My 75 Gal (re-done)

[bartek101]

Hi there, I have been in this hobby for 6 months now.. woo..hoo, and just recently upgraded my tank to drilled 75gal. I have build the stand and the canopy, but now... I might possibly have small problem... Currently I am running T5s lights in it, and thinking about upgrading to Metal Halides, but.... my canopy is only 10 inches tall and I am affraid that it will be TOO CLOSE to the water and it'll run my water temp sky high... so here I am asking for your opinion/suggestions...
thanks alot..

Before: __________ After:

 

[reefermad619]

Metal halides aren't really an upgrade, they're more of a lateral pass. What's your current lighting? You would probably have more than adequate light with a 6 bulb fixture with individual reflectors. If you need more than that, you could always do an 8 bulb fixture. Although halides will grow anything, the produce so much heat.

 

[RotaryGeek]

Yeah in a 75 with a 6 bulb set up, you could grow just about anything. As long as it has individual reflectors on it that is. If it doesn't, a good cheap way to go would be to open your light fixture up and use the guts of it and buy individual reflectors and the caps. Shouldn't cost much, like 12 bucks a reflector the the highest quality. Then you will have a t5 retrofit kit that will grow anything, and your not in too much money.

 

[bartek101]

thanks alot for your suggestions, ill look into it..
My current lighting is a fixture with 2x54watts t5s, 2x55w actinic t5s

 

[reefermad619]

I would just run what you have. I would definitly change the bulbs. From what i've read, the actinics are more for color and don't have as much par as other bulbs. If your going to run only 4 bulbs, I would get bulbs that produce as much par as possible. A good reflector will run ~$20 each. I plan on using 4 bulbs (T5s) for my 80gln build. I've got 2, 2 bulb 54 watt retros with tek reflectors. If I need more, I can add another kit. I might not be able to do "real" sps, but I'll probably be fine with some montys closer to the top of the tank. What do you plan on keeping?