The Rundown on Lighting

[djminus1]

Man...I am such a noob. I know absolutely nothing about lighting. I need somebody to explain lighting like this...
If you want to do [blank] in your tank, you need [blank] lighting.
I am new to the saltwater hobby but not to aquariums. What I have now is a 90gal tank with the All-Glass Twin tube strip lighting. The stock bulbs are still in there.
My immediate plans are for a FOWLR tank but the reef idea is really starting to interest me. I like a lot of the inverts as well.
HELP

 

[blemmy_guy]

ok, heres what ya do, if you think you may ever go with a reef, then go with metal halide and either power compcts or actinic combo. thats the best way, but most expensive, how long is your tank, and deep?? and i can tell you the exact wattage you will need. todd

 

[djminus1]

My tank is your standard size 90gal and it is 24" deep (48"L x 18"W x 24"H).
A couple of questions.
Q. Is ther a middle-of-the-road lighting system that would allow me to keep some of the invertebrates that require special lighting? I am not quite ready to do the reef I think.
Q. If I were to keep my existing lighting (TT Strip Light), what kind of bulbs should I use for a FOWLR?
I still do want to know your suggestions for the reef as well as that is in my future plans.
Thanks!

 

[mbrands]

Originally posted by djminus1
Q. Is ther a middle-of-the-road lighting system that would allow me to keep some of the invertebrates that require special lighting? I am not quite ready to do the reef I think.
Inverts don't need special lighting. Do you mean soft corals?
Originally posted by djminus1
Q. If I were to keep my existing lighting (TT Strip Light), what kind of bulbs should I use for a FOWLR?
FOWLR needs no special light.

 

[pontius]

the "middle of the road" lighting you're referring to would be T5 lighting. they are cheaper than metal halides and more powerful than power compacts. I've even heard that they're as good as halides for some corals. I have 6x54 watt T5s on my 72 gallon. I've just started buying soft corals in the past few months, but so far so good. I'd recommend 8x54 watts for your tank and it'll probably cost you about $400. that's about as cheap as a good power compact of the same wattage.

 

[sammiefish]

taking your statements into account... I would use the lights you have and stick to fish only with live rock... dont get any high light requiring corals... (most of them) and do not get an anemone.
Choose the right fish (reef safe), a good substrate (aragonite sand), and when you are ready get the right light for the job you want to do... My advice is not to buy a middle of the road light as when you upgrade you will not recover your investment... get what you need (after you decide exactly what it is you want to do) from the start... The lights you have are fine for FOWLR. Just my advice...
good luck

 

[djminus1]

Ok...another noob question. Please bear with me.
Q. What kind of inverts can you have in a FOWLR? I assume that part of it has to do with the fish you stock.
Basically, give me some good ideas on how to stock this tank with some cool fish and some cool inverts. I want a neat a variety in my tank.

 

[bolt696]

I have been in the market for lighting for months now and final made a purchase.
I have 2 anemone in my 55 gal tank. I have had them for 6 months with the standard florecent bulb that came with the tank. They are doing great. Maybe it is just a text book thing??????
I did just purchase a 4x65 light with the speacial bulbs. I was told by the pet store, that that is all i need and I will have no restrictions as to what I can put in the tank.
I even went in asking about MH lights and he said no need for my size tank. He promised me everything would do fine. He said he has the same set up on his store display tanks (nothing for sale in this tank).
I will try it and buy my stuff from them. If they die I have him telling me they won't and he will refund the light.

 

[weatherdad]

I have another noob question. i am setting up a 90 gal. reef tank and would eventually like to add crocea clams. my lfs told me all i need is 2 4x65 watt compact lights, will clams thrive with this set-up?

 

[mbrands]

Probably not in a 90 gallon tank. I've got 4x65 PCs in my 55 and I don't think I'd try clams.

 

[djminus1]

Originally posted by djminus1
Q. What kind of inverts can you have in a FOWLR? I assume that part of it has to do with the fish you stock.
Basically, give me some good ideas on how to stock this tank with some cool fish and some cool inverts. I want a neat a variety in my tank.
Any good ideas on this? I need some direction for this tank.

 

[mbrands]

It is up to you. Look through the ones they sell here on the left sidebar. Snails, hermits, crabs, shrimp, etc do not require any special lighting.
p.s. LOVE your new avitar!!

 

[bseth90]

I've got a 90 gallon reef with 2 crocea clams. one is 3-4 inches the other 5-6 inches. I use vho lighting 5 110 watt bulbs - two actinic blues 3 actinic whites. I once figured the light output per gallon and this put me right on the edge.

 

[dalerich]

Q. What kind of inverts can you have in a FOWLR? I assume that part of it has to do with the fish you stock.
Make sure you read up on the inverts that you like. some can only be one per tank. This will help you not to order 12 banded coral shrimp and wonder why it's friday night death match everynight. Then read the post of people having problems with the inverts you want to get. This will tell you things that any book doesn't have in it. Then look around at LFS make sure not to buy anything you have not fully reseached.

 

[snipe]

Here it goes.
T-8 "normal output usually what comes with the tank" Is good for fish only with live rock and can have inverts in there as long as there are no corals. This light can keep up some polyps some shrooms and some zoos.
T-5 Lighting "or High Output" Would be good for same as above and some soft corals.
Power Compact "PC Lighting" Would be good for same as above and you could keep some LSP Along with it.
VHO "Very High Output" Would be basicly the same as powercompacts except they will put out more heat.
Metal Halide "MH" This light is top of the line right now you can keep anything you want from polyps to SPS and Clams. It is recomended 1 MH Bulb for every 2 foot of tank "55 gallons are 4 foot long so you would need 2 metal halide bulbs". The deeper the tank the more wattage you need to reach the deeper depth.
As for fish and iverts together. If you are going to go with an agressive tank then dont bother with inverts the fish will kill them. If you go with Fish only and buy Reef Safe fish then you could have just about what ever invert you wanted "as long as it is reef safe and wont kill the fish" Basicly research anything you like and see if it is compatible with the other stuff you like.

 

[wax32]

More experienced people have stated that VHO's run cooler than PC's. Dunno what is true, but my lights aren't super hot. I have 4x75w VHOs on my 29 and with a couple fans I have been able to keep the temp at 77-78 degrees once I got my heater set just right (for night time). 300 watts of light and 2 fans cause a good bit of evaporation tho, about 64 ounces per day.

 

[snipe]

On the PC vs VHO thing it would probly depend on what type of light you bought what type of ballast you were using and if you had fans or not. They are pretty mutch the same thing "IMO".

 

[bseth90]

I have had no heat problems with my vho lights 5 110 watt 90 gallon and I don't run any fans. I have slits on the top of my hood which help to expell the heat.

 

[kcobain111]

So what i'm hearing is T-05 with 4x54w is enough to keep most corals and inverts? i'd probobly mix 2 Blue T-5 HO Tube (54W 48") with 2 Actinic Blue T-5 HO Tube (54W 48") anyone think that s a good choice over ...Aquablue T-5 HO Tube (54W 48") or Sun T-5 HO Tube (54W 48") ?

 

[pontius]

check the price difference for T5 with 4 bulbs and 6 bulbs. If there's not a big difference, get the 6 bulbs. 4x54 would only give you 3.9 watts per gallon. 6x54 would give you 5.9 watts per gallon, that would be enough for a ton of corals. the post by Snipe seemed to imply that powercompacts are better than T5, I would disagree. I've had both and I will take T5s over powercompacts anyday.