Lighting Help

[dixaisy930]

I really don't know much about lighting, but I would like to learn. I want to get better lighting for my 29 gallon tank (right now I've just used the light that came with the hood). I would like to, at some point, get corals that require moderate lighting (i.e. LPS). My question is, can I do that with flourescent lights? Or do you have to have something like V5's or VHO (I'm sorry if I got the abbreviations all wrong...like I said, really new territory for me).

I tried to find some threads already on a Dummy's Guide to Lighting, but haven't found anything "dumb" enough for me yet. If anyone can direct me, much appreciated.

Edit: I checked my hood and this is what the stats are - 30" flourescent 20W 120 volt

Would I have to upgrade the entire hood to get better lighting?

 

[enjoiskater158]

ATM i have a 30 gallon with a 96 watt coralife PC(power compact) 36" light. i have some leathers, xoo's, and LPS all doind very well. I would recommend this light as long as you dont want clams, SPS, or nems. i picked mine up for $100

 

[SkiFletch]

You can absoloutely go with a flourescent setup for just keeping softies and LPS. If you're handy, you could buy a retrofit from hellolights.com and install it in your hood. If not, consider buying used or off ebay. You'll probably be looking at either dual lamp power compact setups, or 4 lamp T5 setups. I dont think they make VHOs in 30" models. If your tank does not have a center brace up top, you could also consider a single 175watt metal halide over the whole thing.

 

[dixaisy930]

I laugh because most of that just looks like *&%*(#HGLSJ&$( lam $*FHLU@)(% to me...... lol

So, I'm not handy with this hardware stuff, but I'm interested in as little complication as possible. Am I correct in assuming if I want to upgrade to any of the things you suggested, I'll need to get a completely different hood? If so, can you give me a price range I'm looking at?

Thanks

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah you'll want to buy a complete setup if you want little hassle. I'd look into a Coralife 2x65watt PC for a good combination of ease of use/setup, quality, and re-sellability. Keep in mind, clams, nems, sps, and some high-light LPS will be out of reach of this lighting. My choice for suppliers would be either hellolights.com, marinedepot.com or ebay

 

[dixaisy930]

Ok, that sounds like a definate option.

Now, say I wanted to use my regular hood, would a light like Coralife 50/50 20W 24" be something I could use? If so, is it going to give me any better light? It obviously won't be like having what you suggested, but will it increase my options for coral?

 

[SkiFletch]

A little, but you'd be eons better off "retrofitting" a 2x65watt power compact setup if you wanted to keep your old hood. Anyway you can take a pic of your tank/hood as is?

 

[dixaisy930]

I'll take a pic of it when I get home tonight....

Is there any rewiring involved with the retrofitting? I think the result would be dangerous....lol

 

[SkiFletch]

There would be a tiny amount of wiring, but its all easy stuff like connect red to here and yellow to there... Very simple. Some retrofit kits (PFO especially) come with everything as plugs.

 

[dixaisy930]

I am currently thinking about the 30" Coralife Aqualight Single Linear Strip Compact Fluorescent Fixture (65W Total) to replace my current lighting. My question now is, can I just replace the lighting structure, or will I have to get a whole new hood (the part that actually covers the aquarium). I measured my current lighting fixture, and the Coralife is almost an inch longer. Will this be a problem? That extra little inch will be over lapping on opening in my cover.

I was also looking at an Current USA Satellite Compact Fluorescent Fixture w/ Lunar Light . This one you can mount with legs. Would this be better to use legs to raise the lighting unit?

 

[SkiFletch]

I'd get one of the coralife dual bulb setups cause those come with legs and would give you more flexibility for corals . Buy used if you have to

 

[dixaisy930]

What kind of corals could I have with the 2x65, that I couldn't have with the single 65 watt?

 

[SkiFletch]

Single PC - Softies (zoos, shrooms, zoas, xenia, leather, etc), and the easiest of LPS (open brain wellsophylla, Euphylla genus)

Double PC - More difficult LPS (favites brain, echinophylla, echinopora, tentacled plate, blastomussa, acanthestrea, cynarina, candycane, scolymia, and standard lobophyllia brains) along with some EASY SPS at the top of the rock stack (pocillipora damicornis and stylophora)

Quad T5 - Add acropora millepora, and montipora digitata to the SPS list

6xT5 - Pretty much any acropora or montipora genus coral. I would personally have reservations about clams and nems under 6xT5 but others have made it work. Also add micromussa to the LPS list.

Halides - Pick your poison