VHO or PC???

[chilidog]

What lighting should i get for my 90 gal reef?I cant aford MH so i have to get some thing less.

 

[nm reef]

Either can be a good lighting source. In my mind they are very comparable. It really comes down to what corals you'd like to keep and what type of lighting you'd like to install. Either could provide adaquate conditions for a fairly large assortment of corals but you'd likely be limited to mushrooms/softies/polyps...and some of the LPS type corals.:thinking:

 

[chilidog]

I can eather get 260 watts of PC for 200$ or 440 watts of VHO for 350$ what is a better deal?

 

[russianspy]

VHO, I belive it has a nicer color and you'll have more watts..JMO

 

[reefer44]

VHO is the way to go!!!.....but yea its a good deal but you can afford a 250w DE setup for that amount...what are your tank demensions
Brad

 

[chilidog]

48 inches long 18 wide and 24 high

 

[reefer44]

oh so you would need two.......well do you plan on keeping sps.....cause i know how to get a very very good deal on two 400w's.......it would only cost about $150.....doesn't look that great over the tank put for ppl on a budget works sweet.....
Brad
tell me if you want to know how to get a good deal

 

[chilidog]

sure whats the deal?

 

[reefer44]

well 400w is a little to much for the corals you want but you can do for 175 i think.....
get a hydrobonic's (horticulture) ballast (same as fish balast just cheepper).....buy a hydroponic's reflector and buy a aquarium grade bulb (i like xm 10k's)......i am going to experment and see if this works as well as aquarium grade stuff....pretty sure it does total cost about $200 (for two)
for your size tank i would get 2X175 watts
Brad

 

[chilidog]

Do i get that at home depot?

 

[clarkiiboi]

Originally posted by ChiliDog
I can eather get 260 watts of PC for 200$ or 440 watts of VHO for 350$ what is a better deal?
The VHOs, in time you can add in the MH's if you want. If you have the $$, do it right the first time (saving you $). With the VHO's you can keep about everything but SPS, that where MH come into play. HTH.

 

[tsx]

Heres a picture of a softie tank running on 4 65 w pc's (2 blue 2 10k) This was a tank of the month. :yes:

 

[chilidog]

Nice corals,but do u think i could get away with that same lightiing on 90 gal?

 

[tsx]

Probably not (all depends on the critters and a few other things), this is a 65 gallon; it also has 2 40 watt normal outputs;
But as you can see you don't have to have MH to have a nice tank.

 

[golfish]

you could setup a 2x250 watt MH's system for less then 400.00...here's a few prices
PFO dual ballast 158.00
2x mogul sockets with quick disconnects (23.00 each) 46.00
2x 15" refelctors (22.00 each) 44.00
2x250 watt 10K XM bulbs (65.00 each) 130.00
Total is 376.00
That's just an everyday price from Marine Depot.

 

[flatzboy]

He is still gonna need a canopy, most likely 2 fans. Which could run him another $150-$200 and thats if he builds the canopy himself.

 

[murray bmf]

I've had both and prefer VHO. But that just me!

 

[chilidog]

could i use a regular house fan to cool it down?

 

[bot587]

No... make sure you have built in fans (much mroe trustworthy. I would just go with the 350 or 400 watt VHO's

 

[chilidog]

Ok i found a 440 watt VHO retrofit.I am gonna make a hood out of Plexi-glass and silicon.i will add one fan because VHO dont get to hot. Do i need reflectors for the VHO bulbs that come with a built in 180 degree reflrcto?And will the plexi work?