What is the BEST lighting

[OKIFIDO]

I am going to set up an 80 gal. reef tank that is built into the wall of my new family room. It is 48"x24"x18". I would like to hear from some experienced reefers about the different lighting options. I plan to hang the lights over the tank without a hood or canopy. I am leaning toward PCs because I have heard they last longer and put out more light than VHO. I am a little shy of going with MH due to the heat factor. I want to have adequate light for all types of corals. I figure around 300 watts. Is that enough? What is the best type of light? Where can you get the best prices on them? I have been using 55 watt flourescents on my current 55 gal tank and I have had sucess with some soft corals but I want better lighting on my new tank. What do you recommend?

[moonpod]

PC's don't last longer and don't put out more light than VHOs. The produce more light maybe, but you lose at least 1/3 of the light b/c the bent tube design--the light reflects on itself in the bulb instead of down into the tank. PC bulbs are also relatively fragile and short lived. Actinic bulbs are hard to come by. MH IS hot, and if you've got a short enclosed canopy, not a good solution. VHO is a tried and true solution, w/T5 up and coming though the kinks aren't entirely worked out. If heat is not an issue, VHO w/supplemental lighting is an effective solution. Personally, I'm experimenting w/t5s right now and I am very happy so far. The one thing I would not do is waste your $$ on PC's--you'll end up getting something else sooner than later.

[slipknottin]

If there was a "best" we would all be using it. Youll find that peoples choices and opinions on lighting are as varied as their individual setups.

[OKIFIDO]

I appreciate your response. I will definately do more research on the VHO system. Can you or anyone else tell me a good source for lighting on line? I live in a small town in Idaho and the only local supplier is PETCO, and I'm not impressed with their staff at all. They came in and drove all the mom & pop pet stores out of business so they are the only show in town now and they do not carry any VHO supplies. I have to do all my reef tank shopping on line. Which online suppliers would be honest and reliable?

[jh2pizza]

First of all, I by far am no expert. I can only tell you what I have with likes and dislikes. I have a 75 gal with 2 – 175 10K ushio bulbs, with 2 96w pcs. 1 actinic and one 7100. I notice with the ps, you don’t get that shimmering effect in the water. I know that when the mhs come on, everything responds better (longer polyp extension, opens up fuller) I don’t seem to have a problem with heat as long as the hood fan is running. Are you going to have a sump? If so, place a small fan blowing over the sump. I think if I removed the mhs and added additional pcs, I would not be happy with it. Its hard to explain, its just a different type of light. Pcs are not expensive nor are they hard to find, nor are they short lived. I did have problems with breakage, I called AH Supply, They explained that a diy wood hood expands when the lights come on and it breaks the bulb. They sent out (free of charge) all the new looser brackets to be replaced and I have had no problems since. Great company to deal with.

But then again, That’s just my opinion.

[slipknottin]

Many of our sponsors offer lighting, both individual bulbs, ballasts, and total kits that you just plug in.

Here are the names of a few

www.hellolights.com
www.championlighting.com
www.marinedepot.com
www.sunlightsupply.com



www.happyreefing.com sells T5 and VHO kits but is not a sponsor of this site.

[Dean812]

PC lighting is the best as far as I'm concerned. Puts out more light than VHO and cheaper than MH. They last long time as well.

[moonpod]

Originally posted by Dean812
PC lighting is the best as far as I'm concerned. Puts out more light than VHO and cheaper than MH. They last long time as well.
I'd disagree with most of those statements, but hey that's why there exist these choices.

[mattboy]

Hi;

Someday I'll figure out how to get quotes in a reply. You say you're setting up a 24" deep tank, and you want adequate light for all types of corals. I strongly suggest you go with MH lighting, at least a pair of 250 W lamps. You'll be much happier with the growth and health of sps corals such as acroporas, etc.

Also, IMO, MH light is much more natural to look at than PC or VHO; it;s the point source nature that throws glitter lines and shadows in the tank. Don't worry about the heat; just set up some fans, mount your bulbs far enough away from the surface, and you'll be fine.

[RANE2001]

I have both MH and PC lighting, I have 2 250w soon to be 3 250w 10k MH and three 55w PC acintics and I get that glimmering effect I use the PC together with the MH the PC come on 1 hour before the MH for that dawn effect and they shut down 2 hours after the MH do..and I like it

[mgk65]

Originally posted by Dean812
PC lighting is the best as far as I'm concerned. Puts out more light than VHO and cheaper than MH. They last long time as well.

I agree with moonpod on this. While PC may put out more, take a good look at one of the lamps. Where does most of the light go? It goes either to the outside, inside or the top. With a good reflector, the top lighting can come back down, but what about the light coming out the outside or the inside? Nowhere to go.

With a URI brand NO or VHO lamp, which has an built-in 180 degree internal reflector, there is MUCH more light that actually REACHES the tank.

mgk

[Fliger]

I'm convinced you need both, IME. I was running over 300W of PC over my 50+G tank and everything looked great. A week ago I got a Giesemann Nova II & I'm running it with 2x 55W PC and everything is extending & opening more! Yesterday for the time, I was looking at the tank with both lights on. The coralline is beatiful & everything was extended. Then I shut off the 2 55W PCs & my tank looked practically dark (running MH only)! I didn't notice any of the coralline, and it was relatively shadowy. I turned on the 2 55W & it looked so colorful again (bulbs are 10000K).

So there is NO DOUBT in my mind that to MY eyes the PC (or any FL lighting) is great, yet for the corals the MH is the best. The bulb I have is a 10,000K DE HQI.

Later this week I'm getting some 36W 7,100K Blues that I'm going to test. They're not as powerful as the 55W, but the 10,000K bulbs in the 2x 55W don't fluoresce my greens the way they used to fluoresce (the other 200W I took off because the ABS hood was too big had actinics & 7,100K blues). So I'm going to try some different combinations.

[Jamesurq]

Originally posted by OKIFIDO
It is 48"x24"x18".

I have the same size tank and I refer to it as a 90 gallon. Because all-glass (the company who made it) calls it that.

I run 2 175W MH and 2 55W PC's actinic and couldn't be happier. You mention heat issues... Well - I have my MH lights 3 inches from the water (I don't reccommend this) and have 2 fans blowing on them and don't have any problems.

[OKIFIDO]

You have all been very helpful. I am much more confident that what I decide on for lighting my new reef tank will work. It sounds like there are as many different opinions as there are options. I am now leaning towards a combination of MH and PCs. Since I will have this tank built into the wall, all the lighting and skimmers and peripheral equipment will be out of sight in another room. I will not need a hood or canopy for the lights. I plan to install them in a good, polished aluminum reflector and hang them over the tank. It should be easy to handle the heat because the lights will not be enclosed in anything but the reflector. I will be posting other questions before I get this tank up and running. I think this online forum is great. You all have helped me a lot. Happy reefing.

[Jamesurq]

you're welcome... Glad we could help. Be sure to come back and post your progress as well as ask for advice before making any major choices.. Most of the time, you'll be happy you did....


Unless you've decide that a couple of tangs would be a good fit in the tank - in which case, you may want to keep that decision to yourself...

[SeanT]

Originally posted by OKIFIDO
What is the BEST lighting
Singly, Metal Halide.
Optimally, Metal Halide with VHO supplementation.

[jh2pizza]

When I was shopping for lighting, I found a link, but of coarse I can’t find it, where someone had done the homework of taking pics of their tank with various lighting and color temps of the bulbs. I personally liked the Ushio 10k look. Others make like just straight 6500k bulbs. That’s where I would start before buying anything, this way you know what it will look like before you spend a lot of money for it and are not happy with the results. Also, if you are looking for used lighting ballast, I know that Greg at
http://www.aquatictech.com.
26966 Royalton Road
Columbia Station, OH 44028
(440) 236-8330

I know he has a bunch of used equipment when I was there 3 weeks ago. If I can find the lighting comparison post, I will send it to you.

[Eric Boerner]

I think everyone with a largely SPS dominate tank will all agree that Halides are the "best" lighting for their tank. As far as a Softies go, you can't go wrong with VHO only.

If I were in the orginators shoes, I'd ditch the 80 gallon and go with a 120 gallon 48x24x24 and do two 400 watt radiums. That's it. Enough produced light to grow pretty much every coral available to the hobby, and not need supplimental actinics.

But that's my opinion. One of thousands here. ;)