Ok here's the scenario. My 230 gallon (72x24x30high) tank is going to have fish only for almost a year. I eventually want to add some polyps, mushrooms, leathers, and maybe some other not-too-hard coral. I don't have the money for the Metal Halides yet but in a year or so I will have 3-175watt(maybe 250watt) metal halides. What should I have for now? The lady at the LFS tried to sell me the custom sea life smartlights but I don't see why I should spend so much on lighting for a fish only. Tell you the truth, I don't even know anything about lighting. Is PC, VHO, flourescent, the same thing? What would you do? I would rather get something now that will be enough for the fish only and later on probably still use it in conjunction with the halides.
Lighting again.
- Thread starter IcantTHINKofONE
- Start date
I believe if your gonna go with a fish only tank right now you can get away with some double florescent hoods that you can get used. I see postings all the time on the trade and for sale boards. I would also suggest that you investigate on the fish you get prior and see if they are good to keep with corals. I would also do my home work on the corals that you intend to stock as not to over kill with the lighting that you intend to buy in the future.
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Mercedes Benz 240D
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Mercedes Benz 240D
the type of light isn't critical for your fish,a few flourescents would suit them fine.(actually,ambient room light is o.k.)the light is more for YOU to enjoy the fish when you look at the tank!
why buy lights twice?for now- try even shop lites in a canopy with cool white flourescents the worst case scenario is some cyano which you'll eventually deal with anyway.
if your tank is that deep you prob'ly want the 250's, imho
Power Compact and Very High Output are TYPES of flourescents
why buy lights twice?for now- try even shop lites in a canopy with cool white flourescents the worst case scenario is some cyano which you'll eventually deal with anyway.
if your tank is that deep you prob'ly want the 250's, imho
Power Compact and Very High Output are TYPES of flourescents
i don't know alot about vho's- i've used strictly halides-vho's require a special ballast, and long term- halides are cheaper for what you get.start searching on the board for 'lighting'-it's probably one of the more ubiquitous topics discussed here.
my pers. preference is halide 10k-used no supplemental actinic or flourescents- others use different setups and have different preferences.
the search function at the top of the page will give you acces to tons of info...you seem to have a year to wait till the lighting becomes a critical issue anyway.why rush it?take a look at various setups with different lighting systems operating at lfs's, as well-different lighting systems render different color appearances, so personal taste also figures..
if budget is an issue, again, i would recommend a cheapo reg. flour, setup for now, until you decide what type of reef stuff you're gonna keep...
my pers. preference is halide 10k-used no supplemental actinic or flourescents- others use different setups and have different preferences.
the search function at the top of the page will give you acces to tons of info...you seem to have a year to wait till the lighting becomes a critical issue anyway.why rush it?take a look at various setups with different lighting systems operating at lfs's, as well-different lighting systems render different color appearances, so personal taste also figures..
if budget is an issue, again, i would recommend a cheapo reg. flour, setup for now, until you decide what type of reef stuff you're gonna keep...
vitz, yea I think I'm gonna go with flourescents for now as this project has left me short for cash for now. After seeing pics of similar sized tanks I like the way 4 - 40 watt 20,000K Coral Life bulbs look. Where can I get a hood for these and how much would it cost me? I can't find it anywhere. Not even on Ebay.
a shop lite is a simple metal flourescent light fixture that comes in differing lengths for standard wattage flourescent bulbs.like the hanging flourescents used in a work shop,hence the name.they hold two bulbs each, and can be easily mounted in a home built wood canopy, hung over the tank, etc.
I agree with Vitz. Coralife 20000k shouldn't be VHO.
From the Website:
The Coralife 20,000 Kelvin fluorescent lamp is a high-intensity purified super daylight lamp that simulates the deeper ocean environment. Casting sparkling blue daylight rays, fish, coral, and, macro algae thrive in the light. This is the ultimate fluorescent lamp for deep water aquariums. The Coralife 20,000 Kelvin rapid-start lamp is compatible with all standard and electronic ballasts.
I didn't read anything about being VHO.
From the Website:
The Coralife 20,000 Kelvin fluorescent lamp is a high-intensity purified super daylight lamp that simulates the deeper ocean environment. Casting sparkling blue daylight rays, fish, coral, and, macro algae thrive in the light. This is the ultimate fluorescent lamp for deep water aquariums. The Coralife 20,000 Kelvin rapid-start lamp is compatible with all standard and electronic ballasts.
I didn't read anything about being VHO.
Vitz, I went to Home Depot this week. They don't have any hoods for flourescents; only fixtures without hoods. Do I need a hood or can I hang the fixture over the tank? Should I add a hood to reflect down or not necessary? And they all seemed to be hard wire fixtures. Are there any plug-ins?
IcantTHINKofONE":etxfdg1b said:
not sure what you mean by 'hard wire'
ask for 'shop light'-if it doesn't come pre wired-the wiring diagram that should come with it is fairly simple to follow-they can either be hung over the tank or screw mounted into a 'canopy'(for the sake of definition-a hood is an aquarium light fixture that sits on a tank-a canopy is a box that fits over the hood to hide it and make the tank more decorative)
fwiw-i've also purchased ballasts and pin holders seperately, and wired the bulbs myself into canopy-this let me 'remotely' place the ballasts away from the tank,reducing the heat from the light area
if the lights hang over the tank-make sure you tap into a stud in the ceiling!-not the drywall-plus, you'll get some light spillage into the room-not an issue for the tank, but might bother you,aesthetically.
you should be able to get 4',or 6' 'fixtures you can mount in a canopy.-the canopy can also be used later for halides, as well, if you build it 'tall' enough to accomodate the 'fatter' bulbs.
Vits thanx for your reply. The tank is in the wall and the lights are hidden but accessible by cabinet doors above the tank. So looks don't really matter. I think I'm gonna go with the fixtures without a canopy. Oh and by hard wire I mean not a plug in. Something that is wired with an on/off switch like a light bulb.
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