Lighting Advice for a 30g Breeder

[Otogi]

So I am getting ready to upgrade my 6g nano to a 30g Breeder soon and am trying to find lighting that fits my budget ($100-$150). I have found a couple fixtures I like on eBay, but as I am not all that experienced with keeping different corals I am not sure what would be my best option from the ones I have found. So I am hoping you all could help me pick the best one for what I want to do. I plan to keep some zoos, gsp, ricordeas, mushrooms and maybe a few hard corals. Here are the options I have found so far.

1) Super 36" 192W Power Compact Aquarium PC Reef Light > 2 x 96W Power Compact > 3 x Blue Moon night light : 1x96W 12,000k daylight PC bulb and 1x96W Actinic True 03 PC bulb. w/ mounting legs and 2 cooling fans. $80

2) T5ho t5-ho 3ft / 4LAMP Aquarium lighting: 2 x 39w 10000k blue and 2 x 39w 10000k white, Aluminum body is lightweight, heavy duty and rust proof, Cool operation and NO noise. No LEDs or Cooling fans. comes w/ mounting legs. $95

3) 36" 156W Power HO T6 Aquarium Reef Light low profile T5 > 4 x 39W T6 Fluorescent lamp : 2x39W 12,000k daylight T6 bulb and 2x39W Actinic Blue T6 bulb. w/mounting legs and 3 LEDs, no fans. $75

I know corals need good lighting, But as a 30g breeder is a shallow tank I was leaning to the #1 option with the 2PC lights as it comes with LEDs and cooling fans and I also figured it would be a good amount of light in a tank only 12" high. But as I don't have the knowledge or experience keeping corals I could be wrong. So let me know what you think and thanks very much in advance.

 

[ReefWreak]

If you're going to spend the money, I would never consider PCs to be an investment, just a mistake and blip upon my experience in the hobby. Of what you listed, only the T5 would entice me in the least bit. I would either consider T5s with reflectors (preferably a TEK fixture, then a current extreme fixture) or a halide retrofit into an older fixture or just a halide fixture by itself. Maybe check out Aquatraders if you're on a budget. Or ebay.

 

[Otogi]

Thanks ReefWreak, those are coming from eBay. Here is another option I found that I really like and think will work. It is outside my budget but not to far.

VHO 36" 442W Metal Halide Reef light Aquarium Lighting
1x 250W 15,000k intermediate daylight HQI bulb
2x 96W Actinic Blue True 03 PC bulb
4x Dual LED Blue Moon
1x 5" Internal built-in cooling fan
Mounting leg brackets

This one seems alot better , but i would be worried that this one might be to much for a 12" deep tank what are your thoughts?

 

[ReefWreak]

There's no such thing as too much for a 12" deep tank. If it's too much light, just stick a bluer bulb on it, and boom, cutdown in light.

I'm kind of confused by that last part though with the fixture. Does it have VHOs, halides, and PCs, and LEDSs on the fixture? I've never seen one with those combinations with VHOs.

Also, for the 36" tank, I wonder if you'll have a big spotlight effect in the middle of the tank from there only being one halide. I mean, with a full sized luminarc raised 12-18" over the tank, sure, that'll cover 36" probably, but I'm sure that's not the case, in which there's probably going to be a halide spotlight in the middle, which you won't likely appreciate. I dunno. up to you, but I wanna help out here

Oh and if you do go with halides, never bother using stock bulbs. They're all going to turn too yellow to enjoy.

 

[Otogi]

I don't know if i am allowed to post the link to it in ebay, so if not mods I am sorry.

here is the link the that particular light on ebay. I don't know if it has VHO or not as I don't even know what that is. But is says VHO in the name. here is the link

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...item=110234690638&_trksid=p3984.cWAT.m240.lVI

 

[Otogi]

If anyone is selling a 36" light fixture that can support corals for a decent price please let me know.

 

[ReefWreak]

LOL there's no VHOs in it. They just mean it for the literal "VERY HIGH OUTPUT (LIGHTS)" but yea, it's just PCs and a halide.

I don't think you'll get great coverage unfortunately

 

[Otogi]

doesn't look like i am going to get past the lighting problem without breaking the $250-$300+ line. Thanks very much for all the help ReefWreak.

I think I am just going to have to wait a bit more to do the upgrade and just get myself the Current Nova fixture

 

[macawmagic]

my 30 breeder has 1 250 watt hallide. 10k. I would highly recommend it.