Diving into lighting.. Help!!

chrismilano

chrismilano

Member
I dont know what to believe.
Books, swf.com say 3 watts/gallon. 2 LFS tell me thats not necessary and 40 watt neon is fine?!?
I have a 72 gallon with 4-5 fish in it. I dont want an elaborate reef, but I do want a carpet anen, bubble coral and a clam. I have RO water and 40 lbs live rock, but I dont know what light to purchase (under $250). What are my options, what can I get away with, what is the best bang for the buck? I just want 2-3 healthy corals.
 
rockster

rockster

Member
For now, your plan is 2-3 healthy corals I am not an addict expert but based on my experience, once you have started on corals you will keep buying until you ran out of space! If I were you, I will get the ones that will work (and what works for 2-3 corals will work likewise on 10-20 corals) Anyway, VHO actinic plus MH works best for my corals and clams. Others claim power compacts and MH. I guess it's your choice.
 
david s

david s

Member
sorry to be the one bringin bad news but on a 70 gal a 40watt will not do clams and corals i have a 90 gal and have a pc2/55 and a 40 watt atinic that i am taking off becuase it isnt even close to what i need and 3wats per gal is still low for clams ask again in reef foram they will be more help than dyi
 
david s

david s

Member
there are vho retro kits online that u can get up to about 400 watts with bulbs for like 240/250
if u go that way get 2 96 watt 10k bulbs and 2 96watt atinic
 
chrismilano

chrismilano

Member
I was sure that my LFS was wrong. Im looking at the jbj power compact kits, but they're like $320 cheap and $500 average for a 48inch 220 watt.
Debating.....
 
striker

striker

Member
For your size tank and the corals you want to keep you are better off getting mh lighting. Clams and anemone's need strong lighting. Anything less than mh and your corals might not survive or thrive. You might get away with 4 bulbs of vho but make sure you get an electric ballast and provide the correct spectrum. I have a 2 bulb 95watt vho icecap hood on my 29gallon with a clam and several hard corals that have been doing great so far but that set-up cost me 430.00 for shipping. Lighting is not expensive and when upgrading it's better to save up and get the best so you won't have to do it again. It will cost you more in the long run if you skimp.
 
david s

david s

Member
i agree on the metal halide the only other option for your price would be mh dyi do a search on this sight for mh $100 there is a article for uzuki 6.5 k setup u will need 2 so thats 200 realisticly probubly 250
 
david s

david s

Member
<a href="http://www.lighthouseaquarium.com/catalog3453.html" target="_blank">http://www.lighthouseaquarium.com/catalog3453.html</a> there are some reasonable mh kits out there that will run any bulb but bulbs cost like 99 bucs each thats were Iwasaki comes in if u want a mh kit for like 250 go with Iwasaki and run atinics here is how diff bulbs look <a href="http://www.***********.com/a_lt_mh_bulb_info.asp?CartId=" target="_blank">http://www.***********.com/a_lt_mh_bulb_info.asp?CartId=</a>
 
david s

david s

Member
darn sorry for 3 post all together forgot in post
the pfo retro will not run Iwasaki bulb u need a ballast that will run it like in dyi $100 or a retro kit that says Iwasaki those take a special ballast so dont try to buy that kit in link and run a Iwasaki it wont work
 
ren

ren

Member
You are most likely going to need some MH lighting. At least 2x175W but more prefered 2x250W. The only choice that you have left is VHO ar PC actinic kicker.
 
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