Classic Lighting Mistake

spyder78

spyder78

Member
So I made the same mistake that so many others have made in this hobby.... bought the less expensive light thinking I would be satisfied with it. I have a 96w Aqualight PC on my 30g Oceanic Cube (not a biocube). As addictive as this hobby is, I want more, more, more in my tank. I currently have fish and softies in it. I would like to have an anemone and a larger variety of soft corals.
I am looking at the Nova Extreme Pro 20" T5 (108w) and the SunPod 20" HQI (150w). I am leaning more towards the T5 because I like the actinic, but I wonder if 108w is enough for 30 gallons. It is 20" deep, so I want to make sure there is enough light at the bottom.
Any input would be appreciated!!! Thanks!
Oh, and I will be selling the 96w Quad PC for a good price too!
 
fishfreak1242

fishfreak1242

Active Member
Metal Halides are the way to go! I have 2x175w halides in my 55 gal and I love them. They make my tank look much more natural. 1x175 should do for your tank and that would allow you to keep whatever you wanted.
 
spyder78

spyder78

Member
Am I going to have serious heat issues with HQI? Also, I have a glass cover on my tank with the plastic hinge piece. Will I have to take that off if I go halide? I really like the idea of the T5 for heat, but I am just tired of buying new lights. I figure if I go metal halide, I won't have to upgrade again. Is this the right way to think, or should I not rule out T5 just yet?
 
markandkri

markandkri

Member
i run the 4x24 t5 with a 250 watt halide on my 50 gallon oceanic.
it is 18 depth 30 wide and 21 tall.
if you are wanting clams etc. i would definately look into the 150 watt. if not even a 250 . i run the reeflux 12k and it deepends on the ballast on how blue the bulb runs.. to me this is the perfect bulb .. my frogspawn pops as well as my other corals.
 
perfectdark

perfectdark

Active Member
Because you will be running an open top tank you shouldnt have heat issues. If you do it wont be anything more than a small clip on fan would be able to take care of. I use the 150w sunpod on my biocube, its 20" tall I can keep what ever I want in it. If you go MH you can easily get a 15k pheonix bulb which will give you all the actinic lighting you will need. Or the new Radium 20k's which have the PAR of a 15K but not the intense blue of a std 20K just slightly more than a 15K very natural looking IMO and it will be my next bulb. Good Luck.
 
fishfreak1242

fishfreak1242

Active Member
Originally Posted by spyder78
http:///forum/post/2827171
Right now I have a glass top. Will I have to remove it?
It would probably be best to remove it for better oxygen exchange. I never have any heating issues with my tank. I keep my halides about 14" off of the surface and my temp never goes above 81 degrees. I just kept my canopy as open as possible.
 
ultium

ultium

New Member
Originally Posted by spyder78
http:///forum/post/2827171
Right now I have a glass top. Will I have to remove it?
I have a 30 gallon and have a 250w mh pendant hanging about seven inches over the tank. It is a long story but I also really like glass tops and my glass top does have the plastic hinge. I run a little clip on fan and have no temp issues at all. However, before I got my timer I had to leave early one morning and had my wife turn on the lights after I had left. She did not turn on the fan and it was on that way all day. The temp in my tank went from the normal 79 to 83. Nothing was hurt but I do have both the fan and light on a timer now.
 
spyder78

spyder78

Member

Originally Posted by Ultium
http:///forum/post/2827911
I have a 30 gallon and have a 250w mh pendant hanging about seven inches over the tank. It is a long story but I also really like glass tops and my glass top does have the plastic hinge. I run a little clip on fan and have no temp issues at all. However, before I got my timer I had to leave early one morning and had my wife turn on the lights after I had left. She did not turn on the fan and it was on that way all day. The temp in my tank went from the normal 79 to 83. Nothing was hurt but I do have both the fan and light on a timer now.
But you do still have the glass top on? I just don't like the idea of the open top, because I am scared one of the little guys will jump out. When I first started the tank, I had a damsel jump... luckily I was standing right there to put him back in (I was cleaning the tank and had the top off).
 
perfectdark

perfectdark

Active Member

Originally Posted by spyder78
http:///forum/post/2828008
But you do still have the glass top on? I just don't like the idea of the open top, because I am scared one of the little guys will jump out. When I first started the tank, I had a damsel jump... luckily I was standing right there to put him back in (I was cleaning the tank and had the top off).
Get some egg crate... cut it to the dimensions of the top of your tank. Problem solved... egg crate is the same stuff as flourescent light diffuser in office lighting...you can find it in the lighting section of you local home depot or lowes. I run an open top tank and only had one fish jump on me.. a midas blenny.. but they are known jumpers.
 
ultium

ultium

New Member

Originally Posted by spyder78
http:///forum/post/2828008
But you do still have the glass top on? I just don't like the idea of the open top, because I am scared one of the little guys will jump out. When I first started the tank, I had a damsel jump... luckily I was standing right there to put him back in (I was cleaning the tank and had the top off).
Yes, I do have the glass on top. With the fan I have no temp problems at all. The fan I use is just a standard small house fan that required no mods. You can get fancy with computer fans and a dc converter to plug them in, but it is not necessary.
I strongly suggest that if you do go MH, go for the 250w. In the scope of things it is not that much more money and it makes a 30 gallon look very nice.
 
T

tfolke1

Guest

Originally Posted by spyder78
http:///forum/post/2828008
But you do still have the glass top on? I just don't like the idea of the open top, because I am scared one of the little guys will jump out. When I first started the tank, I had a damsel jump... luckily I was standing right there to put him back in (I was cleaning the tank and had the top off).
I wish My damsel had done me a favor and jumped.
you may get more evaporation with the top off, but you'll have more with the new fixture anyway.
 
spyder78

spyder78

Member
I wish I would have gotten the hint when it jumped. I hurried to put it back in. When I was finally ready to take it out and return it to the LFS, it took forever to catch that little thing!
Yeah, I will definitely have to be much more diligent with the top-offs. After much research on the very few lights that would fit on my tank, I decided the top-offs would be worth it just to have the halides. I can't wait to see how much things start to grow under it. I got my first frag of acro yesterday in anticipation of getting the new light.
 
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