lighting help needed

[kessel]

I've had a 75 gallon salt water tank for almost one year now. I've got about 60 lbs. of live rock, 3 fish, 2 cleaner shrimp, crabs and snails. My lighting right now is pretty weak....100 watts. (a 50/50 bulb and a separate actinic bulb)

I'd like to put some coral in there one day but I know I need to take care of my lighting situation. What do I do? Metal Halide or Power Compact? I'd like to spend around $300 if possible. Any ideas?

[Demon]

Kessel.

It really depends on what you want to keep....
If you was only wanting low to med light corals you could go with a 4 bulb 110watt VHO Kit..
Premium Aquatics has them for $331.00....Would be 440 watts of light..Not bad..

Or if you wanted higher light loving corals then you could go with a 2X250watt MH system..

There again from Premium Aquatics... a Dual 6.5K *Iwasaki* 250watt MH retro is like $334.80. And then you could use the two fixtures you have now for additional actinic lighting..

These are just two of your many choices..
Hope to have helped..

I myself have a 75gal with 2X250 Iwasaki and 3X110 watt VHO...
Laterz

[Phillstone]

Hi Kessel, Demon gave some good options there.

You need to decide what you want to keep. Most softies and LPS will do great great under 440w VHO as well a few montipora and porites. If you want to get into the world of Acropora and other SPS or clams you will need to go w/ MetalHalide.

Do some surfing and dream building and decide what you want your tank to be when it grows up.

Have fun with it Phill

[kessel]

Thanks for your guidance with the lighting issue. I had a followup. I've been told that the 4x65w power compact system manufactured by sealife would be a nice fit for my tank as opposed to metal halides. I'm a neophyte in the coral world right now. I am going to start out rather slow and learn. With this in mind, I'm not expecting to get into coral that need incredible amounts of light.

I guess my question is....does 260 watts seem appropriate? My tank is 48 inches long and i think 20 inches deep? i've been told that metal halide is far more difficult to maintain than regular power compact lighting....is this true?

Thanks again for your help. I truly appreciate it.

Mike

[ron4675]

Well, I have NO experience with Metal Halide, but I have been using PC lamps for about 3 years. I have a 55 gallon aquarium that has 4x55 watt pc lamps and my sps acroporia corals, meat coarls, mushrooms, and yellow polyps are doing great. Growth is amazing. I like pc because the lamps last around 12 - 14 months. The setups are generally cheaper, once you get the right combo of lamp kelvin it is also pleasing to look at. I have some picutures down in the selling forum of my mother colony of sps. Metro Detroit sps for sale is the heading.

[Demon]

kessel,
IMO a 4X65watt PC system would be on the very LOW side of lighting..For about the same money you could get a 4X110 VHO set up and IMO the vho looks much better..Myself personally would go with ATLEAST 440watt VHO...You can go MH for about the same price and have a LOT more choices of corals you can keep..

As for as being more dificult to maintain..PHOOEY..lol...Nothint to really maintain...What do you have to maintain?...If you think about it how could MH be more difficult than PC or VHO...All the same basic thing.. ballast, bulbts, and sockets...thats pretty much it..
HTH
Ralph

[cacplkings]

I have to agree. The Pc's will not give you enough by themselves and you will end up spending more later. Go with VHO or MH. I personally now have a 175w MH and 2 55w PC acentics on my 29 gallon.

Chris