What kind of Lights?
- Thread starter johnc3
- Start date
option720
Member
Originally posted by Johnc3:
<strong> I really don't want to spend a whole lot.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Lighting is one of those areas where you are going to have to spend a fair amount for the benifit of your inhabitants. If you want a reef set up you have three options:
1. Power Compact Fluorescent (PC)
2. Very High Output Fluorescent (VHO)
3. Metal Halide (MH)
At a very minimum and mean minimum you will spend $125 for any of these options.
First you need to decided what you want to keep in your tank. If it is just fish and only low light corals (mushrooms, etc.) than Normal Output Fluorescent bulbs will work. If you want to keep more light demanding corals, you will need VHO or PC lights. If you want to acropora and other SPS coral and Clams, then i would choose MH. This is a very confusing and contreversial subject in this hobby. If i were you i would research, research, research, and know that no one is exactly correct. Some will dispute what i have said, and say you can keep clams with PC. Maybe they have, would I...NO. Become educated, and then it becomes option. Good Luck and ask question.
Is a 46 gallon a bow front tank?
<strong> I really don't want to spend a whole lot.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Lighting is one of those areas where you are going to have to spend a fair amount for the benifit of your inhabitants. If you want a reef set up you have three options:
1. Power Compact Fluorescent (PC)
2. Very High Output Fluorescent (VHO)
3. Metal Halide (MH)
At a very minimum and mean minimum you will spend $125 for any of these options.
First you need to decided what you want to keep in your tank. If it is just fish and only low light corals (mushrooms, etc.) than Normal Output Fluorescent bulbs will work. If you want to keep more light demanding corals, you will need VHO or PC lights. If you want to acropora and other SPS coral and Clams, then i would choose MH. This is a very confusing and contreversial subject in this hobby. If i were you i would research, research, research, and know that no one is exactly correct. Some will dispute what i have said, and say you can keep clams with PC. Maybe they have, would I...NO. Become educated, and then it becomes option. Good Luck and ask question.
Is a 46 gallon a bow front tank?
marine qa
Member
I have a 46 as well but I keep no corals. Consequenty, my tank looks and runs well with standard 36inc flows (one actinic, one white).
As stated above, lighting is a complicated and highly debated issue, and one that deserves allot of attention. That being said, here is my opinion: If you want to keep hard and soft corals MH is the way to go. PCs or VHOs work for many but in the end I do not believe that any light replicates the sun's intensity or broad spectrum of light the way MHs will.
Unfortunately, MHs are the most expensive. For $200. I would look for used MHs fixtures (more than one preferably).
As stated above, lighting is a complicated and highly debated issue, and one that deserves allot of attention. That being said, here is my opinion: If you want to keep hard and soft corals MH is the way to go. PCs or VHOs work for many but in the end I do not believe that any light replicates the sun's intensity or broad spectrum of light the way MHs will.
Unfortunately, MHs are the most expensive. For $200. I would look for used MHs fixtures (more than one preferably).
C
cruises8
Guest
For $200 you should be able to buy a 2-3 lamp VHO kit from Hellolights.com. This will get you a good amount of light for a decent price.
C
cruises8
Guest
I just checked hellolights.com. You can get the 3 lamp VHO retro-fit kit for $200 + $10.95/shipping.
The 2 lamp kit would cost $173 + $10.95/shipping.
If you have a canopy, you can fit these lights into it. That what these kits are meant to used for!
The 2 lamp kit would cost $173 + $10.95/shipping.
If you have a canopy, you can fit these lights into it. That what these kits are meant to used for!
deltron3030
New Member
<a href="http://www.aquaticlight.com" target="_blank">http://www.aquaticlight.com</a> , they hav 175w retros ( no reflector tho)for cheap, less than $200, just get a 12000k bulb and you wouldnt need any actinic supplements HTH 