Looking for opinions

[kingzfan]

Good afternoon all, just looking for opinions on what I should get first...
I want to upgrade my lighting eventually to MH. Right now I have a budget for either a chiller (which I found for around 300 on ----) and bring my PC light to 65w 10000K bulb. Or, I can buy the MH bulbs and fixtures and canopy. Which would you guys choose and why??
Thanks in advance

 

[leigh]

Depends on what's going on in your system? Do you have things that need metal halide lighting? Do you have central ac or are you having cooling problems on your tank? For me it'd be a simple decision--metal halide. But I can keep the temp in my house below 78 degrees with no problems. If you're in LA without airconditioning you may have a lot of dead fish on your hands without a chiller. So...we need more info!

 

[kingzfan]

Originally posted by leigh
Depends on what's going on in your system? ...we need more info!
Here you go...Yes...I do live in LA...I am building a reef tank. I have a 55 gallon with about 65lbs of live rock. I have power compact 36w bulbs. Two whites and two actinics. I don't have a canopy but I have the lights sitting on a piece of glass. Right now the temp on the tank can reach above 82 degrees. currently I have a fan running over the water. The glass doesn't cover the entire opening. I would like to have clams and hard corals. But, right now I am on a budget. Also...My Girlfriend doesn't want to run the AC all the time. thus...should I get the chiller right now and just upgrade to better PC lights. then, down the line..get some MH and a canopy. Or, get the MH and keep the fans going until I can afford to purchase a chiller?? Thanks for the info

 

[leigh]

Get the chiller. It doesn't do you any good to have fancy lighting over an empty tank of water--cause if your tank starts getting into the upper 80's that's all you're gonna have. I'm not sure I'd spend the money upgrading the pc's however. If you really want clams and sps then save the money you'd spend on nicer pc's until you can get metal halides. I always kinda wished I'd just bought 1 pendant metal halide when i got my pc's and then later when i could afford it buy a second pendant. Maybe you could swing doing something like that? For now though you could still keep some low light shrooms to get your reef started. I don't know what you're talking about with better pc's but no matter how good pc's you're getting, you're not likely to have much success with sps and clams, so save the $$ up for metal halides. (just my 2c)