36' on a 30?

|233F gee|< · #1 12/04/2007, 01:57 PM

A little confused here, would anyone have a suggestion on this dillemma I have.

I have a 30 square tank, but I have a 36 fixture. I was thinking of using this fixture, do you think the light pollution produced by this would be too intense and I should just sell it and go for a smaller fixture?

The fixture is a 36' tek 8 bulb fixture in perfect condition, with bulbs. Less then 6 months on it.

cheers
David

MalHavoc · #2 12/04/2007, 02:01 PM

Can the fixture be hung like a pendant? You're only talking about 3" on each end, an the bulbs won't go right to the end. There are end caps, possibly fans, the side of the hood, etc. I don't think it'd be bad.

Vin7250 · #3 12/04/2007, 02:08 PM

youll get a bunch of ambient light escaping from the tank but other then that youll be fine

mg426 · #4 12/04/2007, 02:18 PM

If you can make it work why not.

kiknchikn · #5 12/04/2007, 02:21 PM

I've been considering the same thing for a 29g tank I'm setting up. It's hard to find a 30" fixture, but there are plenty of 36" ones.

|233F gee|< · #6 12/04/2007, 02:29 PM

Yea its only 3 on each side of the fixture, I figured it shouldn't be so bad. Its going to be hung like a pendant. My other option is to use a 400 watt Radium 20k on Lumerac pendant, and sell the tek 8 fixture, but that wont give me dawn dusk effects like I enjoy and can setup on my aquacontroller III. If I stick with the tek 5 setup I will opt for some new geisman and ATI bulbs as well a procolor. So what do you think 8 bulbs Tek5 or 400 watt radium?

David

kiknchikn · #7 12/04/2007, 02:33 PM

What are you trying to keep and what growth rates do you want?

I'm leaning towards T5s myself because of heat issues and potentially energy savings. I don't care much about growth rates, as I'm rather patient and my tank is small.

MalHavoc · #8 12/04/2007, 02:46 PM

The problem with the radium is that it won't cover a 3 foot spread. You'll get some pretty dim areas near the end. It's also a lot of light for a 17" tank. I'd go with the T5s.

|233F gee|< · #9 12/04/2007, 03:24 PM

kiknchikn

As far as growth rates, I would say getting great growth is really what we all want eventually, well I would say secondary only to having a healthy and thriving ecosystem.

Jason,
I didn't realise the Radium at 400 watts wouldn't cover the entire 30 square area, you think this would be the case even with a Lumenarc reflector? ( The AIII MINI) I'm not doubting you but curious here. I would think it would disperse if raised high enough over the aqaurium.

I have really enjoyed the Tek5 lighting in the past, but I am more concered with coloration in this new setup. I do not want pale or pastal colors, rather vibrant blues and greens. I'm kinda doing a color scheme. I'm just afraid that not only will I have light pollution with my exsisting fixture but that I may not get the colors Im after. I'm choosing brightly colored frags only for this setup. Do you think that with proper care I can obtain deep coloration even with T5 lighting? 8 bulbs over driven should be sufficent for a 17 deep tank correct?

cheers
david

kiknchikn · #10 12/04/2007, 03:30 PM

Not covering the entire area isn't always a bad thing. It means you can keep lower light corals in that area, some of which are as beautiful (if not more so) than stony corals. Ricordea yumas for example.

If you want fast growth MH is a lot better from most of the opinions I've read while researching for new lights.

If I were you I'd see how your current lights do and then decide if you need to switch. No sense selling the T5s until you're sure they arent right for you.

dcombs44 · #11 12/04/2007, 05:23 PM

i have 2 250 watt mh on my 55 built into a canopy for a 75 gallon. I wanted to position the reflectors front to back and they are too wide for a 55, so I bought a 75 canopy. I attached shepard's hooks to the back of my stand and hung the canopy from them over my tank. Kind of ugly but works well.