lighting for 110 gal reef

[redarizona]

Hi, I have a 110 gal reef with about 100 lbs of live rock in addition to, coral, fish. I have learned a lot from this board and know that I need at least 3-5 watts per gal. However, I can't afford MH at this time, only because I can't afford the chiller, and the tank is built in the wall. I have used 8 T5 HO thus far, 10K white with actinic, 4 of each, and have been pleased. They just seem to lose there effectiveness in a short time. So, the question is: I have found a retailer on line that has a 60", 8 x 80 watts T5 HO lights with two cooling fans and moon lights optional for around 465.00 brand new, is this sufficient lighting to start adding clams, and more costly corals that usually do better with MH?
I run a "Miracle Mud" system under tank, had a protein skimmer until recently (it broke), with a 3 inch sand bed,and all water parameters are within normal limits, no nitrites, ammonia, and less than 30 nitrates. I have an awesome cleaning crew and the tank is doing wonderful so far. I am still fairly new to this, but the tank has been set up for about a year, and the coral seem to be doing fine, and the fish are all happy, I just want to know what lights would be the best and most cost effective for what I can afford right now, with the correct number of watts. The tank is 24 inches deep and 60 inches long.
Thanks for your time and all advise is welcome.

 

[nicky1.8t]

you dont always need a chiller to run metal halides. I run 2x250 watters, with 220 watts of vho at the same time, for 11 hours aday. The are 10 inches off of the water, and the canopy is cooled with one fan. The temp never rises over 82.

 

[reefraff]

You need to get the RIGHT T5's. The price you quote is too low for a good system. I can tell you off the top of my that the price for a 6x80 watt retrofit kit is 729 bucks and that doesn't include fans and they don't come with a hood, they mount in a canopy.
The good T5 systems have an individual reflector on each lamp. The good reflectors come from either Sunlight Supply or Ice Cap. They are parabolic and look like a smaller and Much longer version of a metal halide spyder reflector. You should also use the German made lamps which are branded ATI, D&D or Narva. There could be others but I haven't heard about them. The lamps are listed as sun which is 6000K, Aquablue which is 11000K, Blueplus which puts out color simular to a radium halide lamp and actinic which will fluoresce the corals but provides very little visible light. The Chineese lamps don't perform nearly as well.
The cheap ---- systems just cram the lamps right in next to each other which causes them to overheat and fail or at least dim out prematurly and blocks most of the light produced from the upper part of the lamps from getting to the tank. I have one lamp that has been running for 14 months that has dimmed a bit but I didn't have fans hooked up at first and this lamp was in the hottest position in the canopy.
It is possible that you could improve the system you have now if it is an 80 watt system. You could still do it if it is only a 54 watt unit as long as you thought it was providing enough light when new.
.Just the good lamps and reflectors for an 8x54 system are going to run about 400 bucks. If the ballasts are crap (which can also kill the lamps prematurly) you are talking another 100 bucks or so at a minimum. If there is a way to make a couple of halides work without a chiller I'd do that but If you have to stick with fluorescents post your e-mail and I can send you some links where you can get the good parts.

 

[redarizona]

Thanks so much for your advice and help. For the money I have spent so far, I just want the best lighting system I can afford (from income tax refund, ha ha). Thanks again...

 

[motohead]

vho,vho,vho,vho,vho,vho,vho...................................