Lighting help

[HurricaneCaleb]

I have a 75g with a basic Lights, I put new Coralife bulbs in. My question is what is the least expensive lights I can get away with and still see some growth from mushrooms, leather, zoanthids, other "easier" or "beginner" types? I don't want to spend a fortune yet, saving up to switch to full reef in the future. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[musicman980]

I went to Home Depot and bought 30 dollar 4 foot T8 shop light that holds 2 bulbs (diamond plate one) with a 7 dollar 2 pack of daylight 6500k bulbs (also bought at HD) and I see growth out of my mushrooms, zoos, clove polyps, frogspawn, trumpet, even a condy anemone that I had was doing great. It's on my 40g long and was such a great alternative to those $200 setups.

I think you could even put mushrooms right on the bottom of the tank if they are right under the lights, but if you place corals at max 16" below light I'm sure you won't have a problem.

If you want actinics you can buy blue party bulbs at HD for 5 bucks each (its what I use too) and they look great!

 

[HurricaneCaleb]

Sounds like a plan, thanks for the info. Is HD or Lowes a better source for bulbs than the lfs?

 

[HurricaneCaleb]

I have a hood that holds 2 bulbs, came with the tank.

 

[musicman980]

What Kelvin are the bulbs? My setup has 2 6500K daylight bulbs, which is why it works so well. If the bulbs you have are one daylight and one actinic then they may not have enough PAR since actinics don't put out a lot of PAR and 6500K daylights put out generally more PAR than other bulbs of the same type.

Does your hood have any reflectors? The Home Depot shop light I mentioned does have decent reflectors in my opinion.

And I get my bulbs from Home Depot, just because it is closer to my home. I'm not sure what Lowes has... but Home Depot should have 6500K daylight bulbs in the blue boxes.