Help! Lighting Question

[Aqua4life]

Right now I have a 55 gallon tank that is 36" long, 18" wide, 18" deep. I currently have 1 blue and 1 white T-5 bulbs fixed to my hood running off a ballast. I have some mushrooms and polyps near the top of the tank but they are starting to lose color and I wanted to invest in better lighting. I found a 4 bulb fixture that is 30" long with T-5 bulbs that I wanted to get for my tank to enhance the lighting. The options for the white lighting consist of 6700k,10000k, 14000k, 20000k and I do not know what to get for my tank. I want it to be more hard and soft corals with 1 or 2 fish total. What are your suggestions on the light bulb temperature I need for the tank?

Also, with some movement of my current lights I should be able to use the existing lighting still with my new fixture, is this ok or will it be to much lighting?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Gti_Leo]

the bulb color is all up to you and what you prefer, 6700k is normal daylight color and the rest progressivly get bluer as the kelvins go up. most go with 10 000 - 14 000k while lots go with 20 000k when they go with MH.

as far as light output the 30" fixture will have 24 watt bulbs which won't be ebough light in your 55 to house hard corals.

look into atleast a 6 lamp 36 inch with individule reflectors and 3 actinic and 3 daylight bulbs

 

[Aqua4life]

the bulb color is all up to you and what you prefer, 6700k is normal daylight color and the rest progressivly get bluer as the kelvins go up. most go with 10 000 - 14 000k while lots go with 20 000k when they go with MH.

as far as light output the 30" fixture will have 24 watt bulbs which won't be ebough light in your 55 to house hard corals.

look into atleast a 6 lamp 36 inch with individule reflectors and 3 actinic and 3 daylight bulbs

What do you think if I bought a 30" 4 bulb fixture of T-5 and used it along with my current 2 bulb 36" T-5 bulbs which are mounted connected to a ballast, which would be 6 bulbs total?

 

[melosu58]

Moved to General Hardware and equipment discussion.

 

[Smitty]

First, are you sure this is a 55g tank? The 18x18 sounds right but a 55 would be 48" long. Be sure of what you are getting because a 30-36" fixture wouldn't work with a 48" long tank.

 

[mr_X]

it's an odd shaped 55, but i would go with something like this if i could afford it-
36 Inch 8 x 39 watt AquaMedic Ocean Light T5 Light Fixture
it's a killer fixture!

 

[Aqua4life]

Mr. X is correct, it's 55 but just an odd shape. I used to have brackish water teacup rays in it but converted it to a reef aquarium several years after getting rid of the rays and taking down the tank. I have 1 blue and 1 white with a ballast currently and I wanted to keep these and add this fixture if possible: http://fishneedit.com/30in-4bulbs-fixtu304.html I don't want to spend a ton of money because eventually I would like to get a cube rimless tank. Thanks for all the help!