Lighting question

drinkhomebrew · #1 08/15/2006, 02:08 AM

I am setting up a new reef tank. I have had fish only salt water tanks for 7 years and have decided to give reef a try. I am looking at this: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...&N=2004+113345

I just bought a 55 gallon tank. I plan on putting a 30 gallon refuge in the stand. Just want to know if anyone has used lighting from this manufactuer, and if this unit will produce enough light.

aLucidDream · #2 08/15/2006, 02:27 AM

With a reef the lighting is going to be one of the more costly things you are going to have to buy. I've been running the Current Orbit hood on my 75gallon thats 48" with pretty good results. Thing is your pretty limited to what you can put in the tank as far as corals go. A couple of LPS,softies,mushrooms. Personally I wasnt happy with it.

I've recently started my tank from scratch....I'm going with the T-5 lights. Check them out from Drfoster's also....Current makes a T5 hood also I'm pretty sure. Plus they have leds(moon lights) built into the hood and thats a plus.

Hope I helped somewhat.

drinkhomebrew · #3 08/15/2006, 02:45 AM

T5 puts out more light the compacts?

kau_cinta_ku · #4 08/15/2006, 04:50 AM

T5HO's put out more light than pc's as long as you have good quality individual reflectors on them

drinkhomebrew · #5 08/15/2006, 12:47 PM

can you recommend a fixture with moon lights?

hahnmeister · #6 08/15/2006, 01:34 PM

Ouch... not really. The best bet for a fixture would prolly be a SLS Tek light from www.reefgeek.com. A 4 or 6 bulb unit would work on a 55g. But they dont have moonlights on them.

I would consider that a good thing though. I prefer not to have built in moonlights myself. I like those positionable moonlights myself... you can play more with the angles and not just have 3 fixed moonlights. I would just get the Tek light and buy this seperate for the moonlight...
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...product=IC5513

Best of oth worlds.