got RO, now lighting !!

[ali1]

So i've gotten more familiar with the RO/DI water systems. My next concern is lighting.
I did research and came to the conclusion that there are too many options out there. I have a 125G tank with standard dimensions, does this mean i would need a light thats 6ft wide or two 36" fixtures? Will a 48" still be sufficient if i go with MH lighting? In the end, i would like to keep SPS and LPS because of their beauty, so googling has lead me to believe that they require strong lighting and NO,HO, VHO will not suffice. How much watts/kelvin should i be looking at ideally? And what good does actinic lighting provide? I know that the watt per gallon rule not apply as the depth is the most crucial factor in determining the lighting needs. Help me out people !!!!

 

[meowzer]

Personally I would get ONE light fixture that goes across the whole tank....so 72" if that is the length
I would go with a metal halides and Actinic fixture.....I really like the look of actinics, plus you can run them longer. I have read mixed reviews about them and corals though

some say you don't need them, and some say they reach deeper and contain something the corals need

You will get some more answers, I am sure.....

 

[ali1]

Sounds good . I want all the help I can get before purchasing the wrong fixture. It seems like most of the 72" MH are atleast 1000$ . I didn't expect to pay that much to keep sps and Lps. If I get one of those , is it safe to assume I can keep most corals ?

 

[meowzer]

That's very similar to the light I have BUT mine has 3 250W metal halides and is made by Current...it is the Outer Orbit, and sadly they don't make the one like mine anymore
My tank is 30" deep so 250 was more necessary for me.....for a 125G I think 150W would be okay

 

[jstdv8]

ali, yes you will be able to keep most any coral with those lights.
SWF.com does have a policy against posting competitors links though, so be carefull on that
you can get some nice T-5 HO fixtures that will work for hard corals too.
The halides will give you a nice shimmer, but will need to be cooled down with a fan to keep your tank temp stable.

 

[jstdv8]

I'm also happy with my fixture which is also a current USA, good bang for your buck light

 

[ali1]

Can u point me to some t5 that will get the job done for sps, lps, or givE me guidelines for my lighting needs . What is actinic and why is it useful to have in combination with T5 HO or HQI systems ? I'm just really confused and don't know which light fixture to get . There's so many