Lights For A Reef Tank 240l (65g)

[knoxy]

Right im trying to choose my lights for my tank. I dont have a hood for it and was thinking that these lights would be good... arcadia overtank luminaire t5 :

http/www.swelluk.com/marine/marine-light...lamps-185.html#

Is this enough for growing (beginner) corals in this size tank or am i better with something else?

Choosing lights certainly isnt easy and its something I need to get right from the start judging by the prices...

Any help from you experts is greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
Mike

 

[N1z]

Great choice? say do u have a juwel? I do and i have this light its really good! best 2nd choice u can have when u cant affrod a 500 quid MH. If your having the 120cm 4x54watts u can also keep LPS corals later on if u feel daring enough. . Def good buy m8.

As for the hood, mines open top and i do loose about 7 litres every 3-4 days but tbh im not botherd and also you may be chancing it with some fish carpet surfing but thats mainly firefish etc.

 

[Siamese Fighter05]

I've got the 60cm 4 x 24w and i can't say anything but good things about it

I agree with the poster above, you can manage with softies with these lights and then go on up to the more light demanding corals such LPS when you become more confident

 

[knoxy]

Well to be fair this is my first marine tank so its not that important that i can keep really difficult things in it yet.

My tank doesn't have a brand its just one I picked up, its 120 * 40 * 50 so its about 240 litres. I was imagining making a stand of some kind to hold the lights as I dont want to hang them from the ceiling. That was before I stumbled across these lights.

Its so confusing and even the reputed fish books dont really tell you which ones are best. They all just say find out what other people recommend. Which i have now done.

Regarding the cover, if i was to put one on the lights wouldn't melt it or anything like that would it... the last thing i need is for my misses to be finding dried out starfish on the floor...

So thanks people, i'll post some pics of the tank when its finally up and running though I'm not reckoning that will be for a few months yet.

Mike

 

[N1z]

No tbh i find mine doesnt heat up my water much really only about 1-2deg and have no cooling system, compared to PCs and MH that need fans to keep them cool and can really jump in temp.

Here is my setup now...

Looks quite white cos i need to change a bulb and the camera sucks. But also im gunna have 3 actinics and 1 white cos the 2 and 2 they supply dont suit me and i want the greens to come out more.

 

[knoxy]

What are the limits of these kinds of lights? ie what can't i really have in my tank if i get these as opposed to HQI metal halides?


-- Nice tank by the way

 

[SkiFletch]

A 4xT5HO lighting setup spanning tank length with individual reflectors will keep any softy, and just about any LPS no problem. With enough flow and a tall enough rock stack, easier SPS like pocillipora, millepora, and stylophora can be attempted but dont be surprised if they brown out. With a 6xT5HO setup you can keep just about anything including most SPS, Clams, and Anemones.

Edit, remember, a nearly fully closed hood will trap LOTS of heat, even with T5s, while an open lid like N1Z's allows most heat energy to escape to the ambient and not heat up the water too much.