freshwater to 75 gallon saltwater reef with fish evolution.

[huma-huma]

Pc is def more than sufficient for fowlr. My 72" coralife hood has 4-96w pc bulbs (2whites,2actinics), I dont even run all 4 cuz it lights the room up

 

[carey]

For fish only a single T8 bulb would suffice. Light in that kind of tank is really just for us.

 

[coffeetwitch]

Yeah but I'm thinking of when we get to adding corals.

 

[carey]

Well if you're looking for a fixture for that now, I would recommend a t5 6 bulb fixture. With nice individual reflectors and I think you'll be set.

 

[coffeetwitch]

Well if you're looking for a fixture for that now, I would recommend a t5 6 bulb fixture. With nice individual reflectors and I think you'll be set.

Don't you have a 12 bulb? Or is yours set up 6 for each half of your tank?

If a 6 bulb fixture is all I need for my tank why are there so many options? 2 bulb 4 6,8, 10?

Also a 6 bulb is hard to find. Seems like it anyway

 

[carey]

I have a 6 foot tank, so yeah the 6 are split in half.

A 75g should have a 48" length so your options are endless. I only recommend a 6 bulb because of the extra width of the tank. Its the exact same as a 55 but the width is 18" instead of 12 and the extra 2 bulbs will give you more coverage.

 

[coffeetwitch]

Kinda makes sense. I still think the lighting issue is over complicated


Thanks Carey.

Ha now which option is cheaper?

What spectrum actually grows the corals and which ones are just for us?

 

[carey]

Yeah, took me awhile tog et the t5 lighting down, I;m working on understanding MH and led's now. lol

I personally like a blue tank so on my 55g I got new ati bulbs. 2 aquablue specials and 2 blue plus'es.

I paln on going with almost the same setup when/ifg I do finally get new bulbs for the 125g. I'm just gonna add a purple plus instead of 2 of the blue pluses.

Most people opt for a micx of 12k bulbs and then either mixing the purples and the actinics. All depends on what look you are looking for. I find 10k bulbs to be too yellow and it seems to wash out the colors of the corals.

 

[coffeetwitch]

So any color will grow? Just what colors a person chooses are a matter of taste?

 

[carey]

I believe you need some whites and some blue to get coral growth. It's all a matter of par rating. Youwouldnt get as good coral growth if all you had were actinics. The aquablue specials I like are white bulbs at about 12k spectrum so they are my "whites".

Some one will chime in with the easiest way of saying this lol.

 

[huma-huma]

From what ive learned, the higher you go in the spectrum, (into blue,then purplish), the less usuable output tthey have for growth. I havent learned the def of par and pur yet lol. just for comparison a 6500k bulb will have more. Groeing output then..a similar bulb at 14k

 

[coffeetwitch]

From what ive learned, the higher you go in the spectrum, (into blue,then purplish), the less usuable output tthey have for growth. I havent learned the def of par and pur yet lol. just for comparison a 6500k bulb will have more. Groeing output then..a similar bulb at 14k

Just when I was getting comfortable with sump and sealing. The lighting has me in the dark.

 

[Patterson333]

The lighting has me in the dark.

I see what you did there. Clever lol.

I've got a similar predicament. A 75 gal that's starting as FOWLR but shall become a reef.

For what its worth, I've got a quad T5HO fixture, and a dual, and I was told this would be sufficient.

 

[tdwright1971]

I get great growth under a 4 bulb t5 vho.

 

[huma-huma]

I get, good growth from christmas iceicle lights

 

[coffeetwitch]

I get, good growth from christmas iceicle lights

Explain yourself sir!

 

[coffeetwitch]

I get great growth under a 4 bulb t5 vho.

How much do those run? I currently have a 2 bulb t5 ho and a 2bulb t5 low output on it now.

 

[huma-huma]

Explain yourself sir!

Ahh you know, just hang a set in the tank and plug in... Ta da! Its both festive, and energy efficient.

 

[coffeetwitch]

Ahh you know, just hang a set in the tank and plug in... Ta da! Its both festive, and energy efficient.

Ahhhh your just being facetious.

 

[huma-huma]

just tryinng to help lol