55 gal lighting dilemma - Aquarium Advice

Macrosill · 01-15-2006, 01:30 PM

I read through the other threads and really need to be specific here.

I am starting this tank (55gal)and the cost is rising daily. I would like to go with the Orbit 48" fixture but just can not afford it now. Can I just use a 48" no flourescaent fixtur and switch the ballasts seperately? I would put 2 actinic bulbs on 1 ballast and 2 other bulbs(maybe 10000k ?) on the remaining ballast.

Do you think this will be enough lighting for now. I am planning on fish, [acronym:c55471f8b5="Live rock"]lr[/acronym:c55471f8b5], some inverts and maybe some low light corals at a later date.

I am really stuck on this opic and have no idea how to proceed.

[acronym:c55471f8b5="Thanks in Advance"]TIA[/acronym:c55471f8b5],
Brian

seaham358 · 01-15-2006, 07:08 PM

why not start with a [acronym:ce34a442df="Fish only with live rock"]fowlr[/acronym:ce34a442df] tank and just use the [acronym:ce34a442df="Normal Output Fluorescents"]NO[/acronym:ce34a442df] light till you get some cash to upgrade. Cutting corners only leads to more $$ in the long run.

I have a [acronym:ce34a442df="Normal Output Fluorescents"]NO[/acronym:ce34a442df] strip light on my [acronym:ce34a442df="Fish only with live rock"]fowlr[/acronym:ce34a442df] I have 2 40 watt URI bulbs and my [acronym:ce34a442df="Live rock"]LR[/acronym:ce34a442df] has great color and I have about 10 kenya tree corals in there and they ae doing great under the [acronym:ce34a442df="Normal Output Fluorescents"]NO[/acronym:ce34a442df] lighting. There is a shroon and green polyp also with them, the shroon opens large and the polyp is soso right now. Not sure what the long term effect on the shroon will be...

sonoma2nv · 01-15-2006, 07:31 PM

I have a light like this http://cgi.ebay.com/ODYSSEA-48-260W-...QQcmdZViewItem It works well.Only $120 shipped.

pike · 01-16-2006, 10:06 AM

Have you checked EBay for retro fit kits, or just ballast and parts to complete the system? That's what I am doing. I just got 3x 175w Metal Halide ballast for around $40.00 a piece. Now I will get Mogul sockets and reflectors and I will have a nice set up for around $200.00. With a 55gal you should only need 2 [acronym:4961e1b400="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:4961e1b400] ballast and maybe a 4ft [acronym:4961e1b400="Very high output fluorescent"]VHO[/acronym:4961e1b400] for atinics, and you could keep anything you want.It takes a little wiring and ingenuity, but with a forum like this you can get help.

drillsar · 01-18-2006, 01:27 AM

Would 2 175w [acronym:d6762daf80="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:d6762daf80] and 2 54w t5 Be good for a 55gal for pretty much everyting?

or replace t5's with [acronym:d6762daf80="Very high output fluorescent"]VHO[/acronym:d6762daf80]?

Or just go with all t5's? how long you run the lights for?

Im still confused on lights my self. I heard t5's under par meter are the best light for your buck.

pike · 01-18-2006, 01:33 PM

Yes, I would think two [acronym:81338fbb07="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:81338fbb07] at 175, and either [acronym:81338fbb07="Very high output fluorescent"]VHO[/acronym:81338fbb07], [acronym:81338fbb07="Power compact fluorescent"]PC[/acronym:81338fbb07], or T5 for atinics would be just about right for your 55gal. One [acronym:81338fbb07="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:81338fbb07] bulb for every two feet of tank is about what you are after. Go with 10k-14k bulbs and use the fluorescence with [acronym:81338fbb07="Actinic lighting"]03[/acronym:81338fbb07] atinic bulb for the blue spectrum.
I have never used T5 lights. I am going with [acronym:81338fbb07="Very high output fluorescent"]VHO[/acronym:81338fbb07], or [acronym:81338fbb07="Power compact fluorescent"]PC[/acronym:81338fbb07] with my 125gal and three 175w [acronym:81338fbb07="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:81338fbb07]. 175w what is good for 18-20 inch of water. With consideration to where the things that will need more light are in the tank. I.E. on top of Live Sand and Live rock. So in a 18-20 inch tank if you put your corals that need more light up on your [acronym:81338fbb07="Live rock"]LR[/acronym:81338fbb07] witch is already on top of [acronym:81338fbb07="Live sand"]LS[/acronym:81338fbb07] you will end up with only about 12-15 inch of water the light will have to penetrate.

pike · 01-18-2006, 01:40 PM

Out of T5 light tubes you get 54w, [acronym:0e1eba6898="Power compact fluorescent"]PC[/acronym:0e1eba6898] 36inch you get 96w, [acronym:0e1eba6898="Very high output fluorescent"]VHO[/acronym:0e1eba6898] 48inch you get 110w. Look at the cost of the bulbs and how often they will need to be changed. A standard 55gal is 48 inch long. One 220w [acronym:0e1eba6898="Very high output fluorescent"]VHO[/acronym:0e1eba6898] ballast will run two bulbs at 48 inch.

01-15-2006, 01:30 PM	#1
Macrosill Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: May 2005 Location: New York Posts: 282 Images: 4	55 gal lighting dilemma I read through the other threads and really need to be specific here. I am starting this tank (55gal)and the cost is rising daily. I would like to go with the Orbit 48" fixture but just can not afford it now. Can I just use a 48" no flourescaent fixtur and switch the ballasts seperately? I would put 2 actinic bulbs on 1 ballast and 2 other bulbs(maybe 10000k ?) on the remaining ballast. Do you think this will be enough lighting for now. I am planning on fish, [acronym:c55471f8b5="Live rock"]lr[/acronym:c55471f8b5], some inverts and maybe some low light corals at a later date. I am really stuck on this opic and have no idea how to proceed. [acronym:c55471f8b5="Thanks in Advance"]TIA[/acronym:c55471f8b5], Brian

01-15-2006, 07:08 PM	#2
seaham358 Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: May 2004 Location: Poughkeepsie, NY Posts: 3,296 Images: 21	why not start with a [acronym:ce34a442df="Fish only with live rock"]fowlr[/acronym:ce34a442df] tank and just use the [acronym:ce34a442df="Normal Output Fluorescents"]NO[/acronym:ce34a442df] light till you get some cash to upgrade. Cutting corners only leads to more $$ in the long run. I have a [acronym:ce34a442df="Normal Output Fluorescents"]NO[/acronym:ce34a442df] strip light on my [acronym:ce34a442df="Fish only with live rock"]fowlr[/acronym:ce34a442df] I have 2 40 watt URI bulbs and my [acronym:ce34a442df="Live rock"]LR[/acronym:ce34a442df] has great color and I have about 10 kenya tree corals in there and they ae doing great under the [acronym:ce34a442df="Normal Output Fluorescents"]NO[/acronym:ce34a442df] lighting. There is a shroon and green polyp also with them, the shroon opens large and the polyp is soso right now. Not sure what the long term effect on the shroon will be... __________________ 9/02-125 REEF, 125 lbs LR,LS 4x160 VHO, Reef Devil /Sump, Fuge 7/03-55 FOWLR 60lb LR, 50 lb SD sand 2x40 NO strip light, Reef Devil/sump, Fuge TANK PICS http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=98202

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01-15-2006, 07:31 PM	#3
sonoma2nv Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: va Posts: 164	I have a light like this http://cgi.ebay.com/ODYSSEA-48-260W-...QQcmdZViewItem It works well.Only $120 shipped.

01-16-2006, 10:06 AM	#4
pike Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Maine Posts: 48 Images: 4	Have you checked EBay for retro fit kits, or just ballast and parts to complete the system? That's what I am doing. I just got 3x 175w Metal Halide ballast for around $40.00 a piece. Now I will get Mogul sockets and reflectors and I will have a nice set up for around $200.00. With a 55gal you should only need 2 [acronym:4961e1b400="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:4961e1b400] ballast and maybe a 4ft [acronym:4961e1b400="Very high output fluorescent"]VHO[/acronym:4961e1b400] for atinics, and you could keep anything you want.It takes a little wiring and ingenuity, but with a forum like this you can get help.

01-18-2006, 01:27 AM	#5
drillsar Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NJ Posts: 195 Images: 2	Would 2 175w [acronym:d6762daf80="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:d6762daf80] and 2 54w t5 Be good for a 55gal for pretty much everyting? or replace t5's with [acronym:d6762daf80="Very high output fluorescent"]VHO[/acronym:d6762daf80]? Or just go with all t5's? how long you run the lights for? Im still confused on lights my self. I heard t5's under par meter are the best light for your buck.

01-18-2006, 01:33 PM	#6
pike Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Maine Posts: 48 Images: 4	Yes, I would think two [acronym:81338fbb07="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:81338fbb07] at 175, and either [acronym:81338fbb07="Very high output fluorescent"]VHO[/acronym:81338fbb07], [acronym:81338fbb07="Power compact fluorescent"]PC[/acronym:81338fbb07], or T5 for atinics would be just about right for your 55gal. One [acronym:81338fbb07="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:81338fbb07] bulb for every two feet of tank is about what you are after. Go with 10k-14k bulbs and use the fluorescence with [acronym:81338fbb07="Actinic lighting"]03[/acronym:81338fbb07] atinic bulb for the blue spectrum. I have never used T5 lights. I am going with [acronym:81338fbb07="Very high output fluorescent"]VHO[/acronym:81338fbb07], or [acronym:81338fbb07="Power compact fluorescent"]PC[/acronym:81338fbb07] with my 125gal and three 175w [acronym:81338fbb07="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:81338fbb07]. 175w what is good for 18-20 inch of water. With consideration to where the things that will need more light are in the tank. I.E. on top of Live Sand and Live rock. So in a 18-20 inch tank if you put your corals that need more light up on your [acronym:81338fbb07="Live rock"]LR[/acronym:81338fbb07] witch is already on top of [acronym:81338fbb07="Live sand"]LS[/acronym:81338fbb07] you will end up with only about 12-15 inch of water the light will have to penetrate.

01-18-2006, 01:40 PM	#7
pike Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Maine Posts: 48 Images: 4	Out of T5 light tubes you get 54w, [acronym:0e1eba6898="Power compact fluorescent"]PC[/acronym:0e1eba6898] 36inch you get 96w, [acronym:0e1eba6898="Very high output fluorescent"]VHO[/acronym:0e1eba6898] 48inch you get 110w. Look at the cost of the bulbs and how often they will need to be changed. A standard 55gal is 48 inch long. One 220w [acronym:0e1eba6898="Very high output fluorescent"]VHO[/acronym:0e1eba6898] ballast will run two bulbs at 48 inch.