Need some advise on light set up.

[bigfishtoo]

Hello, I have a 48" long by 24" high by 24' wide tank. I have been reading/looking about all the different light set ups available, now I need people with the experience with the aqaurium lights to help me out. I want to buy the right light to grow hard corals/soft corals mushrooms, clams, can someone out their tell me or show me there tank that is the same size and with what light you use for your tank.

thanks LES.........

[Devilishturtles]

If you have the budget, I would go with Metal Halide lighting. It's the most powerful and great if you are looking into keeping a lot of sps corals or a clam or two.

If you are handy, you can save money by getting retrofit kits that you can build into a canopy. Something like these

http://www.hellolights.com/index.asp...ROD&ProdID=170

You could also get by with using HO T5 in my opinion.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...2&pcatid=12772

HTH

[melosu58]

I have a VHO set up and I can have soft, LPS and some SPS corals. I also have a squamosa clam. I just love the color of a VHO set up. As Lindsay said if you want to have them all then you`ll want a MH system. You can check out my gallery and see what type corals will do good with VHO system. Here is my lighting system with 2 super actinics and 2 50/50 lights.

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[bigfishtoo]

thanks for some help, is their anyone out there that has a 120 gallon short tank with lights. Right now I have 4 vho 110 watt each and looking to install four more 110 watt bulbs for a total of 880 watts for this 120 gallon tank. But I wanted to find out if anyone has this type of set up already and buy using VHO vs MH is there a big difference in heat.

thanks les......

[cmor1701d]

In a tank that is 24" tall you need a lot of light (PAR) for some clams and sps corals. 400w MH is not unheard of, but at least 250w if you want it all. You will probably want to supplement with some actinic lighting. Perhaps somthing along the lines of the Outer Orbit Pro Series HQI/T-5/LED Lights 48 unit with 2 - 250w MH bulbs and T5 actinic.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...6&pcatid=15486

[cccapt]

As cmor mentioned, for a 24" deep tank, you want 250 at least if you are going with MH. The is a huge different in both PAR and heat between MH and VHO. MH has way more PAR and also puts out way more heat. You get the least light penetration thru the water with reg flourescents, more with compact flourescent, then VHO, good penetration with T5HO and the best is MH.
It really comes down to what you ultimately want to keep. If you want to be able to get anything and not worry, go with MH. If you want to save a few $$, add to your VHO's and you should be good for almost anything.

[bigfishtoo]

Thanks for the information, this site is great with all the information needed to help a person out, now a days. The prices on lights are going out of this world and you need good information or it will cost you big time. I wish I could go to a site and pic out tank size and animals I want, push a button or hit enter and bingo all the need information just for that size tank. again thanks

Les........