sf31p
New Member
I currently work overseas and just bought a 55 Gal fish tank. I would like to build up a tank that will eventually hold live corals to include Mushroom Corals, Zoanthidae corals, Fox Coral, Mixed Berry Chalice, Giant Green Ployp Duncan, Blastomussa, Neon Green Palau Coral Nepthea, Lemon Tree Coral, Purple Passion Tree Coral, etc. Due to the tank size, I don’t expect to have all of those type corals in my tank, but those are basically the styles I will eventually look for. All the corals are pretty much low or moderate light corals. I’m looking for advice on what type lighting to use.
Here’s where I stand. I don’t want to completely remove the fish tank cover. I have a weird filtration system and my sump drops the return water flow into the upper filter area in the hood before it returns to the tank. With the original plan I had, I was going to use VHO bulbs. To reduce heat and let gases escape, I machined some spacers that kept the tank hood “connected” to the tank, lifting the hood up 1 ¾ inches allowing airflow and a way out for gasses. The problem I have is that this country doesn’t have VHO ballasts or VHO lights, so that idea doesn’t look like it’s going to happen. I would order parts online, but it is 220V over here and every ballast or light I see online is pretty much 120V. Special ordering parts or lights might be possible, but I don’t know what 220V ballast model types to look for.
This country has compact lights that I could install but I’ve never used compact lights before. I could fit 2x 55 Watt (Cool Light) and 2X 36W (Actinic Blue) in a straight line in the hood. 36W is the highest actinic blue tube here. Would that setup work? I think the wattage is a little low. I could also use 6X 36W in 3 line configuration that should fit in the hood.
What do you guys suggest I do for lighting? The cheapest Halide System here is about $1000 and I’d have to remove the tank lid to do that, which I’d prefer not to do because of the additional filtration in the cover portion of the tank.
I’m open to any ideas here.
Thanks for the help.
Here’s where I stand. I don’t want to completely remove the fish tank cover. I have a weird filtration system and my sump drops the return water flow into the upper filter area in the hood before it returns to the tank. With the original plan I had, I was going to use VHO bulbs. To reduce heat and let gases escape, I machined some spacers that kept the tank hood “connected” to the tank, lifting the hood up 1 ¾ inches allowing airflow and a way out for gasses. The problem I have is that this country doesn’t have VHO ballasts or VHO lights, so that idea doesn’t look like it’s going to happen. I would order parts online, but it is 220V over here and every ballast or light I see online is pretty much 120V. Special ordering parts or lights might be possible, but I don’t know what 220V ballast model types to look for.
This country has compact lights that I could install but I’ve never used compact lights before. I could fit 2x 55 Watt (Cool Light) and 2X 36W (Actinic Blue) in a straight line in the hood. 36W is the highest actinic blue tube here. Would that setup work? I think the wattage is a little low. I could also use 6X 36W in 3 line configuration that should fit in the hood.
What do you guys suggest I do for lighting? The cheapest Halide System here is about $1000 and I’d have to remove the tank lid to do that, which I’d prefer not to do because of the additional filtration in the cover portion of the tank.
I’m open to any ideas here.
Thanks for the help.
