im going to get lights tomorrow...please help..

[peckhead]

i want to start to do a reef tank instead of fowlr..
i need help picking lights. i dont have a canopy so i cant really retrofit anything. i was thinking bout t5 lights..i have never kept coral before so im just going to start out with some polyps and other softies..
so what are some brands to look at, since we cant post links...
i dont really want to spend too much more then 300. it is a for a 90g tank. 48". im not sure what to look for in a lighting system..
thanks

 

[wangotango]

its going to be hard to find a decent lighting system for less than $300, but a 6 bulb TEK t5 fixture will probably be about $350 or so. you should be able to keep pretty much anything, but i would keep the more light demanding sps and clams in the top 1/2.
-Justin

 

[joncat24]

google odyssea metal halide.
You can get a 48" fiture with 2x 250 watt and pcs for right around $300. That would be all the light u ever need and could keep any kind of corals or clams.

 

[peckhead]

are odysseas good? i heard they arent really that good... if spending 350 on a t5 set up from tek is better then going cheaper on oddysea let me know. do youhave odyseas joncat? i think i have heard u talk bout them before

 

[joncat24]

Yes, I have an odyssea fixture on my tank...I love it.
All of the horror stories are from the older versions. The new ones are awesome, and with the metal halide you dont have to wonder what you can keep under it and the shimmer from the halides is awesome compared to t-5's

 

[peckhead]

Originally Posted by joncat24
Yes, I have an odyssea fixture on my tank...I love it.
All of the horror stories are from the older versions. The new ones are awesome, and with the metal halide you dont have to wonder what you can keep under it and the shimmer from the halides is awesome compared to t-5's
am i going to need any types of fns or anything? do they come with legs?
thanks, your always a great help

 

[joncat24]

The fixture has cooling fans built in and it does come with mounting legs and a hanging kit also. I do use another fan that is mounted on the wall that blows across the tank when it is warm outside. I dont use it all the time, just when the tank starts to warm up on hot days...not very often.
Like I said before. I think they are awesome lights and for the money they are great.

 

[scubaguy]

I also have odyssea 36" and not had any problems. Now one of the fans acts up by making a loud noise but I blow on it a couple times and it works fine. I think it has been 8 months and no problems.

 

[peckhead]

Originally Posted by ScubaGuy
I also have odyssea 36" and not had any problems. Now one of the fans acts up by making a loud noise but I blow on it a couple times and it works fine. I think it has been 8 months and no problems.
joncat can u send me a email?
i think im gonna get these lights..
bridun22@hotmail.com

 

[peckhead]

and i wont need a chiller with these lights will i?

 

[peckhead]

i know the oddysea mh and a tek t5 are too different lights but, would i be able to keep anything i want with a tek t5 4-54w light? they are near the same price...which would i be better off with?

 

[peckhead]

bump

 

[reefforbrains]

4x54 T5 isnt really very much light.
MH also add the shimmer factor.

 

[scubaguy]

Try to get the 10,000K or 14,000K if you are going to coral. I had 20000K and recently bought a 10,000K and my coral is growing great and coraline. The coral seems to love the 10,000K better than 20,000K. I am keeping the 20,000K as back up in case the 10,000K goes out. IMO

 

[peckhead]

ok im going to get the oddysea unless someone stops me before tomrorrow. if you have somethign to say speak now!

 

[reefpro]

Originally Posted by peckhead
ok im going to get the oddysea unless someone stops me before tomrorrow. if you have somethign to say speak now!
Well I am a big fan of my new lighting system... it's a Coralife Aqualight Pro with the following lights:
Two 250 watt 10,000K double-ended HQI metal halide lamp
Two 96 watt True Actinic 03 Blue square-pin compact fluorescent lamps
Four 1 watt Lunar Blue-Moon 470nm LED lamps
I really like it... it's amazing and I'm going to be mounting it up over the next couple of days.

 

[joncat24]

the coralife's and the odyssea' are now made by the same company and sell under different brand names. Look at both fixtures, they are identical. Their was a guy on another board that took both units apart and they even have the same exact parts in them.