Lighting Question...advice please =]

[dansemacabre]

OK. I'm starting up my FOWLR 125Gal tank. I will eventually make it a reef tank, so I have a lighting question. Or a few of them, actually.

Making my own canopy, am I just making a cool wooden box to fit on the top of the aquarium that will house the lights, vents, and fans?

As far as the MH kits are concerned...Electronic or Magnetic ballast? Why?

Now for the main question. The tank is 72 inches long and 18 inches deep(top to bottom, not width). What would be an optimal lighting configuration that would eventually allow me to keep (as far as corals go) low-moderate light requirement corals? If I were to go for high-end corals as well, could you offer an upgrade suggestion from the low-mod configuration to the high configuration? Thanks again for everything!

[triggers]

Well I have not had experience with MH lighting but I do know that they are expensive and give off a large amount of heat. So you will have to keep a close eye on your water temperature. I've heard that you should replace the bulbs every six months, but Im not quite sher about that.

However I use Power Compact lighting. Not quite as natureal as MH but is more than exceptional lighting. Its a lot cheaper than MH. Doesn't give off as much heat as MH. The bulbs have also been said to last a year without replacing them. Honestlly the only difference I see is that the MH gives of the images of riples in the water. A lot of people use power compact. I wouldn't trade it.

[triggers]

I forgot to mention. If you have to intense of lighting, you can actually burn your corals and kill them. So you got to take that into account. I would hate to go out and buy that expensive lighting and then have it kill my corals.

Hope this helps.

[reefrunner69]

Making my own canopy, am I just making a cool wooden box to fit on the top of the aquarium that will house the lights, vents, and fans?

Yep

As far as the MH kits are concerned...Electronic or Magnetic ballast? Why?

Electronic. The bulbs will burn more efficiently, use less electricity and have longer lamp life.

Now for the main question. The tank is 72 inches long and 18 inches deep(top to bottom, not width). What would be an optimal lighting configuration that would eventually allow me to keep (as far as corals go) low-moderate light requirement corals? If I were to go for high-end corals as well, could you offer an upgrade suggestion from the low-mod configuration to the high configuration? Thanks again for everything!

Hmmm, this is tricky. I suppose I would recommend 6 X 96W PC, or 6 X 165W VHO. You should have enough light for low to moderate corals, and you could lose a couple bulbs later and add 3 X 175W or 250W MH bulbs when your ready for the high light corals.

If you have to intense of lighting, you can actually burn your corals and kill them. So you got to take that into account.

This is possible but easily avoidable if you acclimate the corals to the higher intensity. I have a 175W MH on a 20g long aquarium (12" in height) and have not experienced that problem.