|
|
|
|
#1
02/17/2004, 10:25 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Lighting for a 58gallon Oceanic
I was wondering how much lighting I need for a 58 gallon oceanic tank for those of you who dont know it is only 36 in wide. I have a 110 watt pc on there. All I want is xenia and green star polyp corals. I know I know this is how the "bug" starts but I am curious as to what other 58 owners are doing. I had someone tell me that the 110 would be fine as long as they are at the surface. I am torn because I want to upgrade to a 75 or 90 so I hate to buy another light fixture for the 36in tank if in say a year or so I am looking to upgrade. Of course I know as a fish tank owner we are always looking to upgrade
 .Thank you in advance for your advice,Lacey |
|
#2
02/17/2004, 10:39 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Is there a brace in the middle? If not a nice 175w metal halide in the center and using your PC's as actinic supplements would probably look really nice. Then you could just get another MH when you switch to the 4 foot tank.
__________________
Rich Overton Hit the little red house above for the ARC website! You know you want to! |
|
#3
02/17/2004, 10:56 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
I'm in the process of laying out my 58 gal. I'm going to go with 1-250w MH using a XM 10k bulb and either the PFO Parallel, PFO Optimal or a spider reflector. For supplimentals, I'm thinking 2 39w T5 actinics. Good luck!
__________________
Bret Carrollton, Texas |
|
#4
02/17/2004, 11:33 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
No there is not a center brace on it. I have been leery of halide but I also hadnt thought of adding it plus using the pc for actinic thats a great idea. Now I have more to research keep the ideas coming!
Lacey |
|
#5
02/17/2004, 11:56 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
I have a 58 ... used to have 1 175w MH + 2 55w PC's [actinic] on it ... but when I got the SPS bug I upgraded to two 175w MH's + a parallel reflector [PFO] - both which made me very happy.
Reflector matters a LOT, esp when trying to illuminate 36" instead of the 24" that a PFO perp/optimal reflector is made for ... plus the dual `point source' gives great color everywhere on the corals in the center. When I upgrade [if] I can just plop the same lights on a 48" tank and be good to go [with a larger reflector].
__________________
read a lot, think for yourself |
|
#6
02/17/2004, 12:06 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
I had a 58 gal tank and had 4 VHO's using 660 Icecap ballast. This provides enough light for any soft corals. Also allows you to upgrade from 3' bulbs to 4' bulbs when you upgrade tanks. You can also add the MH in the future if you want. By the way Icecaps ballast will run VHO's, PC or NO flourescents.
|
|
#7
02/17/2004, 01:06 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
On my 58 I have a single Halide it is a 250 HQI DE setup with a Aqualine AB bulb and nothing else and lights the tank well with sps under halide and sofites and lps on the sides and all does well and if you plan to upgrade to a larger tank later on all you need is a second one.
|
|
#9
02/17/2004, 02:06 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
I have some pics of my tank in the gallery I think ... ones from Dec and before are the single halide on mediocre reflector ... most recent is 2 MH's.
Or, check out my reflector/light upgrade thread here: http://www.reeffreaks.com/viewtopic.php?t=2139 [sorry, another site ]It has before [single MH] and after [PFO parallel reflector, with each of the two bulbs and both pics]. The reflector makes a HUGE difference [though HQI I thought were designed to work for a 2 x 2 area and not longer like the PFO parallel/mogul-based one.
__________________
read a lot, think for yourself |
|
#10
02/17/2004, 05:11 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Qzone forgive me if this is a dumb question but how many watts are the 4 vhos? How hard is it to set up my own lighting? I have always looked at the full hoods I know they are spendy but I hadnt thoght to do corals until recently. Thank you all for the replys keep em commin I like alot of feed back.
|
|
|
Linear Mode
