Lighting

I would go with at least a MH with 2 250 Watt metal halide bulbs with T'5's.

the more the better. the more bulbs you have the more types of corals you will be able to keep and the more color combinations you can have.

6 or 8 bulbs would be a good start.

With our tank being 30" deep are T-5s going put out enough light to support much more than fish?

HI THERE...welcome to SWF

sorry to say but NO.....maybe if you place stuff at the very very top..BUT you would have to have your rock piled high

What kind of lighting set up would you recommend we start with that won't break the bank.

Metal halide...and definitely 250W....check some clubs by you, or craigs list....

one 250 would be enough?  Or along with 4 t-5s?

Oh!  and thank you for the Welcome!!!   Really enjoying your site!

NO....I think you would need 2 250W with T5's

That is what I was afraid of...

You might want to concentrate on your broken brace first

Yeah, good lighting isn't cheap.  And it's probably thee most important piece of equipment you'll ever purchase for a reef tank.  Your location says 3rd coast, are you in Texas?  For starting out you could always look online through craigslist for people selling some of their used equipment, also call around to local fish stores for used fixtures.  That's probably the cheapest way to get started.  Not all lighting or light fixtures are created equal so the key is really to know what brands are good and what to look for to know if you're getting a good deal or not.  There are some good T5 fixtures that would work on that size tank like ATI but they are expensive for T5.  Otherwise most just don't have the output and the right reflectors to put out enough power.  But even with a relatively inexpensive fixture you could still start out doing a soft coral tank since they require less light and are easier to care for to get your feet wet for a while. 

Thanks for all the help guys!  Yes 2Quills we are in Texas right on the other side of the bay from you in Ingleside.

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Originally Posted by OtherUnderbrink 

Thanks for all the help guys!  Yes 2Quills we are in Texas right on the other side of the bay from you in Ingleside.

Excellent.  Welcome to the site, Neighbor!  Nice to see some more local folks on here.  I would give gulf coast reef a call and or aquarium masters to inquire about some used light fixtures.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2Quills 

Yeah, good lighting isn't cheap.  And it's probably thee most important piece of equipment you'll ever purchase for a reef tank.  Your location says 3rd coast, are you in Texas?  For starting out you could always look online through craigslist for people selling some of their used equipment, also call around to local fish stores for used fixtures.  That's probably the cheapest way to get started.  Not all lighting or light fixtures are created equal so the key is really to know what brands are good and what to look for to know if you're getting a good deal or not.  There are some good T5 fixtures that would work on that size tank like ATI but they are expensive for T5.  Otherwise most just don't have the output and the right reflectors to put out enough power.  But even with a relatively inexpensive fixture you could still start out doing a soft coral tank since they require less light and are easier to care for to get your feet wet for a while. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2Quills 

 

Excellent.  Welcome to the site, Neighbor!  Nice to see some more local folks on here.  I would give gulf coast reef a call and or aquarium masters to inquire about some used light  fixtures.

 

We have been to Aquarium Masters.  Great Place Great people.  He doesn't have any used fixtures that would work for us.  Where is Gulf Coast Reef located?  Are they off McCardle?

I think T5's would definitely work on the setup....As mentioned by Corey invest in a better unit though....Will the T5's penetrate enough to keep SPS on the bottom???? That would be questionable on the lighting requirements of your corals, but with that said you might only give up 6"-8" from the bottom of the tank for light thirsting corals......

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Originally Posted by OtherUnderbrink 

 

 

 

 

 

We have been to Aquarium Masters.  Great Place Great people.  He doesn't have any used fixtures that would work for us.  Where is Gulf Coast Reef located?  Are they off McCardle?

No the place on McCardle is called Tropical Fish Haven.  I used to go there a lot but not anymore, they've gone down hill quite a bit and the service and selection has really gotten horrible.  I actually seen that they have their building up for sale on some of the local real estate sites which doesn't surprise me.  Gulf Coast Reef & Aquaculture is located literally right around the corner from Aquarium Masters.  The guy over at Aquarium Masters is pretty cool but his prices are a little outrageous and you never really know what your fish might be carrying when you purchase them from him.  GCR has an awesome staff and well maintained facilities, they cater to saltwater and reef hobbyists only.  Best selection on corals in town and they actually quarantine and treat their fish for parasites before they ever get put on the floor for sale.  They don't typically have light fixtures in stock but I think the last time I was there they had a used 250w halide fixture with actinic supplimentation for sale.  Dunno if they still have it, might want to give them a call and ask.  They have a little web site if you want to look them up.