I need some help from you lighting guru's!

[chrali]

Long story short.....I was hard and heavy into the hobby 4 years ago. A big move and 2 kids later and my tank has been seriously neglected. Water changes here and there, no changing the bulbs, fish are happy, corals slowly going away. As bulbs went out, they were not replaced. Lack of money and time (sad excuses). I was down to one 175 metal halide and it exploded! I need to make an investment in some good lights and when I came back onto RC to do a bit of research I was a overwhelmed. LED's, T5's, PAR, AI...... If I had a few weeks to do the proper research, I'm sure I could get it all figured out, but I don't and I don't want to see my fish swimming in the dark and my last few softies whither away. I NEED some advice! I love the idea of the LED's (low heat, longevity, low electricity needs) but the cost and my lack of understanding is preventing me from then. I'd rather not spend more than $700 on a new system (less is better, more is possible if it makes a ton of sense). I plan to eventually start adding corals back to the tank (a little bit of everything). I have a 72 bow front. I was thinking 2x250 halide fixture with maybe some PC's or t5's on the side. Where is the best place to get these guys. New or used? What would be an LED equivalent to a set up like this? I've got to pull the trigger on a fixture in the next day or so and could use any type of advice you guys can give me. I don't want to get something that is becoming obsolete and I don't want to pay too much for new technology that isn't that great yet. Please Help and tell me what to buy!!!!!! :eek1: :crazy1:

 

[kookie_guy]

I have a fishneedit fixture, 2x 150w hqi and 4x t5ho. I am very happy with it. And for the price, who can argue it.

 

[fcmatt]

in my opinion, LED tech is still too new. You will just end up being a beta user paying top
dollar for the stuff. Sure it is the future but let others do the work for now.

Go with what you know and that is MH with T5 supplement in my opinion.

as for reef sites to shop at.. i recommend visiting the black friday thread in the general
reef discussion area that will list several good websites to shop from.

 

[dots]

Starting with T5's is your best bet. MH's are still tried and true (SE's are still better) With your tank shape, T5's will most likely be the best for you.

 

[chrali]

Why T5's only? What about a T5 and Halide combo? I wouldn't need to run the Halides much at all until I started stocking the tank again. Would T5's alone be good enough for most SPS? This might be a dumb question, but are T5's fire hazards? I thought that I heard that? Thanks for all the help!

 

[chrali]

Would this 2 year old used system in the 400 dollar range make sense and be a good buy? I'd be a bit concerned about it being used though. http://www.aquasythe.com/Products/4...br-T5-HO-and-18-Lunar-Lights__LT-CU01072.aspx How much wattage do I need for T5's to be comparable to the Halides?

 

[myaerica]

2 pfo hqi ballasts and radiums. And vho's I still dont think you can beat the color.

 

[dots]

Why T5's only? What about a T5 and Halide combo? I wouldn't need to run the Halides much at all until I started stocking the tank again. Would T5's alone be good enough for most SPS? This might be a dumb question, but are T5's fire hazards? I thought that I heard that? Thanks for all the help!

Why T5's? They better match what you were interested in LED's.

Lighting a bow front has given people some problems in the past with even lighting from what I remembered, so I thought we would side step that.

A Chiller may be required.

Oh and my last lighting upgrade, which was to 250W MH SE's and VHO's....I spent around 1K.....didn't want to suggest that with the potential for a chiller......along with the potential for uneven lighting.

Yes, people are getting fantastic results with T5's only over SPS.....

Here is an example of T5 lit SPS tanks.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1083336

And anytime, people are mixed with water and electricity there is always a chance for fire. However, you don't hear much in the way of fire being caused by lighting in the first place, let alone a specific type........

 

[dots]

There are a ton of applications once you decide which way to go that are based on your preference, budget, and tank.

Buy the most you can afford, and the best you can afford is what I would suggest. With more bulbs, you will have more options in terms of lighting schemes and colors.

Jam as many as you can fit.....I think 6-8 is average. Check the thread I linked.

 

[oscar.millan]

I would go with something like this:

http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Fluorescent/ATI/SunPower_Fixtures/48_inch__6x54W_SunPower_T5_High-Output_Fixture_w!_Bulbs_by_ATI

If you want to spend more and get better quality, go with the PowerModule.

 

[Johnny C]

dots is giving you good advice. I have a friend with the same aquarium and he keeps a LOT of coral under a 4-Bulb T5 fixture. A MH/T5 fixture combo is expensive and definitely overkill IMO.

A 4x54w T5 setup can keep most everything, even some SPS as long as you buy a quality fixture like this with good bulbs. A six-bulb fixture is overkill and won't fit on your tank properly with the 12'' ends. Hope this helps!