Oh the CHOICES!!! (Lighting)

jeffr259

jeffr259

Member
Hey everyone! Well this site has reinvigorated the NEED for a reef tank. It been a few years, but I've settled down (no more apartments) in a house, and am ready to get back in. Lighting has changed with all the new products. SO many choices. I'm planning (early stages) a 90 Gallon Reef LR/LS (still learning the acronyms around here). Checking out lighting, and was wondering if anyone has had experience with AquaLight Pro's HQI/flourescent/Lunar Light. Although a little pricey, it has MH and Flourescent in one nice looking canopy. I suppose the Aqualight's Actinics balance the MH well for a decent spectrum for a reef. Or is there something better on the market? Lunar Lights are new to me...these do any good? Or, and it'll probably depend on who responds, are VHO or T-5's the way to go?
HELP Guys :help: Need some educating!
 
f1shman

f1shman

Active Member
from what I've heard metal halides are the strongest lighting you can get, but VHO is the most natural. But I say that the Aqualight HQI is the way to go, very compact, comes with 150 watt metal halide bulb with ballast, 2 x 65 watt PC bubls which are a shade of blue and the metal halide balances that as you said before. The Lunar Lights are so cool!!!! I have them on now as I'm cycling becuase they don't cause algae growth they're so cool, and with the top of my water moving it creates like a little light show in the tank!! They reduce stress in fish because it is not pitch black and they allow you to view your fish and corals night time behavior!
 
jeffr259

jeffr259

Member
Wow, the Aqualife looks like a pretty slick Setup F1shman! So, it'll offer a suitable lighting solution for a reef tank? No other bulbs needed? How's the heat with them all fired up F1shman?
 
f1shman

f1shman

Active Member
Originally Posted by JEFFR259
Wow, the Aqualife looks like a pretty slick Setup F1shman! So, it'll offer a suitable lighting solution for a reef tank? No other bulbs needed? How's the heat with them all fired up F1shman?
Yup, very slick. What are the dimensions of you tank? For my tank the 150 watt + 2x65 watt = 280 watts which for my 40 gallon allows me to hold anything I want clams anything! I notice no heat except if you touch the glass of the metal halide, its really hot. Other then that it has a lot of fans built in so you really feel nothing.
 
f1shman

f1shman

Active Member
3 days since the rock has been in, added a dead shrimp today to try to jump-start the cycle. I have a 75 gallon FOWLR (fish only with live rock) that I've had for almost 3 years and a 12 gallon nanocube that I've had for over a year with a leather coral + some mushrooms.
 
jeffr259

jeffr259

Member
the tank will be 48x18x25. I have not bought the tank yet, but I think this size will suit me pretty well. I have a 150 cichlid at work. Thats big enough.Is that tank dimension pretty good for reef? Should it be shallower?
 
jeffr259

jeffr259

Member
dang, later than I though, off to sleep. Hope to catch you around later, been some good help F1shman! THANKS!
 
f1shman

f1shman

Active Member
Those dimensions are fine. My 40 gallon breeder is 36"x18"x16". So your 48" model would have 2-150 watt HQI and 2-96 watt power compacts and 3 lunar lights. Totalling to 492 watts. Which for a 90 gallon tank is about 5.5 watts per gallon. You can hold mostly everything with that and you with two metal halide bulbs you will have good water penetration. Sounds good.
Heres some pics with everything but lunar lights on

Picture of light middle is metal halide, front/back = power compact
 
teresaq1

teresaq1

Member
hey jeff, dont want to hijack, but wanted to ask where in ft myers are you, and what lfs are you using. there are a few good ones.
Also, have you seen there is a new reef club in town.
 
db

db

Member
I would look at the Aqua Medic Ocean Light MH/T5 series. You can get 250watt DE MH's for less than they fixture you are looking at now. If you want to keep a mixed reef the 150's would be okay, but if you are looking into a SPS dominated reef you will do better with 250's over a 90 gallon tank.
 
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