Lighting Recommendation

[bunzaroo]

I want to upgrade my lighting from my coralife PC 260 watt fixture. I want to be able to add a clam or 2 and some sps, nothing crazy,No crazy growth or anything like that. I aquired a canopy which I want to use. Tank is a 72 bowfront. What retrofit kit do you reccomend, how much wattage. I would consider MH's but would prefer to stick to VHO 's or T5's. Please help Thanks.

 

[CichlidaeNReefs]

I would go with T5's if you dont want a high electric bill that metal halides will produce for you.

 

[ahullsb]

t5's on an icecap ballast would work just fine. I would try for 4-6 bulbs. If you want metal halides, 2 x150 watt fixtures would be enough.

 

[CichlidaeNReefs]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12986905#post12986905 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ahullsb
t5's on an icecap ballast would work just fine. I would try for 4-6 bulbs. If you want metal halides, 2 x150 watt fixtures would be enough.

I ditto this answer

 

[sassafrass]

No offense to anyone but icecap ballasts are very expensive for what you get, workhorse ballasts work very well at about 1/4th the cost, as far as I know the light produced is the same. Sunlight supply has some new reflectors called parabolics that are amazing in their abilty to put light into the tank.They also have a 2 bulb unit with the ballast built in and parabolic reflectors included for a good price ,that's what we use in our customer's tanks.
Lee

 

[CichlidaeNReefs]

yeah but do you realize that alot of these manufacturers buy their inerds (guts) from IceCap or a similar supplier and make a ballast and slap their name on it??

Happens all the time....same thing with metal halide bulbs and other bulbs, there is a few manufacturers of fluorescent lighting and suppliers buy the bulbs from them and print their names on them and label them as their own

 

[sassafrass]

That's cool with me especially at one forth the cost .