New Lighting
- Thread starter rickesco
- Start date
happyvac
Member
Originally Posted by Rickesco
Well It's time for me to buy new lighting for my 55 Gal. I have fish, LR, LS and a couple of anemones. Which would be the right light under 150 bucks.
Appreciate your opinions...
Rick
I don't think you could get lighting to sustain those for under $150.
fraggle_a
Member
You can find a good Power Compact light for under $150.
My tank is a 40Gallon 36" long tank. I have a 30" PC duel light on it.
I paid $144 for it.
I had to modify the tank hood to accept it though. So I actualy have a Moonlight that run with my Duel PCs.
A good PC light will keep things going. My LTA (Anenomy) it quite happy with the light it has.
Later on down the line I plan to make myself a Metal Halide setup. If I do it right. I can get myself a 400Watt MH system going for about $120. Means some soldering, and some homegrown mtealwork. But it will be worth it.
My tank is a 40Gallon 36" long tank. I have a 30" PC duel light on it.
I paid $144 for it.
I had to modify the tank hood to accept it though. So I actualy have a Moonlight that run with my Duel PCs.
A good PC light will keep things going. My LTA (Anenomy) it quite happy with the light it has.
Later on down the line I plan to make myself a Metal Halide setup. If I do it right. I can get myself a 400Watt MH system going for about $120. Means some soldering, and some homegrown mtealwork. But it will be worth it.
fraggle_a
Member
Well.
It depends on your LFS really.
My newly found LFS does some really good deals on hardware.
My Satelite 24 hour light system PC cost me $144.
They usualy have a log of second hand equipment, tanks and what not.
Id start by looking online at prices to get a feel, then start checking out your local fish stores.
It depends on your LFS really.
My newly found LFS does some really good deals on hardware.
My Satelite 24 hour light system PC cost me $144.
They usualy have a log of second hand equipment, tanks and what not.
Id start by looking online at prices to get a feel, then start checking out your local fish stores.
pontius
Active Member
First, I would build a cheap wooden canopy if I were you. Then, you can:
1. buy a cheaper set of powercompact lights of the auction site. like the 48" 220 watt Jebo (I have one and don't have no problems with it, though some others don't like it). this would give you 4 watts per gallon which would PROBABLY be enough for a condi anemone, but not any anemone that clowns host. it would also be good enough for SOME corals.
or
2. for $150, you could almost get 2 of the Jebo units, take them apart and fit them into your canopy, which would give you 8 watts per gallon, which would be good for about anything.
or
3. buy a retro VHO or T5 kit off the auction site and build into your canopy.
option 2 will probably give you the most wattage to keep what you want, but will also be the most expensive when you add in shipping and replace Jebo's "blue" bulbs with real actinic bulbs. as far as the canopy, you can build one for well less than $30.
1. buy a cheaper set of powercompact lights of the auction site. like the 48" 220 watt Jebo (I have one and don't have no problems with it, though some others don't like it). this would give you 4 watts per gallon which would PROBABLY be enough for a condi anemone, but not any anemone that clowns host. it would also be good enough for SOME corals.
or
2. for $150, you could almost get 2 of the Jebo units, take them apart and fit them into your canopy, which would give you 8 watts per gallon, which would be good for about anything.
or
3. buy a retro VHO or T5 kit off the auction site and build into your canopy.
option 2 will probably give you the most wattage to keep what you want, but will also be the most expensive when you add in shipping and replace Jebo's "blue" bulbs with real actinic bulbs. as far as the canopy, you can build one for well less than $30.
pontius
Active Member
you could have vho bulbs, T5 bulbs, or powercompact. the question is what kind of animals specifically do you want to keep? if you want one of the anemones that host clowns, option 1 (above) is out. and option 3 (the retro kit) would have to have enough wattage (which should be AT LEAST 5 watts per gallon).
dmill15
Member
You can find some cheap MH if you look for them. you don't have to buy them from an aquaruim type shop. MH is MH. the ballast and socket they use in grow lights or flood lights will work just fine you just have to buy the right spectrum of bulb for them. I prefer 20K but they are pricey. 10K are pretty cheap if you look on auction sites and stuff.
Dave
Dave