Need lighting help for LARGE tank.

PJsStuff · #1 12/25/2007, 08:38 PM

Im looking to build either a 72"L X 48"wX 25"T Or 96"L X 48"w X25"t tank. I want to have a little bit of everything in it. Some SPS too. I also want a lighting system that isn't going to cost an arm and a leg to run each month. I was looking at the LED lights but the $7k+ sticker price is keeping me away. Any other ideas? I'm not real good with lighting. Thanks for any advice.

PJsStuff · #2 12/26/2007, 07:34 PM

anyone??

oct2274 · #3 12/26/2007, 07:42 PM

i would go with halides, T5HO, or a mix of both. To save money in the long run I would just do T5HO retro's. It a little bit easier to get good coverage with T5HO and will probably save you a little money in electricity as long as you make sure you get good individual bulb reflectors like the IceCap SLR. Another great thing about T5HO is since you'll be running more bulbs you can mix the bulbs to get the perfect color. If not overdriven by icecap ballasts the bulbs should last atleast 1.5 years. I highly recommend reefgeek.com for T5HO gear. They are also very helpful if you call them.

reef_doug · #4 12/26/2007, 08:03 PM

I would do 3 x 250w HQI for 72" or 4 x 250w HQI for 96". For a 48" wide tank I would use Lumenarc DE pendants.

mrpet · #5 12/26/2007, 08:32 PM

i have a 72"x"48x"25 tank im going with all t5s 14 of them 80w each. tank is going to be almost all sps. i ilke the idea of mixing diff bulbs to get the look you want plus almost no "dead" spots of light.

PJsStuff · #6 12/26/2007, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by reef_doug
I would do 3 x 250w HQI for 72" or 4 x 250w HQI for 96". For a 48" wide tank I would use Lumenarc DE pendants.

would just 3 of them cover the 48" width?

PJsStuff · #7 12/26/2007, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oct2274
i would go with halides, T5HO, or a mix of both. To save money in the long run I would just do T5HO retro's. It a little bit easier to get good coverage with T5HO and will probably save you a little money in electricity as long as you make sure you get good individual bulb reflectors like the IceCap SLR. Another great thing about T5HO is since you'll be running more bulbs you can mix the bulbs to get the perfect color. If not overdriven by icecap ballasts the bulbs should last atleast 1.5 years. I highly recommend reefgeek.com for T5HO gear. They are also very helpful if you call them.

How many watts of T5 bulbs would i need? Iv never used T5 before. I have some experience with MH (got two 150w's over my 75gal)

oct2274 · #8 12/26/2007, 08:50 PM

well, before you make any lighting moves we need to know which tank you are going with first.

PJsStuff · #9 12/26/2007, 08:54 PM

i had a feeling you would say that. Im leaning twords the 96"x48x25"

slow_leak · #10 12/26/2007, 09:18 PM

This is an interesting problem.

First I would recommend only external ELECTRONIC metal halide ballasts . You will be producing considerable heat and they run cooler. Also an electronic ballasts can run a variety of lights instead of one preferred bulb type.

I would also consider a simple lighting design that gives you what you want. For example 2 X 400 watt moguls with Luminarc reflector as daylight bulbs in the 10-14K range, and a series of VHO bulbs. I wouldn't mail order anything over 48". T5HO are popular but require more bulbs with a mix of actinics and white bulbs to suit your taste. I wouldn't get many or any HQI 20K bulbs as I have found VHO to have much better coloration at dusk.

Am am very pleased with my lighting on a 48W 24W 28D. I Use 250X2 HQI 14K and 1 t5 actinic and 1 t5 daylight. I have the option to run another 150W HQI but don't currently. (previously 20K).

I would also go with smaller tank. I don't expect you to understand till laterr.....

slow_leak · #11 12/26/2007, 10:19 PM

actually go with t5's, they last much longer and will be easier to get in many cases now.

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PJsStuff · #14 12/27/2007, 09:34 AM

OK i think im going to go with T5's how many bulbs will one ballast run? I want to try and set it up so i can have a sunrise/sunset effect and have a few lights come on then a few more and so on.

PJsStuff · #15 12/27/2007, 09:51 AM

Never mind i found it. Iv been doing some research and noticed that the tank of the month a few months back was the same size as the one i want to get and he used 28 54w bulbs. Is that a good number of bulbs to start out with or would that be overkill for a mixed reef?? Also what is a good bulb and what colors do i need? There are so many of them lol. on my tank right now i have a 14K bulb i think and i like that color but it could be a hair bluer.

slow_leak · #16 12/27/2007, 02:01 PM

you really want to screw in 56 end caps and wire them when HQI's are readily available?

jnarowe · #17 12/27/2007, 02:33 PM

Watch out for replacement costs on the T5s. Make sure of which lamps you will use, and find out how much they cost and how often they need to be changed. For your depth tank, I would definitely look at T5, but you have to be very aware of long term costs. Also, they still produce a lot of heat, so you either need a fixture that has built in fans, or you will need to retro them yourself. The T5 array I have on my grow-out tank gets up to 185F+ at the glass.

PJsStuff · #18 12/27/2007, 03:14 PM

So whats the Difference between the T5's and the MH's? I thought the T5's were supposed to run alot cooler? Now im confused. I would need 8 MH lights wouldnt I? to cover the width?? to replace 8MH bulbs would cost about the same as the 28 t5's.

jnarowe · #19 12/27/2007, 03:23 PM

Well, with a tank depth of just 25", I would lean toward the T5. Plus there are so many T5 lamps to choose from. For me, I use movers on my halides so I only have to replace three x $150 per year.

PJsStuff · #20 12/27/2007, 03:37 PM

What if i go with 30" deep? I want a light thats going to save me some $$ on Elec but still be enough light for some sps in the future.. I would do the LED's but i would need 4 of them more than likely and thats alot of $$$$$$$

jnarowe · #21 12/27/2007, 03:48 PM

The advantage of the T5 array is that it is not a single point source lamp, but if you go to 30" deep, then you bring halides into the equation. I feel that is too deep for T5 to be very effective, or perhaps a better way to put it is you don't gain as much as you would on a 25" tank.

There are many people on RC and other boards with a lot more in-depth knowledge of lighting tan I, and I suggest you contact them for help in making your decision:

John (hahnmeister)
Sanjay, et. al.

All I know is that a watt is a watt, regardless of whther it is T5 or halide, it still produces heat. I would not use T5s without cooling.

slow_leak · #22 12/27/2007, 04:33 PM

You only need one 250 w metal halide for every 2X2 foot area at 25" depth plus some supplemental actinic lights are really optional for viewing. I would consider 400 watt in center. I think you would regret that wiring fiasco.

PJsStuff · #23 12/27/2007, 05:06 PM

i know the 2x2 rule. the tank is 48" wide so i would need 8 MH correct?. The wiring is no big deal. I still have to wire my fish room for electricity and run my return lines outside and around the house to get to the tank. So a little wiring is no problem.

jnarowe · #24 12/27/2007, 05:18 PM

Well, I disagree on the 8 x lamps...you could use 4 on movers going front-to-back like I do...my tank is 96 x 60 x 35" and I use just 3 x MH lamps.

PJsStuff · #25 12/27/2007, 05:41 PM

dont you see the light moving around in the tank? That would drive me nuts.