girlina4x4
Member
Is 322 watts (power compact) enough for a 65 gallon tank? Its about 4.95 watts per gallon. I want a clam one day...
Wattage for 65 gallon
- Thread starter girlina4x4
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girlina4x4
Member
Oh and the tank is 36 x 24 x 18
girlina4x4
Member
Yep, its on craigslist. My bf saw me drooling over it and Im 99.999% positive its going to be my xmas present. In the pic there are all sorts of corals and a great looking anem, so I guess with pc's its possible to keep the good stuff?
I can always save up and add to the lights for a cool clam. Maybe like one MH reflected bulb?
I can always save up and add to the lights for a cool clam. Maybe like one MH reflected bulb?
scsinet
Active Member
A single MH would work, but T5 would also work.
You can keep anything with enough of any lighting technology. The problem with PC is it's high operational costs. The fixtures are usually inexpensive, but they cost a ton to maintain. A 322 watt fixture likely has (2) 96W and (2) 65W lamps.
PC lamps need to be replaced every 6 months, 96W lamps cost about $30 and 65W lamps cost about $25 each. That's 2*30 + 2*25, or $110 in lamps every 6 months, or $220 in lamps per year.
T5 on the other hand lasts for 2 years. A 6x39w T5 system would fit over your tank, let you keep anything you wanted, and assuming a lamp cost of about $22 per lamp, you're looking at $132 every 2 years.
Which means that after owning a T5 system for 2 years and one day, you've shelled out $132 in lamps. In that same period of time with a PC system, you've shelled out $440 in lamps. That's a savings of $308 in lamps alone in the first two years.
So you spend a couple hundred extra bucks to get a T5 system, and save $300 in 2 years. That more than makes up your initial investment.
That's probably why the thing is on craigslist. Don't forget that you probably have no idea how old the lamps are, so you'll probably need to invest in new ones from the get-go.
You can keep anything with enough of any lighting technology. The problem with PC is it's high operational costs. The fixtures are usually inexpensive, but they cost a ton to maintain. A 322 watt fixture likely has (2) 96W and (2) 65W lamps.
PC lamps need to be replaced every 6 months, 96W lamps cost about $30 and 65W lamps cost about $25 each. That's 2*30 + 2*25, or $110 in lamps every 6 months, or $220 in lamps per year.
T5 on the other hand lasts for 2 years. A 6x39w T5 system would fit over your tank, let you keep anything you wanted, and assuming a lamp cost of about $22 per lamp, you're looking at $132 every 2 years.
Which means that after owning a T5 system for 2 years and one day, you've shelled out $132 in lamps. In that same period of time with a PC system, you've shelled out $440 in lamps. That's a savings of $308 in lamps alone in the first two years.
So you spend a couple hundred extra bucks to get a T5 system, and save $300 in 2 years. That more than makes up your initial investment.
That's probably why the thing is on craigslist. Don't forget that you probably have no idea how old the lamps are, so you'll probably need to invest in new ones from the get-go.
girlina4x4
Member
Thank you! That was explained beautifully
I had been planning on buying lights for my current 29 gallon, so I can just get them for this tank instead after I buy the new live rock etc.
One more question, when you said one MH reflected bulb would work, did you mean if I added it to the existing PCs, or just one as the whole shebang? Are the costs of MH comparative to T5s? The reason I havent looked into MH before was I didnt have a canopy, but now I will (considering I actually get the tank). What should my wattage goal be?
One more question, when you said one MH reflected bulb would work, did you mean if I added it to the existing PCs, or just one as the whole shebang? Are the costs of MH comparative to T5s? The reason I havent looked into MH before was I didnt have a canopy, but now I will (considering I actually get the tank). What should my wattage goal be?
scsinet
Active Member
You could add a halide to that setup. You just need to figure a way to get them both to fit over the tank.
I calculate 65g from the dimensions you supplied *(Edit: Duh... it says 65g in your thread title
)*... so going by that, a single 250w would probably be enough, but 36" is a weird width. Halides tend to look best when placed every 24" or so, but 36" is a bit narrow for two of them. That's what led me to T5. Don't get me wrong, I run halides on both of my reef tanks, but I just don't think they are right for you.
With a 36" wide tank, IMO T5 is the best option.
Costwise, halides are a further complication. They need to be replaced about every year. One lamp costs anywhere from $60 to $110 depending on what lamp you get. Halides usually have a higher initial cost for some reason (I don't know why because halide fixtures are not as complex technically as others).
PC is usually cheapest to purchase initially, yet the most expensive to maintain. T5 is second, and halides are usually the priciest. T5 and halide are very, very close in efficiency, and both have their pros and cons. T5 is chosen by most aquarists who don't have the funds to shell out for a chiller.
I calculate 65g from the dimensions you supplied *(Edit: Duh... it says 65g in your thread title
With a 36" wide tank, IMO T5 is the best option.
Costwise, halides are a further complication. They need to be replaced about every year. One lamp costs anywhere from $60 to $110 depending on what lamp you get. Halides usually have a higher initial cost for some reason (I don't know why because halide fixtures are not as complex technically as others).
PC is usually cheapest to purchase initially, yet the most expensive to maintain. T5 is second, and halides are usually the priciest. T5 and halide are very, very close in efficiency, and both have their pros and cons. T5 is chosen by most aquarists who don't have the funds to shell out for a chiller.
girlina4x4
Member
Aha! I forgot about the chiller! Ok, then nevermind on the MH! I was just looking at the 6x39 Nova extreme pro for $298. Can these lights be mounted to the canopy or just use the leg fixtures?
culp
Active Member
Originally Posted by Girlina4x4
http:///forum/post/2880223
Aha! I forgot about the chiller! Ok, then nevermind on the MH! I was just looking at the 6x39 Nova extreme pro for $298. Can these lights be mounted to the canopy or just use the leg fixtures?
yea the Nova extreme pro is much better than CF. i don't know if you can mount it in a canopy but i'm sure if you tried hard enough you could.
http:///forum/post/2880223
Aha! I forgot about the chiller! Ok, then nevermind on the MH! I was just looking at the 6x39 Nova extreme pro for $298. Can these lights be mounted to the canopy or just use the leg fixtures?
yea the Nova extreme pro is much better than CF. i don't know if you can mount it in a canopy but i'm sure if you tried hard enough you could.
scsinet
Active Member
You'd be amazed what you can accomplish with zip ties.
Seriously though... if you had a canopy, all you need to do is nail/sc-rew some little blocks into the sides of the canopy to form a "lip" for those legs to sit on. Solved in 7 seconds... boy I am good!
By the way... one thing I forgot to mention before in case you noticed it.... yes, the 6x39w fixture is less wattage than the PC system. However, the physical properties of T5 lamps when coupled with individual reflectors (which the fixture you picked out does have) make them so much more efficient at delivering light to the tank, that the wattage discrepency is made up and then some.
That's why people say the "watts per gallon" rule is pretty much useless these days. T5s changed the game.
Seriously though... if you had a canopy, all you need to do is nail/sc-rew some little blocks into the sides of the canopy to form a "lip" for those legs to sit on. Solved in 7 seconds... boy I am good!
By the way... one thing I forgot to mention before in case you noticed it.... yes, the 6x39w fixture is less wattage than the PC system. However, the physical properties of T5 lamps when coupled with individual reflectors (which the fixture you picked out does have) make them so much more efficient at delivering light to the tank, that the wattage discrepency is made up and then some.
That's why people say the "watts per gallon" rule is pretty much useless these days. T5s changed the game.