Lighting suggestion

thebradybunch · #1 01/05/2008, 09:01 PM

I have a 72 gallon bow. I want to have softies ans SPS. I am using CF now but am going to upgrade to MH in the future. I was at my LFS talking with them. They suggested I go with 2 175w retrofits MH and use 20k bulbs. They said by using the 20ks I would get a buish color and I would not need and atinics. They have a couple tanks set up that way and they do look good. I currently like having my atinics come on 1 hour prior to my daylights and going off 1 hour later which I couldn't do if MH was the only lighting I had. What do you guys think about this idea?
Thanks

NealNano · #2 01/05/2008, 09:26 PM

The coral life aqualight advanced is a very nice light. It is a 48 inch 3 x150 watt hqi. This will give you much better light coverage that 2x175. Check out hellolights.com

norwall · #3 01/05/2008, 09:28 PM

Yeah, wouldn't recomend anything under 250w HQI for acro personally. I do run HQI only and kind of miss "dusk / dawn effect" when you use a combination actinic / halide. 20K are pretty weak, would look at the more intense 13k / 14k if you are not going to use supplement actinics.

norwall · #4 01/05/2008, 09:32 PM

Another question to ask yourself is will you be able to adjust the height of the lights like a pendant or are you intent on mounting them in a hood?

thebradybunch · #5 01/05/2008, 10:38 PM

I am going to use retrofits. I have a unique setup. The person I bought my tank from bought 2 bowfront stands. The second one is used as a canopy so I actually have 34" of height. I want to use retrofits because the inside width of the stand is only around 44" My plans is to mount the kit on a piece of wood and put the wood with the lights on it on a suspension kit so I can raise it out of the way for tank maintance.

norwall · #6 01/05/2008, 10:44 PM

That actually sounds like a very cool situation to me. IMO I would tend to buy more intense lighting. It can be raised up if it is too much. Check out some of the lighting articles on here and the web and read alot before you buy.

thebradybunch · #7 01/05/2008, 10:55 PM

I have been reading all I can find. I have a cheap fixture now and when the bulbs have to be replaced I am going to change to MHs. I think with the way my top is I can be pretty creative. Do you think the 175w 14k would be ok with atinics added? I really want both MH and atinics.

norwall · #8 01/05/2008, 11:08 PM

IMO I would go with HQI and actinics, yes. Just gives you more flexability. With supplementation alot of people go with 10k halide. 14k with actinics may give you the 20k "look" if you like alot of blue light.

Neptune420 · #9 01/06/2008, 02:33 AM

I have a 70 bowfront and I'm upgrading from 2 175w to 2 250w hqi, which is what I would reccomend. If you still want to go with 175w Im lookin to get rid of mine. They are from hellolights and I have only used them for a few months. I was going to sell them on ebay, but if anyones interested let me know.

Neptune420 · #10 01/06/2008, 02:40 AM

This forum is not for selling. whoops sorry.