What do i do for lighting?

derekc

derekc

Member
i have a 55 gallon reef tank i got the kit from walmart...the stand tank..blah..i have a fluval 305 and a aqua clear overhang...the top has the standard hoods that are plastic and plexiglass with normal 15 Watt lights...tropical fish lights. I need to know should i buy a dofferent hood or can i just buy the marine glow or aqua glow bulbs to replace i wanna grow coral and all kinds of colorfull stuff...thanks derek
 
farslayer

farslayer

Active Member
The marine glo and aqua glo are still crappy bulbs with no usable output. You'll need to remove the hoods and get some good lighting.
 
joncat24

joncat24

Active Member
you are goint to need a 48" fixture for your tank. Depending on what you want to keep, you can get power compacts, t5's or metal halides. The halides are expensive , but you can keep any type of coral, clam or anenome that you want. If you think that is what you eventually want, then you are better off to buy halides up front, instead of buying pc's and then having to upgrade later.
Alot of people say that t-5's are okay for sps corals and clams but I think halide is the way to go if you have the budget for them. They give a shimmer effect on the water that no other light can provide that is awesome to view, and they are very intense lights.
pm me with any questions
 
derekc

derekc

Member
ok but how will the light stay on top if i remove the hoods?? how much are the hoods and lighting?
 
joncat24

joncat24

Active Member
Right, the lights have legs that sit on your tank frame.
lights run anywhere from $100 for pcs to 800 for halides.
You can get the Odyssea halides for $379 shipped. Alot of people dont like them. But I love em and for the money you cant go wrong. They are now made by the same people who make current lights, so they are alot better than they used to be.
 
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