How much T5 light will I need?

[GT]

Im getting confused on the lighting situation here. I just bought a 225 gl tank, which is 72x24x30 tall. I will start the tank as folr, but inverts, and corals are sparking my interest, so i want to buy a light that will do my interests with only a minamal addition of $ later. I would rather spend the money now, but I dont want overkill. The canopy that is being built as of now is covered, but i may have time to change the plans. I was planning on buying a Coralife Lunar Aqualite 72" with two 96 watt 10,000K Daylight and two 96 watt True Actinic 03 Blue Compact Fluorescent Lamps plus five 3/4 watt Lunar Blue-Moon-Glow LED 470nm Lamps.
After reading the threads here, I feel like I wont have enough light later for corals. At this time I dont feel like building one so can anyone tell me a complete hood assy that will give me enough light need for later! Sorry Im a returning from 8 years out, and alot has changed and im going to a much bigger tank.
Thanks to all!
T.

 

[old salty]

Have you considered T5's? I think if you put two 36" 8 bulb TEK fixtures over it, you would be fine. Keep a few bulbs out and later on, you can add a few for extra kick.

 

[hahnmeister]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7671081#post7671081 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by old salty
Have you considered T5's? I think if you put two 36" 8 bulb TEK fixtures over it, you would be fine. Keep a few bulbs out and later on, you can add a few for extra kick.

Nah, I dont think he was considering T5s...did you look at the title?

With 24" front to back, and 30" of height, I would do 8 bulbs front to back, and use icecap ballasts for an extra punch. You could use 5' bulbs, 80watts each, overdriven to 100watts. Thats 800 watts of T5 goodness...or even with a regular ballast thats still 640 watts. Depending on how close you space the bulbs, and with the ability to tilt individual reflectors, you could prolly even tilt the outer reflectors inward and use up to 10 bulbs front to back...depending on the reflectors you use. But one things for sure, I would use a retrofit rather than a Tek fixture.

 

[GT]

old salty, yes after reading all the threads here, Im thinking T5's are the way to go, with less heat the mH lights. I wll check out the TEK fixtures.
Thanks old salty!!!
T.

 

[GT]

hahnmeister, help me out here! overdriven! Done with a diff ballast?
Geeze I hate being a nooob again! LOL!
T

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Aquactinic sells a 72" T5 fixture that uses 7 rows of 36" T5 lamps side by side.

I think at 30" tall you are better off going with an 8x54 retro running on IC ballasts. The standard driven fixture with 7 rows would be OK for softies and LPS in most of the tank and SPS high up on the rocks. The IC retro would be better if you want a lot of SPS or clams.

 

[GT]

Hey I found these 2 options on ebay! can I get some opinions?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=250003207057&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=015
and,
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=250003206873&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=015

Thanks,
T.

 

[Ti]

Get TEK

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7679563#post7679563 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 4thIDRCT.GT<O>
Hey I found these 2 options on ebay! can I get some opinions?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=250003207057&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=015
and,
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=250003206873&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=015

Thanks,
T.

Bad and worse. Stick to the units with real individual reflectors and good lamps.

 

[GT]

Hey Grimm, The Aquactinic that you recommended looks like the deal for me. Now starting out as FOLR for awhile, I take it I dont have to run all 14 bulbs. If Im right on that, any damage to the ballast not using all bulbs?
Thanks, T.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

The 72" setup has 3 switches. you can run 1 to 7 lamps at a time.