Lighting question

[2quills]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparty059 http:///forum/thread/379918/lighting-question/20#post_3304769
I thought T5's don't really project anything more than 54w... that's why I would have to stick with MH...?
The light output of T5's will very depending on the type of ballast and reflectors used. Typically your stand T5 HO's are only good for about upto 18" as far as most corals are concerned. With the right type of ballast you could overdrive those T5's and boost the output from 54w to 85w I believe...and with a high quality reflector to go along with it to produce better par results up to about 24" depth. IF you wanted a plug and play fixture of all T5's you're gonna want to go with a 6-8 bulb ATI Powermodule or Sunpower fixture for your 30" deep tank. And even then you'll have to be selective with coral placement.
 
Start saving your money, dude! Research in building your own LED system...it's the wave of the future. Much more efficient and cost effective in the long run.

 

[reefraff]

Even a Tek light T5 will keep a mixed reef up to 24" tall as long as you stock it right. Keep SPS on the rocks and they will be happy.

 

[sparty059]

If I wanted an LED system what would the requirements be for the type of system I need? If it saves me money in the long run then I'll go ahead and buy it instead of the MH... would I be buying ONLY an LED system? I can get a sick lighting system if you tell me what to get and as long as it's a manufactured item! I'm on the cautious side of electrical work such as this for many obvious reasons... haha.

 

[sparty059]

Is this right? I'm finding LED units for $2300? Please tell me I'd at least be looking into the 1,000's area... not into the 2's!

 
I've been doing a little research before I decide which to buy as you all have preached... and I have come up with some interesting information...
 
LED's last up to 11 years and after that they work at 70% of their capacity... so that alone sounds like it's a huge deal saver in the bulb replacement department! I still haven't read anything that says the lights will work for 30" deep tanks... it looks like the ones I'm looking at are 300w total... I'm pretty sure that's not nearly enough to let me have soft or hard coral in my tank... or is this again the same situation where LED lighting is different?
 
For example everything I see is:
 
Item #1:
 
Galileo I 48 20,000K Total Wattage: 216W - $1300
 
And then the other
 
Item #2:
 
Solaris 48" 13,000K - The current design produces PAR light output levels equal to a 250W MH 20K - $2200
 
So am I basically understanding that I'm SOL with LED at this point?

 

[meowzer]

LOL...They are expensive aren't they....Still can't help you with the led's though

 

[sparty059]

Well, I just don't know what to do now. Everywhere I look for LED Fixture's if I look at the price it says product discontinued... so how the heck am I supposed to buy one of these if I choose to (which I am truly leaning towards if I can find one that isn't discontinued and will look nice)?
 
Aqualusion seems to have lighting available but it's from Taiwan... it also says that a 1.25 PAR LED Bulb will reach 27" down... so that would work perfectly for me if I chose to use that brand... they don't have any pricing information on their site though...

 

[acrylic51]

Build your own LED unit....Kimg Neptune has a good thread and there is another on this site as well, that I can't recall the original poster, but he outlays cost estimates to do certain size tanks.... Search this forum... I will bump them for you.

 

[acrylic51]

The other good thread is by tannersmith.... I bumped it for you.... If your trying to keep a budget forget buying alot...... DIY is the way to go!!!!!!

 

[reefraff]

The AquaIlluminations systems are top notch but you'll pay a price for that quality. Unless you can DIY you are probably looking 1500 even buying one of the units sold overseas to avoid patent issues in the US.

 

[sparty059]

My better half has convinced me to hold off right now. Every time I write on this forum she hears about it, and she also hears about all of the responses... so really she's just as knowledgeable as I am in this hobby. Last night on our way home from the office I was telling her about the LED's I wanted to buy and how much they would cost... she then proceeded to make a list of all the other items (outside of this fish hobby) I wanted to buy. She has a talent for being persuasive; I can't argue that. With all of that being said, I am going to stick with the PC lighting that I have at the moment as she had reminded me (as all of you have, but a woman's nagging voice is the only thing that seems to get through my thick skull) that my aquarium is brand new, not even matured so I wouldn't even be able to put many of the corals I would like to in there at the moment.
 
So I've decided I will buy low light corals (even though they aren't AS colorful) and will wait for my tank to mature. Once it's matured I will work on building this LED fixture, possibly even buy one if the price drops any time soon.
 
Also, an update on my tank... I now have about 2/3 of the tank full of water. Rocks rearranged so I am tolerant of the rockscape (not thrilled... but tolerable). I will take pictures of it once I get back from the office, I took some yesterday but the sand had clouded up the water that it was impossible to see anything. I do have a few questions about some of the dead rock I have though... some of them look like branches of some sort... are those meant to be part of a structure for the rocks? Or is that meant to be in the sand on the base of the tank?

 

[meowzer]

Your wife is soooo right.....altho I must say ahem ahem.....I do believe I TOLD YOU THE SAME THING LOL
 
ANYWAY I think you are talking about branch rock..LOL....You can put it where ever you want.....use it to bridge 2 pieces...take up spaces...etc...etc....
 
Why did your sand cloud up???

 

[flower]

 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparty059 http:///forum/thread/379918/lighting-question/40#post_3305102
My better half has convinced me to hold off right now. Every time I write on this forum she hears about it, and she also hears about all of the responses... so really she's just as knowledgeable as I am in this hobby. Last night on our way home from the office I was telling her about the LED's I wanted to buy and how much they would cost... she then proceeded to make a list of all the other items (outside of this fish hobby) I wanted to buy. She has a talent for being persuasive; I can't argue that. With all of that being said, I am going to stick with the PC lighting that I have at the moment as she had reminded me (as all of you have, but a woman's nagging voice is the only thing that seems to get through my thick skull) that my aquarium is brand new, not even matured so I wouldn't even be able to put many of the corals I would like to in there at the moment.
 
So I've decided I will buy low light corals (even though they aren't AS colorful) and will wait for my tank to mature. Once it's matured I will work on building this LED fixture, possibly even buy one if the price drops any time soon.
 
Also, an update on my tank... I now have about 2/3 of the tank full of water. Rocks rearranged so I am tolerant of the rockscape (not thrilled... but tolerable). I will take pictures of it once I get back from the office, I took some yesterday but the sand had clouded up the water that it was impossible to see anything. I do have a few questions about some of the dead rock I have though... some of them look like branches of some sort... are those meant to be part of a structure for the rocks? Or is that meant to be in the sand on the base of the tank?

 
That sir just isn't true, they take extra care so read up, but never think the ocean is limited in color....at any time of day or night...
 

 

[sparty059]

Those are low light corals? What are the ones in the bottom that look orange and have little holes in them? Same with the orange ones on the rock that have little spikes out of them (I thought that would be anemone)?

 

[sparty059]

Quote:
Originally Posted by meowzer http:///forum/thread/379918/lighting-question/40#post_3305107
Your wife is soooo right.....altho I must say ahem ahem.....I do believe I TOLD YOU THE SAME THING LOL
 
ANYWAY I think you are talking about branch rock..LOL....You can put it where ever you want.....use it to bridge 2 pieces...take up spaces...etc...etc....
 
Why did your sand cloud up???
Not wife yet... close though haha.
 
And as I said... it takes the physical voice to get through my head. I can read it, and I'll just write it off

 
My sand was clouding up because I was relocating the rocks so I did as you had told me and I dug up the sand so the bottom of the tank was showing in the area I wanted the rock and set the rock down and then placed the sand around it and in any ditches it might need filling.

 

[sparty059]

Flower... thank you for opening my eyes!
 
I did just a few quick searches on google for low light coral and found that I can have GSP, Xenia, Toadstool's... these are all a lot of what I was looking for in the first place, so the PC lights might actually be exactly what I need in the first place!
 
NO WAY--- I CAN KEEP PALYTHOA IN LOW LIGHT!?!? I thought those were something that needed a high level of light! I loooooove those! They're sooooo colorful!

 

[flower]

 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparty059 http:///forum/thread/379918/lighting-question/40#post_3305128
Those are low light corals? What are the ones in the bottom that look orange and have little holes in them? Same with the orange ones on the rock that have little spikes out of them (I thought that would be anemone)?

 
I think you are looking at sun corals.
 
GSP, toadstools and Xenia are not non-photosynthetic corals, they may not need MH lights but they do require good lights. Low light when compared to MH and no light, like fish lights are two different critters.
 
Non-photosynthetic corals:
Gorgonians
Sea Fans
Carnations
Sun corals
chili corals
 
Just to name a few common ones.

 

[reefraff]

Yes, there are some nice low light corals but be sure to research. Some are also very hard to keep, specially for a newbe.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by reefraff http:///forum/thread/379918/lighting-question/40#post_3305485
Yes, there are some nice low light corals but be sure to research. Some are also very hard to keep, specially for a newbe.

 
 
If you Google LOW light corals you will come up with Xenia, Zoa and mushrooms, they are actually medium light needy corals, PCs are good lights for them. Non-photosynthetic are the ones you can keep with fish only lights..And absolutely you have to do research on each critter and study up on the tank needs itself.. you would need a strong skimmer and maybe certain types of filters..that kind of thing.

That type of coral need allot of food and a strong current, you have to do allot of water changes and run a good skimmer because all that food pollutes the tank. So while they like allot of nutrients they can't stand high nitrates, or ammonia. You have to have a nice balance of nutrients and good water quality...that can be tricky, but if you know what you are aiming for (RESERCH) it is not all that hard. Not being lazy about water and filter changes would be the biggest challenge. This is not the type of tank that takes care of itself.

 

[sparty059]

I believe I have PC's. I have two 24" 65w 10,000K PC lights, and two 24" (not sure which watt) Actinic PC lights. So if the corals need PC lighting then does that mean I can get those zoas, xenia, and mushrooms?

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparty059 http:///forum/thread/379918/lighting-question/40#post_3305742
I believe I have PC's. I have two 24" 65w 10,000K PC lights, and two 24" (not sure which watt) Actinic PC lights. So if the corals need PC lighting then does that mean I can get those zoas, xenia, and mushrooms?

 
Yes, place mushrooms on the bottom, Zoa and Xenia at the very top, near the light and you can put some GSP (green star polyps) about midway