Lighting Choices

[JJ1234567]

ok...well I had posted ealier that I had my mind made up (in nano section, moved it overhere since this is a hardware issue). I was going to go with a 130 watt orbit fixture PC. Well...my buddie has been playing devils advocate and reminded me that rarely do my tanks and desires end up what I had in mind in the first place, so wouldnt it be better to cover myself and get the best lighting i can afford. So were back on the halides. Tank dimensions as of today are going to be 30"x15"x15".

Heres my choices:

least likely contender is a aqualight fixture:
http/www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod...004+113352+2032

I like the looks of this aquamedic fixture:
http/www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod...A&N=2004+113352

this one doesnt look too bad, and comes in a size for the tank:
http/www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod...A&N=2004+113352

This is the only one Im looking at that is a hanging style one I think?
http/www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod...A&N=2004+113352

I have become a great expert on PC fixtures and their features and use. However I know nothing of halides. What am I looking for? how do you get one of those to cover the whole tank? are there dark spots? how do you go about getting actinic T-5s or something all together with the halide? do you wire them into a hood and have the halide hang in the middle?

 

[JJ1234567]

Anyone? could really use some advice here.

 

[Great Lakes]

JJ
You do have a sticky situation.
Most pc and flourescent lighting leave you with few options with a bulb size under 36" IMO.
And the 30" tank is just slightly larger than I personally would like to try and cover with a single MH pendant or fixture.

Haven' read any of your posts recently to be in the know on your livestack and lighting needs, but here is what I would do.

Look for a bargain on a used DUAL HQI setup. These are the smaller double end halides. Many reefers are upgrading to the larger wattages and I regularly see the 150 watters going real reasonable. And in the marine world, 300 watts isn't really overkill.

Was doing a look for ya and found this however..Sunpod

And here is exactly what I was referring to.

GL

 

[JJ1234567]

So you are saying that two of the 150 wattage range pendants would be pretty good. Now that is alot of light, would I just hang them higher of the the tank to not kill the corals with the intensity? And at that point do I wanna bother with putting in a PC or T-5 bulb or two for atinics or not?

Last dumb question of the morning - both those for sales had the ballast listed seperatly. Does the ballast not usually come with the fixture? IE sold seprately?

 

[JJ1234567]

Well...I know I should never say last dumb question, because invariably, you will think of more. Here they are:

A) how does the extra heat from a halide fixture affect the tanks top if the tank is acrylic?

B ) how does this icecap fixture look? Might that cover the tank? http/www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod...0&N=2004+113352

OR -

Is this more the speed I should be looking for? http/cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

 

[Great Lakes]

With a 30" tank, you have one of those situations I hate being in. Myself, I hate pendant lighting. I prefer having an enclosed canopy because I like to have the lighting contained over the tank....personal taste.

OK, your concerns....
A) how does the extra heat from a halide fixture affect the tanks top if the tank is acrylic?
IF you were to go the dual 150 watt pendant route, I would think heat would be little or no issue, the 150s don't get freakish hot. And if you went with a single bulb in the 250 to 400 watt range, you would have to suspend it much higher above the tank to get the light spread/coverage over 30' and heat would still not be an issue.

So you are saying that two of the 150 wattage range pendants would be pretty good. Now that is alot of light,
IF you want to have nearly all coral options available to you, this really is just middle of the road for intensity. Look at it this way, I have a 180 gallon tank with 1400 watts of lighting above it. Your 300 watts is more watts per gallon than mine. However, I have some corals sitting directly under 250 watt bulbs, where the best you could do is corals sitting directly under a 150 watter, or going with a larger single fixture, Have corals a fair distance from 250 or 400 watts.
So no, you really aren't into the overkill category.

And at that point do I wanna bother with putting in a PC or T-5 bulb or two for atinics or not?
With the Kelvin.{color} choices available these days, you really don't have to have actinics. A good 14K range bulb, give or take a little for personal taste, does wonders. That being said though, I too am an actinic fan..

That being said, if you want actinic supplementation, there are only two ways too go really.
1] Buy an uber expensive fixture that incorporates halide and flourescent lighting.
2] Build a canopy, fasten two 150 watt mh pendants in it. Add a ballast for a pair of normal output or power compact 24" lights, a couple of moonlight leds, and a fan.

I would go with #2, but I am a huge DIY fan.

GL

 

[Siamese Fighter05]

With a dual halide fixture, should you turn when light on after the other or both on at the same time so you don't stress out the fish?

 

[petpirate]

With a dual halide fixture, should you turn when light on after the other or both on at the same time so you don't stress out the fish?

This is the real advantage of having an actinic bulb or two - simulating dawn and dusk.

But to answer your question, yes, I woud stagger the photoperiods. It's still going to take a while for the fish to get used to the hsecond halide turning off at night, however.

As for the heat, 300W of MH is not going to be hotter than the equivalent wattage of PC.

 

[Great Lakes]

With a dual halide fixture, should you turn when light on after the other or both on at the same time so you don't stress out the fish?

This is the real advantage of having an actinic bulb or two - simulating dawn and dusk.

This is where lighting gets a little confusing. What you can see vs what the fish and invertabrates see are two different things.
Turn on a flourescent actinic bulb, whether it be normal output, VHO, or PC, and it is on instantly. Also, let us not forget the reason actinics came into being is that they are a targeted spectrum for coral growth. To corals, their intensity level is high. So what looks like a pleasing mellow light to us, is nothing of the sort to your tank.

Now MH lighting. When you fire it up, it slowly boosts up to full power. Not as lengthy as say a sunrise is, but it is not an instant intense light.

An expensive way to go is to own an icecap flourescent ballast with a dawn to dusk controller. The icecap ballasts are dimmable and this allows a sunrise and sunset effect.

GL

 

[petpirate]

With a dual halide fixture, should you turn when light on after the other or both on at the same time so you don't stress out the fish?

This is the real advantage of having an actinic bulb or two - simulating dawn and dusk.

This is where lighting gets a little confusing. What you can see vs what the fish and invertabrates see are two different things.
Turn on a flourescent actinic bulb, whether it be normal output, VHO, or PC, and it is on instantly. Also, let us not forget the reason actinics came into being is that they are a targeted spectrum for coral growth. To corals, their intensity level is high. So what looks like a pleasing mellow light to us, is nothing of the sort to your tank.

Now MH lighting. When you fire it up, it slowly boosts up to full power. Not as lengthy as say a sunrise is, but it is not an instant intense light.

An expensive way to go is to own an icecap flourescent ballast with a dawn to dusk controller. The icecap ballasts are dimmable and this allows a sunrise and sunset effect.

GL

Yes... you make a good point. But the biggest stress for the fish is when the light turns off suddenly. And a smallish (say, 20-odd watt) PC actinic will not produce the same luminous flux, even in the photosynthetic regions, as a halide. Not really even close.

Of course, dimmable ballasts are great (I wish I could afford one.. and be confident that it would last).

 

[JJ1234567]

Well. I think that I am going to go with option two. I have found in one of my catalouges Orbit HQI pendants on sale for around 220$ each. They each have three moonlight LEDS built in so that part is easy. I will canablaize the two hoods I had from my nano cubes and Do something PC actinics in an enclosure. Now I just need to whip out my credit card and spend the 600$ on tank and lights. LOL. anyone have any vasaline?

 

[Great Lakes]

LOL

Been there done that....

Welcome to the world of reefing......pricey.

And the tropical folks wonder why we act like elitists sometimes...


GL

 

[Siamese Fighter05]

LOL

Been there done that....

Welcome to the world of reefing......pricey.

And the tropical folks wonder why we act like elitists sometimes...


GL

I used to think £15 for a syno was too pricy!

 

[JJ1234567]

Ok...and were back for round three of the questions. Before I whip that CC out, I was thinking. Why not do a 250 and a 150? At what point would the 250 be detrimential to the tank versus broadening my horizons? The aquamedic pendants are only 20$ difference. So if a 250 on one end for the light hungry stuff and a 150 for my island of mushrooms would work I may go with that. What do you think?

 

[JJ1234567]

Well, does anyone have anything to say about this?