Help Needed!

[bgiles11]

My LFS suggested I go with this set up: 2 x 400 watt 20000k metal halides (hamilton) mounted to my canopy. He said no need for antics. Also he is going to mount 2 5 inch fans (one in, one out) to cool them. My aqurium is a 90g. 48l 24d 18w. Would this be a good idea? He says no chiller needed. What do you think? Or would it be better to go with 6x54 t5's? Or maybe 2x 250 MH with 3 110 VHO's (already have). Please help lighting gods, cuz I am terribly confused!

 

[DarG]

I think that the flourescents + 250 watt halides are the best choice. You get the best of both worlds. But maybe consider T5 flourescents. The color options vis bulb choices beats VHO. The shimmer of halides and the spectrum of T5's is pretty hard to beat. But VHO flourescent still offers the best pure actinic 420 nm lamps, just doesn't offer as many different lamp choices from a spectrum standpoint.

But by going with T5 and Halide You can get the intensity of a lower K halide instead of having to use a lower par blue bulb. Then you can adjust the color to get the tank the look you want and the best flourescence of your corals with the T5's. Or, with VHO actinic, eventhough you can't play with the colors as much.

 

[bgiles11]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10013415#post10013415 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DarG
I think that the flourescents + 250 watt halides are the best choice. You get the best of both worlds. But maybe consider T5 flourescents. The color options vis bulb choices beats VHO. The shimmer of halides and the spectrum of T5's is pretty hard to beat. But VHO flourescent still offers the best pure actinic 420 nm lamps, just doesn't offer as many different lamp choices from a spectrum standpoint.

But by going with T5 and Halide You can get the intensity of a lower K halide instead of having to use a lower par blue bulb. Then you can adjust the color to get the tank the look you want and the best flourescence of your corals with the T5's. Or, with VHO actinic, eventhough you can't play with the colors as much.

So you are saying go with the 250 mh, and use t5's as antics? If so can they be run off an icecap 430?

 

[DarG]

Yeah, you can run them off of the 430. It will run the lamps at higher output than standard T5 HO. The 54 watt 48" T5's run at 85 watts with the ice cap ballasts. I'm in the process of building my canopy now and will be using the IC 660 for my T5's.

BTW, I'm not an expert but I just got some great advice from "Hahn" on the exact same subject. Passing it on along with some of my own opinions since I have used all of these lighting types at some poimnt ... T5, VHO and Halide (recently).

You could of course go with 400 watt halides but if you use T5's along with Halides on your 90 (same tank size as mine) you just have so many more color options and you wont need to run 300 extra watts and the extra heat and energy costs that goes along with it. 2 X 250 watt halides + 2 X T5 at 85 watts each is more than enough light. You should be golden for anything you want to keep.

 

[bgiles11]

Thanks DARG I appreciate the help. So what temp halides should i use? Also do you have a suggestion on type of t5's (temp)

 

[DarG]

Depends what color look you want. I am aiming for a crisp white with a distinct blue tint but dont want the tank to look blue. Just a white with noticeable blue. What was suggested to me was to go with the Ushio 14000K or a Geiseman 14,500K along with ATI Blue + for T5's. THe Ushio and Geiseman both are supposedly whiter, not blue. Any hints of the warmer colors given off by the Ushio should be covered up by the ATI T5's. Hamilton 14000K was also suggested as a possibility. These all have good par and with the T5's, especially at 85 watts, there should be plenty of blue.

Of course, if tou want a bluer look, the Phoenix 14000K is very blue and has great par. So you could do that with some whiter looking T5's if the Phoenix is too blue or blue enough without needing more blue supplementaion.

I already have Reeflux 10000K bulbs so I will be trying installing those first until I can order the Ushios. I think I am going to go with the Ushios because I think they will do what I'm looking for along with the T5's, and cost less than the Geiseman.

I saw some pictures with the 250 watt Ushio 14000K's plus the ATI T5 Blue + and they looked great.

Here is the link ... 2 X 250 watt Ushio 14000K's with 2 x ATI Blue + T5's. Pictures on top were his old lighting, the bottom half are the Ushio + ATI T5 combos.

http://web.mac.com/allongue/iWeb/Julie And JD Aquarium/General Views.html