Too much lighting?

dive girl

dive girl

Member
I have a 29 Gallon tank and my lighting consist of the Coralife Lunar Aqualight Deluxe (double linear strip 65 watt 10,000K and 65 watt true actinic CFL with two moon-glow LEDs).
I've been vacillating on upgrading the lights. I need advice. Should I upgrade to MH? (I already have a mini-chiller from Arctica.)
My LFS says that I currently have enough light in my tank to keep the things that I want. Since I'm new to this hobby, I do want to make sure that I have the lighting that is best for my animals.
Is too much lighting a problem? I'd set it to run on timers (currently run my lighting on) to simulate natural lighting patterns.
Would you keep the lighting I have and then just add in a simpler MH or would you get rid of the current lighting and upgrade to a complete system? Is there a specific light you'd recommend?
I have a canopy, but will have to open it up (saw) and will probably set the light on the top. (Doesn't the MH have to be a minimum amount of distance from the water?)
What type of lid do people use under MH? (I have jumpers and currently use an egg create, I think)
I have read many different books and so much information that I've found online, that it just seems to confuse me more as everyone seems to have conflicting opinions.
After the amount of money I've put into my system, I don't want to skimp on the lighting.
Thank you for any advice that you can offer.
 
perfectdark

perfectdark

Active Member
You definately do not have too much light, and depending on what you want you may have enough.
Also depending on what you want you may NOT have enough.. LOL.
Yes you can go MH and you can go HO-T5, the latter would be a cooler running set up. You will prob have to retrofit fans if you went MH but I dont think you would need a chiller, but you have one anyway so your all set. The lights should be a few inches away from the water but the exact distance is up to you, the further away from the water the less intense the lights will be. For a 29 gal tank a 150w halide would do nicely. IMO.
I have a 150 sunpod fixture on my 29gal biocube...No canopy and no chiller required. It works awesome.
 
dive girl

dive girl

Member
Is 150w enough for anything I want to put in or should I just spend the extra $50 and get the 250w?
I think with the dimensions on my tank with the canopy, I'll probably end up storing/selling the lights I have and going with a combination system of possibly MH, T5 and LED.
Outer Orbit, Pro Series??
 
dive girl

dive girl

Member
Is there going to be much difference between these two lights (one is the regular and one is the pro with only about $40 difference):
Pro:
24" 246 watts 1-150 watt 4-24 watt T5HO & 6 blue & 6 white
Regular:
24" 280 watts 1-150 watt 10K HQI-MH w/ 2x65W Dual Actinic & 4 Moon White Lunar Lights
I really appreciate you both taking the time to answer.
 
aquaknight

aquaknight

Active Member
Honestly (please don't take this as harsh at all), but I think you need to slooow down a touch. In this hobby, it's all about planning and that seems like what you're doing, and that's great. But, I think the question has already been asked, but, indeed, what corals do you plan on keeping? If you think you are really to take corals like SPS and a clams, yea, you'll need to upgrade to better lighting.
Also, I find your method to install the new fixture a bit interesting, "cutting out the canopy with a saw."
Most people just attach the lights to the top inside of the canopy. If your canopy is really short, you might have to consider other options. With a MH, I probably swap the egg crate for a plastic gardening mesh, that avaialbe at Home Depot, in the garden section.
If you can, toss a picture or two up of the tank? Actually quite interested to see your setup as it sounds very stout already.
 
dive girl

dive girl

Member
I don't think it's harsh, I appreciate the input. I'll take a deep breath and try and do what you say and slow down.
The only thing that could I see getting in the future that might need better lighting is a BTA.
I just don't want to find something that I'd really like and not be able to get it for the only fact that my light isn't strong enough.
The set up is new. I'm just thinking I should have spent the money on better lights...
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
A single 150w or 175s MH or four bulbs of T5 HO the length of the tank (probably 4x24w assuming its a 24" long aquarium) will allow you to keep anything. there are several ways to to go about it.
you can buy a MH or T5 "retro" kit which bolt up directly to your wood canopy top and (for MH) wired to a remote ballast.

you can buy a fixture and toss the canopy

or you can hang an MH pendant or T5 HO fixture from the ceiling.

 
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