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Which is better?

post #1 of 46
1/21/12 at 2:22pm
Thread Starter 

I have been wanting corals for a while, but I am not looking to spend that much on lighting. I have 2 possibilities, could someone tell me which is better. The corals I am looking to sustain is a candy cane, hammer, frogspawn, some sort of polyp, and I don't know what else. These are the choices.... Marineland Reef Capable Leds, or Zoo Med AquaSun T-5 HO Double Light Linear Fluorescent Hood. Input please.

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post #2 of 46
1/21/12 at 2:31pm

Have you considered Tubastrea faulkneri?

 

I wouldn't keep those corals under either of those lights.

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post #3 of 46
1/21/12 at 2:36pm
Thread Starter 

Is that a Sun Coral?

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post #4 of 46
1/21/12 at 2:40pm

Yep

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post #5 of 46
1/21/12 at 2:53pm

I have a cheap odyssea fixture and have no complaints about it.  

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post #6 of 46
1/21/12 at 3:24pm
Thread Starter 

Why the sun coral?

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post #7 of 46
1/21/12 at 4:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lilclowns View Post

Why the sun coral?



Because they don't require light, you just have to feed them. The light you're looking at won't support any other coral besides non-photosynthetics.

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post #8 of 46
1/21/12 at 4:32pm
Thread Starter 


They don't require light really. That's great. I won't get those lights then. Thanks everyone. Oh wait, how do you feed them? Do you know of any other non-photosynthetic coral?
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef View Post



Because they don't require light, you just have to feed them. The light you're looking at won't support any other coral besides non-photosynthetics.



 

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post #9 of 46
1/22/12 at 7:57am

flourescent lights dont have enough PAR or LUMENS to support corals.. those marine LED's arent really that great,, someone on here has them and the pictures make it look very spotlighty.. I would say if you dont want to spend alot of money either get a high wattage power compacts (by this I mean probably a linkable set using 2) or an inexpensive Metal Halide...

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post #10 of 46
1/22/12 at 8:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by smallreef View Post

flourescent lights dont have enough PAR or LUMENS to support corals.. those marine LED's arent really that great,, someone on here has them and the pictures make it look very spotlighty.. I would say if you dont want to spend alot of money either get a high wattage power compacts (by this I mean probably a linkable set using 2) or an inexpensive Metal Halide...



 

What........drinkingcoffee.gif  What do you think everyone used back in the days before MH's became so popular and mainstream......I'd have to dig up some old pics of big tanks run on nothing but T12 VHO bulbs.........The statement you made about flourescent lights not producing enough is incorrect......

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post #11 of 46
1/22/12 at 8:59am

I was wondering if everyone could refrain from responding to that laughing.gif

 

The most successful reef tank I ever had was lit with flourescents.  The challenge is getting a good reflector that has the ability to get a lot of bulbs over the tank.  A lot of progress has been made with LED but the fixture mentioned by the OP just isn't sufficient IMO. 

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post #12 of 46
1/22/12 at 9:28am

yeah and it could be done.. but why spend about the same on getting 6-8.. T-8 or T-12 bulbs when you could get 1 or 2 CF fixtures or 1 MH???

of course it was done back in the day before there were better options.... and a T5HO isnt as bad but why spend the money if you may want other corals later

on with more lighting needs? Im just saying buy something once...

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post #13 of 46
1/22/12 at 9:37am

and I think the OP has a 36g bowfront tank?.... so PERSONALLY I would go with an inexpensive MH... or 2 x T5HO fixture... or possibly a CF fixture if it has enough wattage...

Im just thnking long run..

you would have to use multiple flourescents with good reflectors and the OP doesnt have a canopy to put in a retrofit kit....

so he needs a standalone fixture...or to build a canopy which i suggested earlier, lol 

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post #14 of 46
1/22/12 at 9:38am

What size tank are you trying to put a lighting unit over?

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post #15 of 46
1/22/12 at 9:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy View Post

I was wondering if everyone could refrain from responding to that laughing.gif

 

The most successful reef tank I ever had was lit with flourescents.  The challenge is getting a good reflector that has the ability to get a lot of bulbs over the tank.  A lot of progress has been made with LED but the fixture mentioned by the OP just isn't sufficient IMO. 

thumbsup.gif
 

 


 

Quote:
Originally Posted by smallreef View Post

yeah and it could be done.. but why spend about the same on getting 6-8.. T-8 or T-12 bulbs when you could get 1 or 2 CF fixtures or 1 MH???

of course it was done back in the day before there were better options.... and a T5HO isnt as bad but why spend the money if you may want other corals later

on with more lighting needs? Im just saying buy something once...



 

CF not a chance....They aren't even in the same category or class as VHO's or MH's.......And T5's are more than capable of supporting and quality growth on SPS dominate tanks.   Again there are plenty of examples of SPS dominated tanks done with T5's.......

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post #16 of 46
1/22/12 at 9:45am

I amended my statement int he following post,, said it backwards.. but..

 

This is why I am changing out my cubes CF's with a metal halide...

 

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post #17 of 46
1/22/12 at 9:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by smallreef View Post

and I think the OP has a 36g bowfront tank?.... so PERSONALLY I would go with an inexpensive MH...



That would be my recommendation as well.  An HQI can have a really tiny footprint if you custom make the reflector and that's a fairly inexpensive option.

 

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post #18 of 46
1/22/12 at 10:16am
Thread Starter 

36? No It's 37 gallons.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef View Post

What size tank are you trying to put a lighting unit over?



 

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post #19 of 46
1/22/12 at 10:17am
Thread Starter 

If you have a metal halide, don't you have to have an open tank?

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post #20 of 46
1/22/12 at 10:18am
Thread Starter 

I really don't have any experience with metal halides or know what I am looking for. Could someone tell me of an inexpensive one? Also don't you have to get a ballast?- or something like that to have metal halides.

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