Working on a reef

leopard_babe

leopard_babe

Active Member
I want a reef. I am getting new lights for my tank. I want mh, but I think they may not fly with my parents. What corals could I keep if I got vho instead? I have a 46 gallon bow. It is not very deep. I know I would be more limited with my corals if I don't have mh. I really am interested in a simple, hardy, nice looking reef. What do you guys think?
 
leopard_babe

leopard_babe

Active Member
I am just a little nervous about buying mh. Then I would have to constantly run my chiller, and the new lights. I am thinking my parents are not going to like that. Would pc, or vho be less expensive to run as mh or the same? Is it still going to make my tank hotter, or not as much? I am learning about lights, but I still really don't know that much about them. I think that mh is the way to go, but I am not sure if I can afford to run them.
Thanks for the help,
Leopard
 
sandman12

sandman12

Active Member
PC and VHO r cheaper ro run. u wont need a chiller for PC or VHO but chances r u will for MH. If u do go MH the chiller needs to be plumbed outside or in a room that u dont mind getting real hott. MH will give u a better out come in teh look and growth of ur coral. But there is a bigger price tag. Depends what ur limitaitons r.
 
leopard_babe

leopard_babe

Active Member
I have a chiller on my 180. I know how that works, and the price. Price is not really the option, when it comes to the lights. I live at home and don't want to run up my parents bills. I thought perhaps instead of runnning mh, I could run pc or vho. I don' really want to have to run a chiller full time and mh. So you think that I could still have a nice reef with vho, and or pc?
Thanks ,
Leopard
 
leopard_babe

leopard_babe

Active Member
My tank currently runs at about 80.7 degrees. If I have mh I know the water will be hotter by a few degrees. So I would want a chiller to maintain anything higher then 80.
Thanks for the help!!
Leopard
 
sleons

sleons

Member
I live in the VERY hot south Texas and my tank is currently 82.5 degrees and I am told thats OK, providing your tempature does not fluxuate. I keep my heater set at 82 degrees. :)
 
salty cheese

salty cheese

Active Member
Here's the lights that I bought for 46 gal. bow. As far as PC vs VHO it seems to come down to personal preferance but both offer good lighting, as far temps go that set up raised mine about 2 deg. but a fan will take care of that.
HTH S.C.:)
 
salty cheese

salty cheese

Active Member

Originally posted by Leopard_babe
Do those lights just sit on top of your tank, or do you have them in a ballast, or a canopy?
A ballast is what powers the lights, yes I have a canopy. The retro kits just screw into the top of the canopy, it took 5 min. to install them.
 
leopard_babe

leopard_babe

Active Member
Did you make that canopy? I want one for my bow, and have look for them, but I have not yet seen one anywhere. Your tank looks very nice. Hopefully my tank will look that good when I am done with it.
Thanks for the eye candy,
Leopard
 
salty cheese

salty cheese

Active Member

Originally posted by Leopard_babe
Did you make that canopy? I want one for my bow, and have look for them, but I have not yet seen one anywhere. Your tank looks very nice. Hopefully my tank will look that good when I am done with it.

Yes I made it. Actually that pic is 2 months old, you can't tell from the pic but my rock looks much better now.
Thanks for the eye candy
You can see my reflection in the glass?:D
 
houseplant

houseplant

Member
:D stick with the polyps. such as silver eye and zoo polyps. super hardy, easy going with different light and flow types.. and spread through the tank fast. not expensive either.. ps. nice picture. ahaha
 
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