have been trying to get help w reef lighting...

[Smarkalan83]

ok i have made different posts on here trying to get info on lighting upgrades and i have gotten nowhere...please someone help...i have a 55g fowlr and some soft corals i have a 260w power compact 4x65 w 3 led night lights....the lights are now almost 1-1/2 yrs old and before i buy new bulbs i was looking to upgrade...i have called lfs after lfs after lfs but everyone telling me something different...what i want is to use the light on my 55 and then when i upgrade my tank use it on my 90...i want to have a mix of soft and hard corals w fish and lr...i have seen a few options and need help with what i should do before i waste money....here are my options...

#1...buy 4 new pc bulbs and stick w the new light

#2...608w metal halide $279
2x250 mh hqi 15000k bulbs
2x54w ho t5
3 blue led ...comes with individual cords cooling fan and ballast

#3...54w 48" led light
46x10000k led 1w
8x1w act 460nm led...will this be enough lighting by itself

#4...324w ho t5
3x54w ho t5 10000k
3x54 t5 actinic
10x1w led night lights

my last option was a 716w metal hlide light same as the other one except it had 4x54 ho t5 but i dont think it would fit on my tank because of being too wide....i do not have a canopy so i would not be able to conceal any of the lights thats why i am looking for single unit...if anyone can please give me advice like i said i have called numerous places and posted several times yet to get any helpful information....the corals i currently house are some duncans...zoos...mushrooms...xenia...leathers...kenya...torch frags...acan frags...and also the corraline i have is a green coraline is that also because my lightins is not strong enough?....i would like to promote purple to pink if i can control it...tank leverls are all right on tank temp is 81...thanks

 

[mr_X]

Those bulbs for the pc fixture are expensive. I would not buy them. I would go with an 8x 54 watt t5HO fixture if I was going to do a 90 reef. That LED fixture you mentioned is not strong enough for a 90. You can go with the 2 x 250 watt halides, but you can use the t5 fixture and save wattage and a little heat.
Lighting has nothing to do with the color of your coralline. You just need to introduce the purple coralline. Take some scrapings from someone's tank and sprinkle them in your tank, and you'll see it popping up eventually.

 

[Smarkalan83]

Well I would new the light to fit on my current tank which is 13" wide I don't think I can fit 8x54 maybe 6x54 would that work for the 55g for sps

 

[mr_X]

Yes, but what about the 90? 8 x 54 would fit great over that tank.

 

[Smarkalan83]

That's where I'm torn I want a good light now but I know in few years I'll upgrade to 90 or better just want to start getting Corals and rock ready to transfer... Now I have green corraline and it is across the back of my glass should I scrape that to help spread or leave it alone I scraped a small part and saw pink underneath in some spots...and also what of I used the led lights and got like a 2 bulb ho t5 they would both fit on my tank and I can always use them since they are not wide would that serve purpose and look good

 

[mr_X]

A few years? Technology will be completely different then. I wouldn't even worry about a few years from now and purchase a 6 lamp for your 55.

Which LED lights are you talking about? Post them here.

 

[Tomchong22]

I have a 8bulb t5 Ho 48" nova extreme fixture on my 60 gall tank.( the older model) my tank dimensions are 48"l x 12"d x21" h. And it fits amazing and trust me this is more then enough light. I would Personally go with the 6 bulb because they have individual reflectors. This is by far your best bang for your buck. And you can keep whatever you want, Sps Lps soft corals clams etc.

 

[mwilliams]

I agree with Doug technology will change in a few years. If you do get an 8bulb fixture you can always hang it above the tank so it won't cook everything in the tank.

 

[mr_X]

Or shut a few bulbs off.

 

[Tomchong22]

Or shut a few bulbs off.

+1
Just because there is 8 bulb slots does not mean you have to fill all 8 slots.

 

[mwilliams]

These are the fixtures that Marine Depot recommended for my tank since I have several SPS corals in my tank which is a 55g standard tank:
4 bulb fixtures

AquaticLife
AquaticLife T5 HO 4-Lamp Light Fixtures w/ Lunar LEDs

Coralife
Coralife Lunar Aqualight T5 Lamp High Output Fixture

6 bulb fixtures

AquaticLife
AquaticLife T5 HO 6-Lamp Light Fixture w/ Lunar LEDs

Sunlight Supply
48 Inch 6x54W Sunlight Supply Tek Elite Light High Output Fluorescent Lighting Fixture

8 bulb fixtures

AquaticLife
48 Inch 8x54 Watt AquaticLife T5 HO Light Fixture

ATI
ATI 48 Inch Powermodule T5HO High-Output Fixtures

 

[Smarkalan83]

Thanks for all the help guys I will check out those lights today.... The led light was odyssea 48" off aquatraders.com supposedly it is the same as the marineland reef capable bit just half the price.... Thanks

 

[mwilliams]

Welcome, just be careful if you get the lights from Odyssea I have not heard good things about their lights. But I have had one of their skimmers and it skimmed wonderfully till I broke it. Even though some folks have mixed opinons about their skimmers as well.

 

[mr_X]

I would choose the sunlight supply tek light.

 

[Sniperhank]

I have the coralife T5HO 4-lamp 2/ lunar led. It is on my 36 gal bowfront. Doing great. Just had new bulbs for it arrive today. Can't wait to get them in. going 1 fiji purple, 2 blue+, 1 special blue instead of the factory stock bulbs. Highly recomment coralife's t5. It looks great ontop of my tank.

Only negative is that I get a ton of salt buildup on the acrilic piece protecting the bulbs. I have a ton of movement on my water surface and my biowheel kicks it up.

 

[Gregcoyote]

I have experiment with lots of LEDs and what was said is right. LED is on the verge of replacing everything as new parts are coming out of the factories. 100 watt emitters are getting common, so incredibly small and powerful LEDs are on the way. Once these emitters have been tuned for proper PAR for coral growth, they will dominate the market. Less than 2 years.