Im getting a new 125g tank with 2 corner overflows. The tank is 6Ft long. I have a 4ft 55G with a 300W metal hailde. I was wondering If I hang the Mh from my celing would it be enough light for the 125G. I was also wodering about t5 lighting. Im looking for a 6ft fixture. I really dont want to buy another light. Any suggestions. maybe a retro fit lit. If so what do I need for those. I would rather buy something you just plug in and its ready to go. Please help me on this one
Need help with 6Ft lighting
- Thread starter newreef06
- Start date
redfishsc
New member
I've never seen or heard of a 300W MH--- is this a 250 or a 400, or just my naivete?
One MH bulb (regardless of wattage) won't get spread out very well over a 125. No reason that you can't use it to "bright spot" the middle of the tank and let the T5's drive the rest. Put high-light animals toward the center and lower-light animals toward the ends.
For a 6ft tank (72") you are really limited to a 5-ft T5 setup (60"), which kinda sux. You could, theoretically, use two 36" setups side-by-side, but the cost of replacing the bulbs would be NUTS.
Your best bet would be to put the MH in the center, and use a 4 or 6 60" (5ft) T5 retro kit (icecap retros from www.reefgeek.com). If you can fit six, you are golden. If not, 4 will work.
To get even lighting all the way across the tank, put half of your T5's all the way to the left, and half of the T5's all the way to the right. Ie, stagger them so that you don't have dark spots on each end.
I would also choose a lower-K MH bulb (such as a 10,000K) since they seem to hold their spectrum longer than the higher-K bulbs. Then use the T5's to bring in all the blue you want. You could get a wickedly beautiful tank with this combo:
ATI Blue+
UVL Super Actinic
KZ Fiji Purple
10,000K MH (Ushio?)
ATI Blue+
UVL Super Actinic
KZ Fiji Purple
One MH bulb (regardless of wattage) won't get spread out very well over a 125. No reason that you can't use it to "bright spot" the middle of the tank and let the T5's drive the rest. Put high-light animals toward the center and lower-light animals toward the ends.
For a 6ft tank (72") you are really limited to a 5-ft T5 setup (60"), which kinda sux. You could, theoretically, use two 36" setups side-by-side, but the cost of replacing the bulbs would be NUTS.
Your best bet would be to put the MH in the center, and use a 4 or 6 60" (5ft) T5 retro kit (icecap retros from www.reefgeek.com). If you can fit six, you are golden. If not, 4 will work.
To get even lighting all the way across the tank, put half of your T5's all the way to the left, and half of the T5's all the way to the right. Ie, stagger them so that you don't have dark spots on each end.
I would also choose a lower-K MH bulb (such as a 10,000K) since they seem to hold their spectrum longer than the higher-K bulbs. Then use the T5's to bring in all the blue you want. You could get a wickedly beautiful tank with this combo:
ATI Blue+
UVL Super Actinic
KZ Fiji Purple
10,000K MH (Ushio?)
ATI Blue+
UVL Super Actinic
KZ Fiji Purple
fatboyt123
New member
the grimreefer told me to go with this 6' fixture over my 155 gallon
http://www.saltycritter.com/lighting/aquactinics/constellation-t5.htm
went with 3 250MH instead. It was cheaper because i made my own lumwnarc reflectors
here is a pick of the one i have made just need to get 2 more done.
this is after i got it cut out
after i got it all riveted together
inside
http://www.saltycritter.com/lighting/aquactinics/constellation-t5.htm
went with 3 250MH instead. It was cheaper because i made my own lumwnarc reflectors
here is a pick of the one i have made just need to get 2 more done.
this is after i got it cut out
after i got it all riveted together
inside
TROYREEFER
New member
wow thats nice
fatboyt123
New member
were you talking about the reflectors?
