing the other threads of similar size tanks to get more ideas.
What would you do?
Thanks a bunch!