What Light Should I Get?

[CleverBs]

Ok so im torn between 2 lights, before anyone says anything I know they arnt the best light I can have but I will be upgrading my tank in the future and dont want to spend to much on a temp Light.

So the main difference in the lights is this, The Fishneedit.com fixture has individual reflectors and I am assuming this is better then the one on Ebay that doesnt have individual reflectors but has Blue LED moonlighting.

My problem is I want moon Lighting however I cant find a T5HO light with Individual reflectors and LED lights that is in my budget of $150.

Here are the 2 Lights so you can look for yourself.
This One Is On Ebay
FishNeedIt.com Light

[carey]

I just got my fishneedit fixture and love it! It surprised me at how nice it was for the price. My corals have already perked up and i see a marked difference in only like 3 days. It puts out way more light than my MH 150w clip on lamp did. i am very pleased with it. The only bad thing is the moonlighting option, I really really wish they had it on my fixture but I will have to suck it up for $100 bucks. lol

[CleverBs]

Maybe I can get a little strip or something and see if I cant mount it some how. Everything iv seen about the fishneedit.com fixtures are positive and I dont think the light on ebay is certified...

[carey]

I shopped ebay also before I bpught the fishneedit light. I didn't like the mounts on the one you linked and the odyssea ones arent that great as far as quality build, I've had those fixtures before too.

[CleverBs]

everything i read about odyssea is bad. I just hope the mounting brackets on the 2ft fixture fit because my tank is like 24 1/4'' knowing how the legs mount would you say it would work?

[carey]

Yep. It's sliding so it will fit smaller than 24" and more than 24", probably by about 3 inches total. You should be fine. I don't think you'll regret them, i sure don't so far.

[CleverBs]

yeah thats what im thinking, Im going to go with the fishneedit fixture Im sure ill be happy with it. Then when I move and upgrade to my 40gallon I will turn it into a Low tech planted FW tank for my pair of kribs that will have been in the 40 gallon tank.

[Bloomk]

Originally Posted by carey

Yep. It's sliding so it will fit smaller than 24" and more than 24", probably by about 3 inches total. You should be fine. I don't think you'll regret them, i sure don't so far.

Will it support sps? Lps? Etc. I am thinking about getting one for my 90 gallon

[carey]

I don't think it would be an ideal light for a 90g due to the depth of the tank. At most it may grow some lps but nothing special in my opinion.

[CleverBs]

I know that this light wouldnt be good enough for a hi-tech planted in a 90 gallon so I wouldnt say it would be good for corals because they require more light

[CleverBs]

the 4bulb t5ho should be able to support SPS/LPS at the top correct?

[joy13]

There are a few sps that don't have to have intense light I have one in my 55 with T5 lights at the very bottom of the tank. I don't remember what it is called it has quadrupled in size at least in the past 5 or 6 months. I want to move it to my other tank but I am afraid it will bleach out, LPS shouldn't be much of a problem some do best in the shade but need to be fed. I have noticed with the MH the light diminishes a lot faster as it goes towards the bottom of the tank than T5 does.

[lbannie]

What kind of bulbs come in those fixtures?? I have the odyssea fixture from ebay...no individual reflectors, it's an okay light, but when I upgrade my tank, I'm going to get better lights. I had to buy different bulbs too....they stunk!!

[CleverBs]

Well heres what I want to have

Maxima Clam
Pectinia Spiny Cup Coral
Birds Nest Green
Green Fluorescent Mushroom
Blue Mushroom
Eagle Eye Zoanthus Colony Polyp
Some kind of Acropora coral
Brain Coral

I would think all of those will be fine under my light, my question however also is do I just stick these on my live rock? In my sand? How do I attach them?

[CleverBs]

will that light support all those corals?

[joy13]

The clam is the one I would be most concerned about. If the clam is good then the rest is going to be fine. I don't have a clam because I am not for sure it I could keep up with the calcium and the light issue even if I have 150w MH.

[CleverBs]

I know carey has on in her tank with this same light

[carey]

Yep, I do. it's only been about a week though so thats not nearly long enough to be sure. But it does look good on the sandbed, its open and colorful so I guess that's a good sign. What's kinda weird is it moved. lol I sunk it down into the sand some and now it's not in as far and is over by about a half inch from where I placed him. LOL

I'm still feeling out the rest of the corals, see how they respond based on placement and what not. The light seems sufficient for what I have currently. I don't know if SPS would be pushing it, unless it's just a few pieces and they are placed high enough.

[Rutrag]

For whatever it's worth, I have a derasa clam that seems to be doing well under 150W metal halide and 1 24" HO T5. I do keep him pretty high in the tank, though. I understand that deresas normally like the sand bed though. I can't remember if it's maximas or croceas (or both) that like to be on rockwork better. I know I've had maximas in the past under 4-bulb VHOs in the same tank that did not do as well. I think deresas (and mine is also an ORA one) might be hardier. I have not tried any sps yet, although I think I have a small colony of something on the rock my red mushrooms are on.