My new 125

[mikalis]

This is my new 125 and soon I will be building a stand and hood, I would like suggestions on lighting if anyone wants to share. Thanks will keep you all posted.

 

[Dave VG]

Congrats on the new tank. What are your stocking plans? Knowing that would help allot for lighting suggestions. Will it be a reef, FOWLR or something in between. I have had both T-5's and MH and prefer the MH’s. LED's are very expensive unless you do a DIY fixture.

 

[mikalis]

Well I plan on moving the stock from my current tank to this tank. I have right now a clown, sailfin tang, and about 6 damsels fish wise as for corals I have a leather some mushrooms some paly's zoa's acans and a pagoda so a good mix. What did you mean by led's I haven't heard about them for this. I was thinking mh with t5 actinics?

 

[fatrip]

If you are going MH I would suggest using VHO t12 for actinic they seem to have a better pop, it seems that the T-5s don't cut through and accent the MH as much as the VHO's do.

 

[mikalis]

Ok I can see that, but what are the led's? I have seen them used for moonlights but how would they be enough for a larger scale like this? How many would you need?

 

[jhouse]

love the new tank cant wait to see it up and running if u need my help u know where i am lol

 

[mikalis]

I might you never know, waiting til day off to get lumber to make stand.

 

[pimpinitup6969]

I personally like metal halides with vho actinics more than anything else.

 

[fatrip]

the LED's would be a fixture something like this http://www.marinedepot.com/Marinela...land_Instant_Ocean-AS33000-FILTFILDFX-vi.html

but with a 6 foot tank it would be crazy for leds between 1500-3000 for a 6' fixture.

 

[Dave VG]

I have used both T-5's and VHO's on a Icecap 660 ballast paired up with a single 10K and 20K MH with about the same results pop wise. The radium 20K bulb made the biggest difference. I think if you look around you'll see that some people that switched to T-5's are switching back to MH's. Just too tough to get that just right color with so many bulb combos IMO.

 

[laxing22]

I have a great TEK t-5 (6 bulb) setup, but I miss the MH shimmer and the color is just not right there - I have been thinking about going back to MH and using a strip or two of ReefBrites for the Act - http://premiumaquatics.com/aquatic-supplies/RB-PM48-B.html

 

[laxing22]

Speaking of those Reef Brite's - would 1 white and 2 blues allow coral growth?