help w/lighting

[bunnyl99]

I have a 125 gallon and I am using the standard hood that came with it. Looking to upgrade the lighting & don't know a whole lot about it. Can anyone give some advice?

 

[drew2005]

Originally Posted by bunnyl99
I have a 125 gallon and I am using the standard hood that came with it. Looking to upgrade the lighting & don't know a whole lot about it. Can anyone give some advice?
What do you plan on keeping? Fish only? Reef?

 

[bunnyl99]

I've had FO for the past year & a half, but might like to dabble in some mushrooms or something else

 

[drew2005]

Originally Posted by bunnyl99
I've had FO for the past year & a half, but might like to dabble in some mushrooms or something else
Well for mushrooms and zoos you could get by with a nice set of power compact lighting. For other high light coral you would need metal halides.

 

[bunnyl99]

That's what I wanted to look into. I don't want something wierd looking as my tank is in my living room.

 

[drew2005]

I started off the same way as you. I was doing fish only at first. Then i wanted some mushrooms and zoos so i bought power conpacts. Then i wanted more and bought metal halides. All this in a little over a year.

 

[howard947]

As a side note.....more light equals more heat. If you plan on investing in metal halide lighting, you may need to invest in a chiller. I know here in Central Florida it is needed. If you plan on corals and such, plan on at least 5 watts of light per gallon. Use 3 levels of light: metal halides, T5 compact actinic, and led moon lights.

 

[fanker]

its not watts per gallon any more its par and intencity. i wouldnt go with low lights to start out because u know u will get hooked and want better stuff so just go with mh or t-5s. and if u get t-5s make shure they each have there own reflector. a good combo would be 3-250w mh say 14k, or go with like an 8-80w t-5 or what ever u want