250 Gallon Lighting Help

davidbates

davidbates

New Member
I have a 250 gallon FOWLR setup that I would like to get some lighting suggestions. I am currently using 2 8ft shop lights (don't laugh, it was cheap at the time). Well obviously I am not happy with the results and they put out way too much heat. I don't want to rule out the possibility of having coral at some point and time but it would not be anything fancy. I would like to spend $300 or less to get something decent put in. I would really appreciate someone pointing me in the right direction. Thanks
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
300 is not a lot of money for a lighting system big enough for a 250... if I were you I'd DIY a solution using NO (Normal Output) bulbs, provided you've got some basic power and hand tools and are okay with your hands...
Wood Box for canopy, stain grade plywood... ~90 bucks for two sheets of 4x8 oak or birch
Two (4) bulb 40 watt ballast for NO bulbs: ~30 bucks at Lowe's or the Depot
(8) Sylvania or Philips 6500K 40 watt daylight bulbs ~8 bucks each, same place
(16) flourescent sockets 5 bucks for 2 or ~40 bucks (get waterproof caps if you can afford them... 10 bucks a pair, so 40)
Hinges, wiring, etc ~50 bucks maybe
Stain: 10
... total: 314 or less.
The thing is, if you don't have corals now, and you buy a lighting system capable of running them, you have to buy replacement VHO or MH bulbs all the time, plus they are power hungry and hot... go really cheap now, since fish don't care, and save for the day you get corals.
 
davidbates

davidbates

New Member
Hey guys, thanks for the advice. I have attached a picture of my aquarium. I have roughly 48" between my overflow devices and all of my live rock will be in between those boxes. Any reason why I could not get away with just 48" at around 800-100 watts? If so should I go with metal halide or vho? I wouldn't mind spending a little extra if that is all I had to buy to get my going. Thanks for all of your help.
 
oceana

oceana

Active Member
Originally Posted by davidbates
Hey guys, thanks for the advice. I have attached a picture of my aquarium. I have roughly 48" between my overflow devices and all of my live rock will be in between those boxes. Any reason why I could not get away with just 48" at around 800-100 watts? If so should I go with metal halide or vho? I wouldn't mind spending a little extra if that is all I had to buy to get my going. Thanks for all of your help.

shoot me an email at theabels@knology.net and I can teach you to build your own halide system for that tank for around 360-400 bucks. that would only be 3 halides and on your tank would should have 4 but you could always add one later down the road when you have more money. You would also need to extend your hood a bit as well to allow for proper cooling or just gert a chiller. With that hood it should be very easy to raise. If your thinking about corals you might as well get good lighting because once you get one you are sure to get more. its a sickness i tell ya lol
 
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