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DaveG99

DaveG99

New member
I have been gone for a while. Sold my old 125 gallon before I moved to Texas a few months ago. Well someone in my building left a 46 gallon bowfront with live rock and a couple small fish. Only thing there is only one ghetto light bulb over it. The tank and stand is mine! What lighting would work well on a 46 gallon reef tank? I like MH and t5 but I dont want to spend too much money. Any suggestions on what to get and where? I am looking to spend abotu $200 on lights.
 
Make your own VHO setup, or you'll be left with only option being PC's. Just go to www.hellolights.com, get a reflector, bulbs, and endcaps. Next either buy an IceCap ballast or go to the selling forum and wait until one comes up for sale(usually a little over $100). Then just build a box and put it all together...it really isn't that hard and it'll end up costing you right around $200, $250 if you buy the ballast new. I love VHO and you can get a full reflector, which will save you money from the t-5 cost of single reflectors. Bulbs are less expensive than PC and run much cooler with better output.

Most respectible and raved about units will probably cost you well over $200, but making it(or retrofitting one into a built canopy) will save you money if that is the important part. Another idea is wait for a good fixture for a good price in the selling forum.

Is this a 48" tank? What are the dimensions?

Good to hear from you again, Dave.
 
I am going to measure it today and take some pictures of it. I am moving it this weekend. I want to say it might only be 36" long. Not to sure though.
 
With a 36", you could get away with a single MH and two actinic VHO's on a single reflector(I think Hellolights will install the mogul socket for you). This would raise the cost, though, as you would need two ballasts(one for the MH and one for the VHO's).

If you did get VHO only, you could do a 4X95W setup on a single IC430 ballast...you may want to look into two ballast so that you can have dawn/dusk effect, but again, features cost $$. Also, with the IC430 you can do 2, 3, or 4 3ft bulbs or 2 or 3 4ft bulbs...total max length is 12ft. With the IC660, you can go up to 16ft.

I'm doing 4X110W(4ft bulbs, 16ft total) on my 55G with an IC660 and I really love it...it lights up the tank like crazy.

I also am running a 3X95W on my 30 and it looks soooo much better than PC's...it does tend to pink out the tank a little(VHO whites are on the pink side), but with dual actinic, it brings it into a nice crisp spectrum.
 
i got 2 flat reflector 24" x 24" each for 20.00 amd also got dual 150 hqi's with pendants and dual bluewave ballast for 300.00. pm and let me know
 
If you want to explore T5s check out reefgeek.com they have some relatively affordable sets ups for a tank that size
 
Why is it that I can't read any of the font on reefgeek.com? Am I missing something, or are other people having this same problem?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9750072#post9750072 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by InLimbo87
yeah i just gave up on it. maybe it has something to do with monitor size as i have a 19" lcd?
Click to expand...

A true reefgeek would get out the microscope:)...but the page works fine for me on my 19"lcd...
 
Also, to get a 4X39W setup, you're paying $80+ just for the individual reflectors, not to mention the same ballast you would need for the VHO's and the bulb's cost along with the severely diminished light output in comparison to 4X95W setup...despite how much "more" PAR or PUR they have, that would diminish due to the plain amount of light VHO's offer.

Not to try to sway you either way, I really don't have a personal vested interest, so you go with what is right for you. I personally feel that VHO's are the best bang for the buck...I grow some SPS well under my VHO's without issue(at 8W/G, it is a great source of light).
 
I am interested in a VHO setup. I just have no clue on how to build it and what to buy. I always used the already built fixtures that are just plug and play. I would love to get about 6-8 watts per gallon of VHO light. Can you give me some examples of what I need as far as parts. I can pretty much figure stuff out but some general knowledge couldnt hurt. I do not have a canopy for this tank. I was planning on suspending the fixture or getting one of those that sit on legs. Building a canopy for a bow front tank could be tough. Since I am gettign the tank in a couple days and it doesnt have any lights now I think I might just get a 192watt power compact fixture to use for a few months until I can buy a good fixture. I saw them for about $150 on ebay. The live rock has a couple bulbs hanging on top of the tank now and I think the live rock is slowly dieing. It needs light NOW!!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9750109#post9750109 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cschweitzer
A true reefgeek would get out the microscope:)...but the page works fine for me on my 19"lcd...
Click to expand...

Nah, I'll just use one of the other 99999999 million reef websites. Not worth my time/eyesite... From what I can see, they seem quite expensive also.
 
Ian, go to View on the wondow bar, then go to "text size"...bump it up to larg or whatever you need, that worked for me :)
 
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