Lighting Help!!!

[fish-fan-attic]

Hello,
This is my first post i just finished registering..im excited to be able to get such great help to all the questions that i have..a friend of mine told me that the people on here are awesome!!! well just to let you know i am new to saltwater..have had freshwater for about 20 years, i was ready for a change..i think that i am off to a pretty good start but im having a problem understanding what lights i should get. i have had the tank setup since 11-05-05 so its early i know, but i want to be ready for fish and reef. my tank is 45 gal and the dimensions are Length36" Height(top to bottom) 23 1/2" Depth(front to back) 12 1/4" i dont want to spend a whole lot of money but i am willing to if it means getting good lighting. i can use all the help and suggestions that i can get... i have no idea where to start, and PLEASE keep the terminology simple im a little confused when it comes to all the numbers and letters associated with lighting..thanks a lot...i appreciate it!!!!

[kraftyforu]

well most ppl will say that metal halide lights are the best. but then again there are other ppl that will say power compact lights are or T5 lighting is. it really all depends on what type of corals you want to keep.

[Blown 346]

I can tell you from experiencing both Power compacts and halides, I have switched to Halides. Power compacts are a goos choice but you might not get the coloration you want and might have to add more Compacts to get the desired wattage.
They have 65watt bulbs and 96 watts which are popular. I used 4 96 watters over my 75 and didnt have a problem for the exception of replacing them every 6 months. At around $50 a light that got expensive fast. Other than that the lighting did a good job. It cost me $400 for the retrofit that goes in a canopy which included....
1. The reflector
2. The 4 96 watt bulbs, 2 daylight 10,000K and 2 actinic
3. 2 ballasts, one for every 2 bulbs.

Since I have just switched over to Halides, There is a huge difference in color, lighting spectrum, well and price.
My new halide complete kit cost me about $1000. This came with..
1. The 48 inch canopy that was painted Black( Extra Upgrade)
2. The 2 VHO actinic bulbs ( Extra Upgrade)
3. The 2 250 watt halides at 14 K coloration ( 14 K bulbs were Option)
4. 2 4 inch Ice cap fans for cooling the canopy(Extra upgrade)
5. 4 moonlights(Extra Upgrade)
6. The Icecap air cooled ballast( Extra Upgrade)
7. Acrylic splash guard ( Extra Upgrade)
Halides last longer and the bulbs can be more expensive depending on What brand names and Kelvin you go with.
Here is the link from where I bought my Halide setup. http://www.aquariumlight.com/product_info.asp?dbid=138. Now, I would keep the halides over any other lighting source, overall coloration is great. The growth is great from the corals. Just the overall look of the tank, The halides give your tank a more natural look.
Here is a pic of my 75 with the power compacts..
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/1/5730775_gallon_reef__2_years_old.jpg




Here is my current tank with the halides..
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/57307Full_90_pic.jpg
Here is the halide canopy...

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/57307halide_lighting.jpg

[kau_cinta_ku]

[welcome]

IMO on a 45 gal i would go with a 4 or 6 bulb T5 HO kit from reefgeek. the bulbs will last you up to 2 years depending on how many hours a day you use them and you can get all kinds of bulbs to mix match to the color that you like.

[EdKruzel]

I'd also recommend you look into the T5 bulbs and canopy, however bulbs lasting 2yrs seems a bit off.
I admit I don't have experience with the T5, only that I've viewed them on others tanks and they seem to do a nice job, especially for smaller tanks such as the 40 you have. Many bulbs will burn bright (to our eyes) for many years, however in the case of PC's, even though they appear bright, they lose a significant amount of intensity after the 6mth mark.

I'd like to see the study on T5's and how long through normal use (8-10hrs per day) before they drop below 80% intensity.

Ed

[kau_cinta_ku]

i want to say i read it from the grim reefer but i will try to find out and let you know for sure on that ED