Lighting for a 180 — Help!

[Ocicat]

I'm planning a 180-gal (72x24x24), and eventually I will probably want to keep clams and an anemone. I'm really confused about lighting despite a TON of reading I've been doing on the subject, and any advice is appreciated.

What do you guys think of this fixture?

http://www.customaquatic.com/customaquatic/itemdetail.asp?itemid=LT-SGMAR72-250

Also, I will have a canopy, and someone told me this fixture "isn't recommended" for a canopy... Any idea why that would be the case?? I don't see any mention of that in the description, and I can't find a website for Maristar to find out if that is really true.

TIA!
Ocicat

 

[seafan]

The canopy gets in the way of the light, especially since canopies are not perfectly clear. As for the light it looks very good, and should work well with the tank, and you'll probably be able to keep almost anything in there.

 

[Ocicat]

I don't think the canopy would block the light at all, would it? I don't mean a glass top... I mean the wood canopy to cover the top of the whole setup. It shouldn't come between the lights and the water at all.

 

[dorian965]

the fixture would probably cause to much heat inside a canopy. also, this is a hanging fixture.your paying for the nice look of it. if you have the canopy already,look into some retro kits and some fans.

 

[Brenden]

As dorian said, If you have a canopy get some retrofit kits or pendants. They will cost less and work better.

 

[DragonForce]

DIY metal halide. Cheaper, and you can build them to your needs+VERY easy to do. Drill holes in canopy for cooling fans. Again, cheap to do and cost effective. You could do 3x250 14k DIY MH setups for ~350-450 bucks depending on your DIY capabilities.

 

[Ocicat]

My DIY capabilities are pretty much nonexistent. 8O (That's why that nice plug-and-play combo hood looked so nice.) What would I have to do, exactly? Is that different from using retro kits?

Dorian, thanks for the point about paying for the sleek look... I hadn't considered that.

Thanks for the help!

 

[greenmaji]

DIY is just ordering the seperate parts of the retro kit.. its a little cheaper if you can get a decent deal on the parts.. Ive done well with ebay so far..

 

[greenmaji]

since your going for high light species.. check out these ballasts.. they put out the best PAR numbers Ive seen so far!
http://www.hellolights.com/pfo25mhba.html
they can fire pretty much any MH bulbs you chose..
some XM 10,000K MH bulbs and T-5 HO 03 supplemental lighting would get you alot of light in there..
you actually wont need very much 03 for the species your intrested in.. it would just be for looks.. the 250W 6500K Iwasaki bulbs with the PFO HQI electronic ballast would put out more PAR then most 400W MH setups.. HTH

 

[Ocicat]

Below is what a rep at Custom Aquatics suggested to me. Any thoughts on this?

It looks like he is suggesting the same HQI ballast that you linked to. I'm a bit confused on that... So does that thing in the photo hold multiple ballasts? In the descrip they say that to upgrade you can just "purchase a new ballast and bulb and you're all set"... I thought this was the ballast??


Coral Vue 36" 2-bulb T-5 retro kit
Part #LT-CV-T5RK2-3
Includes bulbs (1x39w actinic, 1x39w daylight) & ballast
$109.99 x 2 = $219.98

PFO horizontal MH pendant, 250w DE HQI
Part #LT-PFMINIHQI250
$99.99 x 3 = $299.97

PFO 250w HQI ballast w/quick-connect socket
Part #LT-PFAQ1-250HQI-120V
$119.99 x 3 = $359.97

Coral Vue 250w 10k DE HQI bulb
Part #LT-CV-MHB-25020-DE
$59.99 x 3 = $179.97

Total for all components: $1,059.89 + shipping

Thank you for the help!!