Opinions on lights please

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7283765#post7283765 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RevHtree
MH.......

I have a 400w 10K on a 60g prop tank that is 13"'s deep with no heat issues at all, no fans. I am sure a 150w will cause you no problems. The zoas LOVE it.

What lights are you running on your tank for your beauties Coralnutz? If not MH have you considered it?

;)
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:lol: a 60G and a 15H are a little bit different. I don't know how many "nano's" you have run rev, but I do have first hand experience in that arena as I ran quite a few nano's over the years. Not that it can't be done, I know quite few people that run 70 - 150 watters over thier 10 gallon tanks, but they have sumps and other ways to deal with the heat.

Heat's even going to be an issue with pc's for that matter, but not nearly as much as the halide will.

Oh, and I run VHO's on my zoas. Even have sps under the VHO's. Nothing wrong with halides, just don't see the need for them on my system. But my new tank I will be setting up will be 2x250 halides with vho actinics.
 
I would go with the 150 mh. You shouldn't have any heat issues nor do you have to have a sump to have a 150 on a 18g tank. Just install some fans to blow over the fixture and you should be ok
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7284915#post7284915 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jman77
I would go with the 150 mh. You shouldn't have any heat issues nor do you have to have a sump to have a 150 on a 18g tank. Just install some fans to blow over the fixture and you should be ok
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Just to clarify, I wasn't trying to imply that you can't have a 150 or that you have to have a sump to do it. Just that there WILL be heat issues to deal with, there will be with ANY lights on a nano, just more so with Halides.

Your above statement is sort of contradicting, on one hand you say that you "shouldn't" have any heat issues, and on the other hand you say that if you blow fans over the fixture you "should" be ok. :lol: If there isn't any heat issues than why would you need to blow fans on it? Sounds like heat issue to me. Another thing I just noticed is that the fixture she is talking about, the coralife pro with a 150 DE is extremely hot, probably as hot as a 250 SE.



At any rate, I don't want to argue about it. It's just that it's someones tank and livestock we are talking about and I think the advice should be realistic so someone doesn't cook thier tank thinking they can put a DE halide on a tiny tank like that and not worry about heat. :)
 
Im amazed no one said suggested T5's you can get a few nova retro lights that will not hag over the edges for next to nothing and would be enough light with out an issue of heat
 
yes but when you see it you wouldnt have known it if you didnt already know it was only 24w outstanding
 
Hrmm..I hadn't looked at T5's cuz I was looking at one vendor where I have a gift certificate. Having looked, I see that they run cooler than PCs and my tank is only 18 inches deep so in theory they should put off enough light. I can get the same spectrum bulbs I was looking at too in T5s.

Comments? Suggestions? :)
 
I have never used T5's but I did just go look at a tank with them and I thought it look fabulous.

I know they are coming out with more and more bulbs so you get a lot of choices in color temps.

If you look at T5's make sure your looking at something with individual parabolic reflectors for EACH bulb and not the units that have one big reflector. From everything I have read on the subject, the reflectors are ultra important for the T5's to have the big output and the big reflectors that go over all the bulbs isn't nearly as good as individual.
 
I would also vote no on the halides if you are going all zoa's and soft corals.
t-5's, vho's, or pc's would be my choices in order.
On the t-5's
I would use 2 daylight and one superactinic, and one red.
You wont believe how much color the red bulbs pull out.
If you want more actinic switch out one daylight and add a 50/50 bulb.
 
check Aquabuys on Ebay

check Aquabuys on Ebay

they have a 70w HQI kit with E ballast for only $135 enough light without the heat and use only one T5 actinic
 
Thanks Creetin I was wondering there for a minute. Not sure how the look would be though. They call the 6400k lamp blue. lol Thanks for the link.
 
Thanks for all these suggestions guys! Thing is, I'm looking for something thats predone in a fixture that will fit my tank. I'm not a DIY person, or...my husand is...but I lack the patience. I'm only seeing one fixture with T5's that fits my tank. Its the Nova Extreme, 96watts, with slimpaq 460nm actinic and 10k T5s. It has lunar lights like the others, so I'm thinking about it. It only has 1 reflector (instead of individual ones like you suggested CoralNutz), but I don't see any that have individual in the size I'm looking for. My guess is that could be a DIY mod afterwards.

I'm gonna order today, I'll never get this tank set up if I don't make up my mind! =P
 
or drive to Aquatinics in North Haven get a Work Horse 5 ballast for about $30 and order a slimpac 96w from Hello Lights or locally get the slimpac from a store I have the exact same set up reto fit in the hood of a 60g hex with one t8no actinic and it light the tank up for sure all softies and they are growing fine
 
I don't know that you would be able to mod it later due to the space constraints inside those Nova fixtures.

Here is what the individual reflectors look like. They just clip on the bulb.

http://oceanencounter.com/Merchant2...Code=OE&Product_Code=ISLR2&Category_Code=ICT5

IMO if your not going to do the individual reflectors you might as well do the PC's. I have seen quite of a few of these cheaper T5 light setups with the 1 reflector and they didn't seem much brighter than NO lighting IME.

The efficiency of T5 lighting is very much dependent on the individual reflectors.
 
sorry reefwifey your in Maryland you cant just drive to North Haven CT but anyway the above will be fine
 
I use the Coralife 130w PC light you are looking at and highly recommend it. It has never made any noise, not fired, or required anything but bulb replacement every 9-10 months. It is a great product, and I have Zoas, LPS and other softies under it in my 20h nano. My $.02! (MH would be an overkill, IMO) T5's are another good option, see if your vendor carries the Teklight T5, which is a great light as well. I'm not going to get in the middle of the T5 vs. MH debate, however.
 
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