What's the best reef light for

[nillan00]

Hey Everyone!
I'm looking to upgrade my lighting for a 75 gallon reef (only LPS and softies) and I'm hoping to spend under $500... Unfortunately I'm even more confused about lights now then when i started my search, so I'm basically just asking for any opinions on what exact setup (MH, VHO, T5, PC) you would get if you were in my position. Also, if you know where you can get the setup could you let me know that too?
Thank you so much for any help- boy do I need it!
Nilla

 

[~sc~emt~]

MH or VHO would be great, you could probablly do both which makes are really nice lighting system. MH is goign to be the most expensive, VHO after that, but you can get both under 500.

 

[sonewfish]

I was in a similar situation. I settled on a coral life compact flourescent with day, atinic, and lunar lights. It is a moderate light source which will allow you to have some LPS, Soft, and Mushroom corals. It sells just under $300.00 for a 48" light. You would also need timers to make it work just right.

 

[thomas712]

Question:
Do you have a regular 48 inch hood/canopy over your tank?
If so the 48 inch bulbs with endcaps will not fit in there, I belive it comes out to 49 1/2 inches with endcaps. This may alter your plans. Or perhaps you can custom build a canopy. Same sortof thing goes with the MH lighting, you will need to have a tall canopy to keep the lights away from the water.
So what kind of canopy do you have?
Thomas

 

[sergeant]

I currently have 3 VHO tubes 46!/2" long under my hood in a 55 gallon and they work like a champ. I use a IceCap Ballast with a timer to power them. With a small fan to cool them off it was still under $500.
If you get the actinic lights they look bright white.
If you get the lights made by the U.R.I. company then it will look pink.

 

[thomas712]

Originally posted by Sergeant
If you get the lights made by the U.R.I. company then it will look pink.

Only the Aquasun has the pink cast to it, its still a very nice bulb with the tri phospers, and when run on a ice cap ballest can last longer than most bulbs, I just don't like the pink cast.
All the other VHO bulbs by URI are fantastic IMO.

 

[nillan00]

Hey again!
No, I don't have a canopy- just a premade PC fixture that I'm planning on scrapping... I can get one custombuilt for cheap so that wouldn't be a problem at all.
BTW-How often do you have to replace VHO lights- somewhere I read every 3months which would definitley add up...
Also, is there any benefit to using 46 or 48" bulbs?
Finally, does setting up/wiring up a retrofit kit take a lot of electical knowledge or can anyone with a bit of a background handle it?
Thanks again!
Nilla

 

[masala4080]

I got 2, 400w MH on the famous auction site (not allowed to post links) for under $250. + shipping ($40). Now I will build a canopy and instal the lights into it. Here is a pic to show all that I got with the purchase.

 

[dr reef]

Here is 4 48'' uri vho on a 55 gal..............Yes they are 48'' not 46.5''

 

[golfish]

If it were me I'd go with a 2x250 watt HQI setup..Its going to cost you a little more then 500.00 but it will be well worth it...Probably around 600.00

 

[eaglefan]

I bought 2 250 watt mh and 440 watts of vho ontop of my tank for less than 500.00 this included building my own canopy and bulbs.

 

[eaglefan]

You can also do 2 vho actinics like the four on Dr. Reef's tank and then put two 250 mh in between the two vhos's. This would give u enough light to growth most corals in your 75.
Good luck

 

[nillan00]

Thanks again everyone!
eaglesfan- could you let me know where I could get a setup like that for under 500? I've been looking and I just keep finding setups around 7 or 800...
Also, about those setups available on that famous auction site- are they quality? Since I am so clueless when it comes to lighting I'm afraid that I would get ripped off.
finally, about MHs- would I have to get a chiller or would it be sufficient to put fans in the hood? Like I guess my question is by how much would 2x250W over a 75 gallon raise the temp?
Thanks!!!!
Nilla

 

[thomas712]

Originally posted by nillan00
BTW-How often do you have to replace VHO lights- somewhere I read every 3months which would definitley add up...
Nilla

no way, unless you had the wrong ballast, more like about 8-10 months depending on how long you run your lighting per day. With the right ballast they can last longer, also depends on what bulbs you get.
Thomas

 

[blitt]

Current USA Orbit has a PC fixture that is 4x 130 520 watts I've seen it for around $510.00. They also have a 2x 150 hqi MH and 2x !30 Actinic 560 watts I just purchased for $655.50
Do a WWW search to find them

 

[poop_head]

Yes I also suggest that famous auction site for just about anything now a days. You can usually get great deals off there. I got a current usa orbit 4x65 PC with lunar lights for $230 total and it works great for me. So I'm sure you could find a system of VHO and MH close to around $500 on that famous auction website.

 

[ucdpike2001]

Originally posted by eaglefan
I bought 2 250 watt mh and 440 watts of vho ontop of my tank for less than 500.00 this included building my own canopy and bulbs.
Does any one else think 940 watts on a 110 is over kill?!?

 

[eaglefan]

the vho are all super actnic. The mh are 10,000k xm bulbs. Some might think it's over kill I thought so when I bought the mh and I was going to sell the vho fixture but everything is doing great so I keep it all. Plus if I upgrade the tank in the future I golden.

 

[sammiefish]

i use 2x250W MH (20000K) and 2x110W VHO actinic...(cost about 500) I think that I could easily add 2 more VHO's... but then again I like the blue 20000K MH so if i were to use a different bulb maybe I wouldnt feel the same way..

 

[thomas712]

Originally posted by ucdpike2001
Does any one else think 940 watts on a 110 is over kill?!?
Nah, thats what I have over my 90 gallon. 440 VHO +500 MH.
But I don't run my halides all day either, 2,3 sometimes 4 hours only per day.
Thomas