Lights..can I? Should I?

[cnaugh]

Getting back into a reef. The tank is a 75 Gallon and I drilled it two days ago. I recently purchased the Coralife four bulb compact fluorescent with lunar lights. The guys at my local store said I made a mistake and T5 HO was the only way to go. Now I'm wondering if I can by a Coralife two bulb T5 HO, place them in front of the CF, and use them all together??? Thoughts???

 

[cnaugh]

And it should be "buy", not "by"! Lol

 

[Animal-Chin]

2 bulb on a 75 wont let you keep much. Can you take the CF back and upgrade to a 4 bulb T5 or some LED's? What are you wanting to keep? With 4 T5's you can keep soft and some LPS corals but no SPS...

 

[cnaugh]

That's what I was afraid of. I was hoping using both lights would increase my ability to keep a better variety. To answer your question of "what I'm going to keep?" I really don't know. I do know I want to keep whatever my 8 year old likes.

 

[Gregcoyote]

While keeping your 8 year old happy, be careful about what you buy. Removing dead fish and corals are not a lesson you want to teach him/her. Just be conservative.

 

[Animal-Chin]

kids love anemones and those lights won't support one, just fyi...

 

[mr_X]

T5 is not the only way to go. While I do like them better than power compacts, There are metal halides and also LEDs that will work. LEDs being the most efficient of them all.

 

[Gregcoyote]

And LEDs are getting cheaper every day.

 

[Gti_Leo]

And LEDs are getting cheaper every day.

still pretty pricey though

 

[Stlrockguy]

I paid $225 for my LEDs from eBay. Yea they are Chinese but they seem to work great for the money. Make sure they are dimmables

 

[Stlrockguy]

That was for 2 fixtures

 

[Gregcoyote]

Price a new T5 fixture with the bulbs ( which you will replace as many as twice a year) and a $129 LED fixture looks pretty affordable.

 

[cnaugh]

Going led shopping soon. Can I use it in conjunction with the power compacts?

 

[Stlrockguy]

Hey Greg can I ask you something off topic. About my blasto

 

[Stlrockguy]

I have a thread started about it

 

[Sniperhank]

Going led shopping soon. Can I use it in conjunction with the power compacts?

You could...but the reason then becomes "why"? The right LEDs will be more than enough and put a much better look to your tank than PC lighting could ever try to do. BTW, I'd suggest looking at the Taotronics LEDs as they are the cheapest you'll find that'll support corals...before you end up with a Marineland unit that lies about being able to keep coral under them.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Going led shopping soon. Can I use it in conjunction with the power compacts?

You won't need anything else.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Hey Greg can I ask you something off topic. About my blasto

Mr_X is my go to guy for corals. But I can try to help. Blasto away or PM me.

 

[Stlrockguy]

I love my taotronics and so does my inhabitants

 

[Stlrockguy]

Sniper told me what I needed to know