Looking to Upgrade My Current Ligting For Corals

[jkcrumb]

I have a 125g that was previously a FOWLR but I am looking to get into corals and clams..........I am not looking to be restricted in what I can raise so I am going to need to upgrade my lighting and I'm not sure if I go with T5's or MH's or a blend of both. I a looking to spend somewhere in the $1000-$1500 range. My depth is 24"...........Any suggestions???????? I am looking to work in some blues and possibly a red ( I just read something about a red light).........any suggestions there????? I want to be able to mimic the daylight to moonlight cycle so separate power feeds would be necessary.
Just throw out some quality models and I'll do some research.........Thanks everyone!!!!
I know I'm going to need to incorporate a chiller because I am already sometimes hitting the 82-83 Degree point with my current lighting.

 

[salt monger]

if you got the $$$ to spend, go with the solaris led lighting.... super cool, but no red light.... they are cheap to run, bulbs last for like 10 years and just overall very nice light system

 

[groupergenius]

I think the Solaris is way out of that price range. You would be closer with a Current USA Outer Orbit. They incorporate HQI MH and T5 for actinics and LEDs for moonlight. Unless you want to piece together your own system.

 

[maxalmon]

I'm guessing that you have a standard size 125g tank thats 72" long. If so then you will need a unit that has 3 MH's so that you have total tank coverage.
I have the Coralife Aqualight PRO HQI fixture on my tank, not the cheapest unit but the 3x250MH and 4x96 actinics allow me to keep anything. I have the actinics on a seperate timer so that they come on an hour before and an hour after MH's. Also has moonlights. Just make sure that any fixture you select has a remote balast so that you can mount them away from the tank to minimize radiant heat

 

[jkcrumb]

Originally Posted by maxalmon
I'm guessing that you have a standard size 125g tank thats 72" long. If so then you will need a unit that has 3 MH's so that you have total tank coverage.
I have the Coralife Aqualight PRO HQI fixture on my tank, not the cheapest unit but the 3x250MH and 4x96 actinics allow me to keep anything. I have the actinics on a seperate timer so that they come on an hour before and an hour after MH's. Also has moonlights. Just make sure that any fixture you select has a remote balast so that you can mount them away from the tank to minimize radiant heat
Thanks.............wheat does remote balast mean??????? Im happy to hear you mentioned the coralife Pro.....it looks like it has the best of all worlds....MH + Actinics + Moonlights....I currently have the dlx unit and I like it alot. I was seriously considering the Pro but this posts on this site seem to talk down on the Coralife setup..........Is there any special reason for that IYO.
Thanks again

 

[michaeltx]

remote ballast is a ballast that is seperate from the main system so it lessens the heat issue alittle bit the ballast get very hot and with it in the system that heat can be transmitted into the tank.
if I had to choose for that size tank I say t-5 all the way and here is why

BTW NOT my tank and its a 125 aswell.
Mike

 

[goingpoor]

Originally Posted by salt monger
if you got the $$$ to spend, go with the solaris led lighting.... super cool, but no red light.... they are cheap to run, bulbs last for like 10 years and just overall very nice light system
ya i heard this is the new big thing,i have the aqua light pro and im just happy with that,good luck in your hunting for lights

 

[anonome]

I have the same dimension tank as yours and have the Coralife 72" 150w hqi (3) and 4 96w actinic, with 4 lunar lights. I absolutely love this light!!! I have softies, LPS, some hard corals, clams, and RBTA. All are doing great, and have grown since I added this light in April of this year. I have it sitting on the tank for now, but have plans to suspend the unit from the ceiling once we settle on the new house.
The external ballasts are the only way to go, in my opinion. The lights let out some major heat, and so do the ballasts. With them being away from the tank, you are not adding this heat to the water.
Shop around, I got them.....had to drive 2 hours.....for $789.00. Even when you figure in the gas, it was way below what everyone around here wanted them for.

 

[jkcrumb]

Originally Posted by Anonome
I have the same dimension tank as yours and have the Coralife 72" 150w hqi (3) and 4 96w actinic, with 4 lunar lights. I absolutely love this light!!! I have softies, LPS, some hard corals, clams, and RBTA. All are doing great, and have grown since I added this light in April of this year. I have it sitting on the tank for now, but have plans to suspend the unit from the ceiling once we settle on the new house.
The external ballasts are the only way to go, in my opinion. The lights let out some major heat, and so do the ballasts. With them being away from the tank, you are not adding this heat to the water.
Shop around, I got them.....had to drive 2 hours.....for $789.00. Even when you figure in the gas, it was way below what everyone around here wanted them for.
Awsome advice....thanks......if you had to do it again would u have gone with the MH 250's or do u think that would be overkill????

 

[anonome]

I feel that a 22" deep tank with a sand base of say mininmum of 2" brings the depth to 20". 250w of halides is overkill for this depth of tank. If the tank is deeper, than you will need the 250w to get to the floor of the tank. But, the 150w is just the right amount, in my opinion. You will have many problems with nuisance algae.....slime, etc., with anything brighter.
When I changed from 384w of pc lighting....also Coralife, I did have a red slime problem at first, this is to be expected. Going from 384w to 834w (in my case) is a big jump, not only on brightness, but intensity and spectrum of lighting.

 

[jkcrumb]

Originally Posted by Anonome
I feel that a 22" deep tank with a sand base of say mininmum of 2" brings the depth to 20". 250w of halides is overkill for this depth of tank. If the tank is deeper, than you will need the 250w to get to the floor of the tank. But, the 150w is just the right amount, in my opinion. You will have many problems with nuisance algae.....slime, etc., with anything brighter.
When I changed from 384w of pc lighting....also Coralife, I did have a red slime problem at first, this is to be expected. Going from 384w to 834w (in my case) is a big jump, not only on brightness, but intensity and spectrum of lighting.
Got ya.............makes sence to me.............the Coralife pro 150 it is.............One more question please???????? Ive read that I'll need to reduce the time the MH's will be on per day when Switch over and the increase the MH exposure time 1 hr every week........How many hours a day did u have your MH's on for in the biginning???? and how long do u have them on for now????? Thats it!!! I promise

 

[anonome]

Promises, Promises!!!

No, just kinding, here to help. When I converted my lights I ran the halides only one hour a week until I found the perfect amount. I say this because, depending on the coral you will be keeping, amounts of lighting will vary. You will know when they have the right amount....open as big as they can go, looking vibrant, and colors have increased for the good. Too much light, the corals will sometimes close all together, burn per say....I have one brain coral that the halides did just that, but i suspect it was too high in the rocks. I moved it down, and it is slowly recovering.
My lighting schedule is as follows, again works for me, may not for you. You will have to play with it for awhile.
Actinics on at 7:30am until 11:00, and then the halides come on. The actinics go off within 15 minutes of this. Halides only until 4:30, then the actinics come back on again. Halides are off at 6:00pm. Actinics only until 9:30pm. Lunars come on at 9:15 until 7:45am. Yes, 3 timers.

I stress to you, this is just a guideline, depending on what you get, you may not need the halides this long, or possibly longer.
Good luck.

 

[fishfanny79]

I swear by my 72 inch Current USA 3 x 250 with T5 fixture. Better than the Coralife Pro in my opinion.