lighting for LARGE cube.

[alexmir]

I have decided that the tank upgrade i am doing in dec/jan. is going to be a cube tank rather than long rectangle footprint. IT is going to be 30"x30"x30", making it 117 gallons(external overflow box, so im keeping around 10 gallons of water in the DT!)
Anyways, i am planning on going to put a single 250 watt metal halide over it, but am trying to decide between a few systems. One is the 20" sunpod fixture, withthe 250 watt halide in it, another is the Ocean light HQI pendant,its small light with a 250 halide, and then im looking at the outer orbit pro series 24", with a 250 and 4 24W t5's.
I think te outer orbit system would be a good choice, since when i wanted a light on without the halide, i could do it, where i couldnt withthe others. Also, its got fans, and moon lights, as does the sunpod, where the ocean light doesnt.
I know that 30" is tall, but its going to be AWESOME for aquascaping, and the low light stuff would do perfect on the bottom. And since its not a real long tank, a single halide for the main source should be perfect.

 

[acrylic51]

Lumenarc III fixture would be perfect depending how your setting the tank up....the mini would work as well, just as the Lumenmax reflectors IMO.

 

[wangotango]

I'd go with the LA III too. It'll easily cover the entire tank. Only problem is that it doesn't have any built-in slots for actinic supplimentation from T5 or PC, but I'm sure you could easily attach some kind of retrofit to it.
-Justin

 

[alexmir]

that is a nice pendant, but i am looking for something more sleek, that one is big and bulky. Also, i am not wanting the fixture to cover the entire tank, just sit over the middle.
I am more or less trying to findout if i need the additional 4 t5's?

 

[reefraff]

Originally Posted by alexmir
http:///forum/post/2736822
that is a nice pendant, but i am looking for something more sleek, that one is big and bulky. Also, i am not wanting the fixture to cover the entire tank, just sit over the middle.
I am more or less trying to findout if i need the additional 4 t5's?
Depends what you want to raise. If you want all SPS it would be a good idea to have the T5's too because it helps cover that 30" better. For a mixed reef you wouldn't need them but they would still be nice to have. I think Nova has some halide fixtures that have moonlights which would be a nice compromise between having T5 or PC's for dusk/dawn.

 

[alexmir]

If i am going to get just a halide pendant, i am probably going with the sunpod 20" 250W. Has the fans and moonlight built in. SO where im at is spend the extra 110$ on the 4 t5's or just do without. They would be nice when i wanted a light on without the halide being on.
The SPS in there are going to be near the top part of the tank, so they would be getting plenty of light with/out the t5's......SO i guess i will just see. Mabye a good used system would come by and that would help me decide! haha

 

[wangotango]

If you're only going to use the Sunpod you might want to consider more than one for best light distribution. A single LA III could light up a 36"x36" area depending on how high it's raised. It may not look pretty, but it's the best IMO and won't cover the entire top of the tank.
-Justin

 

[acrylic51]

I agree the LAIII would definitely cover the tank which others won't with a single fixture......you could always build a cover to suspend it over the tank hiding it and make it look sleek as you want......I would buy the Coralife AquaPro MH/PC before the Sunpod anyday.......better unit IMHO......
On the note of T5's you could run them and keep just about anything including SPS and it's been and being done right now if you want to opt away from MH's......If your looking for sleek fixtures try Giesseman, but you'll pay a good penny.....If your handy why not build a hanging fixture and retrofit it with either IceCap reflectors and T5's or SLS reflectors and some good URI bulbs.....HTH

 

[alexmir]

well i have been looking at the LA III fixture somemore, and the flat black stealth fighter jet look is kind of growing on me. I like the mine, but i like the black and the angles of the regular fixture more. So i think i may go withthat.
I did look at the giesman fixture, REAL expensive for just the pendant. I am thinking that the LA fixture will have enough coverage that i wont need to add the additional t5's. And i am not wanting to go straight t5 because i like the look of the MH alot more, and replacing 8 t5 bulbs every year gets to be alot of money.(8x25$) i know they run cooler, and may be a little cheaper to run, but i think having 8 bulbs is gonna be pretty close to the same electricity of a single MH. And the tank is so deep that theres not alot of surface area, so im not worried about the heat.

 

[acrylic51]

Trust me the LAIII has the best coverage out there......36"X36".....the mini is slightly smaller coverage area.....

 

[jmick]

I am in the process of setting up my cube which is 24x24x16, with custom built hood that'll have 250watt halide(with the newish double ended lumenarc reflector) and 4 of the 24" T5 bulbs.

 

[reefraff]

Originally Posted by Jmick
http:///forum/post/2739207
I am in the process of setting up my cube which is 24x24x16, with custom built hood that'll have 250watt halide(with the newish double ended lumenarc reflector) and 4 of the 24" T5 bulbs.
That should be BRIGHT!!!

 

[jmick]

Originally Posted by reefraff
http:///forum/post/2739615
That should be BRIGHT!!!
I'm really looking forward to when I can finally get my new system up and running, we close on our home the end of Sept and get into our new home so my project is on hold till that time. It will be a lot of light but it'll give me a lot of options as to how I will run my light schedule. Thinking 10-12 hours for the T5's and 6-7 for the halide. Ah, and I have a nice moonlight set up for it as well. I love building custom hoods, can do what ever you want so long as you have the room.

 

[reefraff]

Originally Posted by Jmick
http:///forum/post/2740925
I'm really looking forward to when I can finally get my new system up and running, we close on our home the end of Sept and get into our new home so my project is on hold till that time. It will be a lot of light but it'll give me a lot of options as to how I will run my light schedule. Thinking 10-12 hours for the T5's and 6-7 for the halide. Ah, and I have a nice moonlight set up for it as well. I love building custom hoods, can do what ever you want so long as you have the room.
You got a ton of options to be sure. Even with a 20K halide you should have acros growing like weeds at the bottom of that tank. Is that a full size Lumenarc? How you gonna fit all that over a 24x24, I thought the LA's were like 23"

 

[alexmir]

their 19.5", but the light coverage on them is about 36", and that is solid coverage, not stray light coverage. I cant wait to set up my system up either.

 

[jmick]

The reflector is the Lumenarc III mini stealth, 14.5"x14.5", will give me a plenty of room to mount that and the T5 within the canopy.

 

[reefraff]

Originally Posted by Jmick
http:///forum/post/2741599
The reflector is the Lumenarc III mini stealth, 14.5"x14.5", will give me a plenty of room to mount that and the T5 within the canopy.
Ahh the baby model, still should cover 2x2 pretty good too.