Need some help with lighting please guys

madmike10000

madmike10000

New member
Hello this is my first post on reef central. I need some help on my lighting. I have a 65 gallon 36" 18" 24". I currently have an ebay special led and its just not making me happy with growth and tank color. My acro and montis are growing extremely slow and it is way to annyoing dealing with this thing. Im ready to just buy something that is good. Preferably metal halide or t5 because i know you can grow anything with those. I have a dsb of about 5-6" so my tank from surface to sand bed is about 18-19". And i have a rim on top (will post a pic) that covers about 3" all around so that will have to be factored in. Does anyone have a fixture that would make me have anything i want including clams. And sps. I want to spend around 500$. Thanks for reading guys i will post pics of the tank for you can see it.
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Not a direct answer to your question, but what is your salinity, temp, pH, alkalinity, calcium, phosphate (from salifert or Hanna), nitrates.

What I'm trying to say here is, people grow SPS with Chinese black boxes.
 
Lots of people grow SPS with chinese boxes. You might have a similar experience with those expensive fixtures. I would look into other factors.
 
Sense i have the rim that cuts off a bit of light i think 1 metal halide might be good. But idk what kind or watts would do
 
And just how do you control color and dimability with a MH or t5? Buy new expensive replacement bulbs and pray you get it right. Good luck.

Before you go spending more money buying a MH or t5 fixture ask yourself this question. Just what do you think is missing from your led fixture that you will find in a t5 or MH? And did you really expect that a cheap ebay special fixture was going to be just what you needed? You buy cheap and then complain, did you do any research at all? What kind of lighting were you using before the leds? Why not just go back to it if it gave you better growth and color?
 
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Look at doing a hybrid T5/LED. The LED portion will give you the control you want and the T5s will complete the spectrum so your coral will really be the color they should be and get the growth you're hoping for. With the LEDs you can create your sunrise/sunsets (and effects if desired), and then when it's most important, kick the T5s in. Your LEDs "should" provide your shimmer as well.

Now, if you just want amazing results, and can give up the control, go MH/T5.
 
AZRippster said:
Look at doing a hybrid T5/LED. The LED portion will give you the control you want and the T5s will complete the spectrum so your coral will really be the color they should be
Click to expand...

So then your corals should have a pretty dull color? Im just going by what corals look like in the ocean, not even close to how we color them in the ocean. :D

But i do argree a hybrid is the way to go, weather it be mh/t5, mh/led, t5/led, or even all three. If you look at dennis's tank it is beautiful and he uses all 3
 
Maybe I should have made the comment, "the T5s will complete the spectrum so your coral will really be the color they can be". Although, I've dove reefs all around the world and have seen some pretty spectacular coral coloration. In this hobby we do manipulate a considerable amount through chemistry and lighting.
 
Ron Reefman said:
And just how do you control color and dimability with a MH or t5? Buy new expensive replacement bulbs and pray you get it right. Good luck.

Before you go spending more money buying a MH or t5 fixture ask yourself this question. Just what do you think is missing from your led fixture that you will find in a t5 or MH? And did you really expect that a cheap ebay special fixture was going to be just what you needed? You buy cheap and then complain, did you do any research at all? What kind of lighting were you using before the leds? Why not just go back to it if it gave you better growth and color?
Click to expand...
I got it until i had enough money to get something better. Im not complaining just asking suggestions for a new light why do you have to be a jerk about it.
 
Im just kidding with ya, many reefs you see on tv and divers video's look nothing like what we produce in our tank. But you can get great colors from useing any of those 3 lighting options alone.
 
I think the metal halide t5 would work. Not having the center brace like most 65 tanks gives me the option of having it right in the center. And if i were to go with like a 6 bulb ati the 3 inch rim might cut off 1 or 2 bulbs of light
 
My wife and I ditched our LED exclusive lighting 3 weeks ago and went to 2 of the 48" Hamilton Cebu Sun 400W metal halide with T5 fixtures. The impact has been amazing, extremely happy. I had to reinforce the power meter on the side of the house though as it's now trying to gyro off the wall :lolspin: . No biggie, but since we live in Arizona (thank goodness not Phoenix) we are going to implement a T5/LED hybrid during the summer months and then when it cools for winter hop back to the MH/T5.
 
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