second opinion

reefer Rob · #1 05/20/2006, 02:21 PM

I would like to keep some corals, inverts and such (understanding that certain corals just have to have MH... I guess), but wanted to get a second opinion on the single response I got in a thread I started in "Filtration, Lighting" forum linked below! $1200 for lighting is out there and maybe I should just say screw it and sell it all.

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...hreadid=848715

Thanks

Sk8r · #2 05/20/2006, 02:39 PM

Well, this is kind of like half an opinion, but let's define corals. There are sps, lps---the stony corals; there are mushrooms, zoos, and leathers, the soft corals. Of all these types, the ones that require mh are the sps, the branching sticks and cabbagelike plates. The lps stonies are much more forgiving of light source, and live on the bottom of my 52 gallon 250 w mh wedge tank. So you could keep just about anything except the spses with t-5's, vho fluorescents---am I right, people?
Inverts, no problem with either sort of lighting. Leather tanks are very showy, indistinguishable in beauty from the stony tanks, but much less light-hungry. Get people to show you the difference: ask: "Show me your mushroom only tanks." OR "Show me your Zoo tanks." or "Show me your sps tanks." Or even: "Show me your t5 tanks." People love to show off their corals, and you'll see what can be done without mh.

RandyP · #3 05/20/2006, 02:43 PM

I had 6 72inch VHO's over top of my 125 gallon tank for over 10 years and have kept anything I wanted even some SPS (but they were high up in the tank).....Clams, LPS, Solf corals etc all did great with no problems......Many of my LPS corals started as frags and ended up outgrowing the tank....MH's are nice and yes I do run them now over top of my SPS tank but if I ever went back to a mixed reef I would go back with VHO bulbs again....

reefer Rob · #4 05/20/2006, 02:47 PM

Great!! I have been looking at a number of corals, stonies, mushroom and things that require low-moderate lighting so I was pretty sure I didn't really need to rush out and spend thousands right now to have a nice looking tank, although I am smart enough to know that I WILL be limited until I do get MHs. Would you say 640 watts of VHO is LOW or Moderate?

GL · #5 05/20/2006, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sk8r
. So you could keep just about anything except the spses with t-5's, vho fluorescents---am I right, people?

WRONG!!!

If you don't want to go MH you could hang 2 of these.
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merch...ode=SunlightT5

There are some absolutely fabulous SPS tanks running T5's and VHO's

AZDesertRat · #6 05/20/2006, 03:05 PM

That is on the low side. Its a good start though as URI VHOs have great color and you can always add MH to it later and use the VHOs for actinics to supplement some 10K MH bulbs for fantastic growth and color.
You should be able to keep mushrooms, leathers, zoanthids, some LPS like candy corals and a few lower light SPS like digitatas and monti caps with the VHOs though.

SilverBack27 · #7 05/20/2006, 03:16 PM

I have 4 t5 bulbs over my 75 gal and like previously said I do have a few sps near the top of the tank and they are doing great. If I understand correctly the t5's cost less initially than vho's and they also don't use as much energy I love my t5's. But I also like the looks of all the other lighting abilities but like you they are 2 costly for me to purchase at this time. remember this is just my opinion so don't take it to heart.

Shooter7 · #8 05/20/2006, 03:24 PM

Do you have a canopy on this tank? If so, you could do the retrofit setups with MH for much cheaper than you quoted above.

reefer Rob · #9 05/20/2006, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AZDesertRat
That is on the low side. Its a good start though as URI VHOs have great color and you can always add MH to it later and use the VHOs for actinics to supplement some 10K MH bulbs for fantastic growth and color.
You should be able to keep mushrooms, leathers, zoanthids, some LPS like candy corals and a few lower light SPS like digitatas and monti caps with the VHOs though.

PERRRRRFECT!!! THAT is EXACTLY what I want!!!

You all are great, and I aprecite all your input. I knew there was life without MH (at least for now, I mean hell I've only had a SW tank for less than 2 months now so SPS are probably out of my leage for now anyway)

Hats off to all of you!

Thanks a million!!!

reefer Rob · #10 05/20/2006, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shooter7
Do you have a canopy on this tank? If so, you could do the retrofit setups with MH for much cheaper than you quoted above.

Yes i do have a canopy, in fact the link in my 1st post to to a retrofit VHO kit

AZDesertRat · #11 05/20/2006, 04:57 PM

www.hellolights.com is probably your best bet for any do it yourself or retrofit lighting and bulbs. I also use www.customaquatic.com for lots of supplies.

reefer Rob · #12 05/20/2006, 04:58 PM

Quote:

GL There are some absolutely fabulous SPS tanks running T5's and VHO's

So would I (or rather my livestock) be better off with T-5s or VHOs?

AZDesertRat · #13 05/20/2006, 05:02 PM

Personal preference. I would personally hold off on T5 until URI comes out with T5 bulbs. There is not a bulb available today that has the fluorescing capability of the URI VHO SuperActinic. Its the best looking bulb around hands down. I think lots of people are waiting on the new T5 to come out before making a switch or at least to see if they want to make the switch. The same ballast will work with either so you cant really go wrong either way.

reefer Rob · #14 05/20/2006, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AZDesertRat
Personal preference. I would personally hold off on T5 until URI comes out with T5 bulbs. There is not a bulb available today that has the fluorescing capability of the URI VHO SuperActinic. Its the best looking bulb around hands down. I think lots of people are waiting on the new T5 to come out before making a switch or at least to see if they want to make the switch. The same ballast will work with either so you cant really go wrong either way.

Cool Thanks, think I'll stick with the URI Vho for now!

GL · #15 05/20/2006, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by reefer Rob
So would I (or rather my livestock) be better off with T-5s or VHOs?

You could use either. From what I understand though, and I have not used VHO but I do have T5's, you get better light penetration and par from T5's with less wattage mostly because the T5's (when done correctly) have an individual reflector for each bulb.

I would suggest that before you purchase to do some good research on each type of lights because lighting is one of the most expensive components of your setup, you want to make the best choice for you the first time if you can, it is expensive to change later.

There are some pro's and con for each setup from power consumption to bulb life to even too much lighting for some types of corals... etc.

There are some real good threads on RC about lighting.

Just so you know.... Lighting was my most difficult decision when setting up my tank.

I wish you the best of luck with your setup, your on the right track asking as many question as you need to to make a good choice.

fservillon · #16 05/20/2006, 05:33 PM

or you could buy one of these is 250W or 400W version and keep anything you would ever want. i bought one of these 250W version two years ago and still going strong. i now use only one because i switched to a cube. it has been performing great and the only thing i have replaced is the bulb. jme. hth.
fernan

ps: i gues the link would help
http://cgi.ebay.com/3-X-175-watt-MET...QQcmdZViewItem

GL · #17 05/20/2006, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AZDesertRat
I think lots of people are waiting on the new T5 to come out before making a switch or at least to see if they want to make the switch.

A little off topic but did you see that reefgeek and other places are accepting pre-orders now?

I can't wait to see what they are going to be like.