PLEASE Need advice, I'm about to buy lighting

[aliciak]

I have a 55 gal that I am just setting up. So far it has a DSB and some base rock, but I plan to do FOWLR setup (maybe some anemone's later on or whatever grows off the LR). The tank has 2 24" acrylic lids over the tank with a canopy placed on top. What kind of lighting should I be looking at? Do I need a Retrofit because the lights will be in the canopy or does that not matter? And do I need lights with fans in them, or only if I go over a certain wattage?
I am considering the following ideas:
- 48" 130 watt PC (2x65)
- 48" JBJ 260 watt PC (4x65)
I really want to try to spend under $200 and I have found the above on ---- for $90 and $175. Should I be considering VHO too, or is that gonna kill me $$$ wise?

 

[cboyfan2020]

FOWLR...I would go with the 4x65 but I dont think anenomes will thrive under that. If you ever want to go SPS then I would look into saving up and buying a halide system. i got a 2x250w MH setup for 190 shipped but that doesnt include bulbs and reflectors. During the cycle I would use the lights that came with the tank and that will give you an extra month or so to save up some more money. Dont go cheap on the lighting.
As far as a retro....if it will be in a canopy then yes you will need a retro. I can email you some good lighting places if you email me with your address. HTH

 

[krux]

4 by 65 will be great for a fish only tank. alternately, you could go vho, and run 4 of the newer 46.5" 110 watt lamps designed to go over a 4 foot tank. this will give you a bit more light this will give you more options down the line.
you can wire the 110 watters to workhorse 5 ballasts, which can be found for 30 bucks each (you would need 4) and then all you would need is the bulbs, endcaps, mounting clips, some wire, and some white paint..
you will go a bit over 200 this route, closer to 250, the the stepup in wattage is going to be very significant, and can still be contained in a smaller hood (172 more watts, or the rough equivelant of almost 3 more bulbs of pc).

 

[jlem]

4-65 watts will probably require a chiller unless you have a hood with lots of venilation and fans going. PC's run pretty hot. I really like VHO and If you upgrade to a bigger tank you can use the VHO's for actinics and go with MH or more VHO. VHO's run cooler than PC. You could start with 2-3ft VHO and you will have tons of light. One VHO ballast will run any lenth of bulbs and 2-4 bulbs as long as you don't exceed 16ft or 440 watts I am pretty sure, so you always can get bigger bulbs eventually without changing endcaps or ballast. I have lots of corals in my 90 and I only run 300 watts. If you do a search in the reef section you can see picts of my 90 gallon, and see how bright my tank looks with just 300 watts

 

[rhomer]

jlem, I don't mean to poke at you but you wouldn't need a chiller for 4 65 pc's. I run 2 175 mh and 2 55 pc's no chiller and my tank stays at 78.
The advantage of PC's that no one seems to point out is that the bulbs tend to last twice as long as VHO's, and this can add up quickly.
There is a place online that you can get PC retrofit kits for 50 bucks, this would include all the wiring, reflector, endcaps, and ballast to run 2 bulbs. The site also sells retro hoods. I would bet for about 200 bucks you could get most of this. You might be short 2 bulbs. Send me a pm and I can get you the site.
Rob

 

[aliciak]

Thanks everyone.
Ok, I went with the 4x65 watt JBJ PC Retrofit. I found it on ---- for $200 shipped with lights. I figure if I later upgrade to VHO, I most likely can sell the PC Retro for close to what I paid.
Now I can spend more $ on LR.
My God I didn't know how quick all this would add up. So far in one weekend with the tank, stand, canopy, tank covers, heater, powerhead, salt, filter, test kits, LS, LR, lights, etc. we've spent about $1200. I feel a bit nauseas...and we don't even have any fish.

 

[cboyfan2020]

Originally posted by aliciak
My God I didn't know how quick all this would add up. So far in one weekend with the tank, stand, canopy, tank covers, heater, powerhead, salt, filter, test kits, LS, LR, lights, etc. we've spent about $1200. I feel a bit nauseas...and we don't even have any fish.

Get used to it when first setting up your tank. once you have it stable though it will drop way down. Good luck and hang in there

 

[jlem]

Rhomer. The reason why I mentioned a chiller is that I had a 4-65 watt PC retro on my 90 and in the summer I had to run fans to keep my tank at 82 which I think was to warm. Now I did not say that Aliciak will have to run a chiller, just probably will unless the canopy or hood is well ventilated. Is your canopy well ventilated, have fans, a sump and other means that help keep a tank cool? Every tank is different and If Aliciak did not have a very well ventilated canopy then a chiller probably will be required. The Key word is probably. So by you saying a chiller IS NOT REQUIRED then you give possibly false information that may cause somebody who reads this thread to go out buy PC and put them on a tank only to have to buy a chiller or get cooler lights, and all because you said that a chiller WON'T BE NEEDED.

 

[padam07]

Originally posted by rhomer
jlem, I don't mean to poke at you but you wouldn't need a chiller for 4 65 pc's. I run 2 175 mh and 2 55 pc's no chiller and my tank stays at 78.
The advantage of PC's that no one seems to point out is that the bulbs tend to last twice as long as VHO's, and this can add up quickly.
There is a place online that you can get PC retrofit kits for 50 bucks, this would include all the wiring, reflector, endcaps, and ballast to run 2 bulbs. The site also sells retro hoods. I would bet for about 200 bucks you could get most of this. You might be short 2 bulbs. Send me a pm and I can get you the site.
Rob
I would like to know that web site that you have . You can e-mail me at padam07@yahoo.com if you like. Thanks