What is your ideal “optimal lighting”

[dadstank]

What is your ideal “optimal lighting”



I have purchased a 48x24x25 glass cages tank. Currently I own the following:

1 250MH pendant with ballast from Pro Lighting Inc. in good working condition (it’s a “dad’ special)
1 MH pendant with super old looking ballast in unknown condition
2 9Wcoralife compacts
1 fluorescent ballast in a box new (lazy)
4 48” T12 fluorescent (2 new, 2 6mth usable)
3 24” T12 fluorescent (2n, 1 6mth able)
**I don’t currently have any of these fluorescents wired, nor do I have the end connectors…

The questions:

How far above the corals, not tank, is the optimal height for a MH? For florescents?
Since I got the 40” stand and the tank is 25” I want the light as close to the top of the tank and I am thinking I would like most of the rock to be lower in the tank, aqua-scaping is a ways away……

What kind of lighting would you use?

I’ve got some thoughts, but not to sure of the execution…..
My biggest fear is the depth of the tank and the light penetrating properly.
I was thinking to upgrade the compacts to an 18-20” combo strip light and run one on each side front to back, a 24” T12 side to side in the front and back, and the MH smack center.

LED? Really?

 

[Anonymous]

What types of corals are we talking?

If it were me, and I was getting new stuff, on the tank of your size I'd toss a couple 250w metal halides (color temp is up to you), with lumenarc mini reflectors, and some T5 ATI Blue Plus bulbs with the icecap reflectors. Leave those blue guys on most the time, MH on for maybe 5-6 hours tops.


However to answer your question, I don't think the actual distance to light is as important as properly acclimating your corals to whatever lighting you decide to go with. I've seen people have the same coral, the same distance, with a wide range of lighting from T5s to 400w bulbs. They can all pretty much work, it's a matter of how much overall lighting you want and how much do you want to pay PG&E for your tank

LEDs? IMO, not yet.

PS Flow is more important to worry about

 

[kevindub]

I still like metal halides and real actinics, VHO or T5 or PC. I would still go with this type of lighting for my future tanks. I used to prefer a blue tank but now i find I like 10K with actinics better.

 

[Len]

Optimal distance will vary depending on the reflector and desired light distribution. In general, most halides need at least 8-10" for best distribution and also to prevent water from splashing on them. Fluorescents (and their reflectors) are designed to work well at any distance, so you can have them close to the water if you'd like (though heat might be an issue).

 

[rjmim]

Does anyone have any opinion on the mixed lights on ebay (Mh and T5) for about $350? They look like knock-offs of aquamedics.

 

[Anonymous]

My opinion on those is that for a cheaply manufactured chinese knockoff they're awfully damn expensive.

If you look at the individual components on ebay (again cheap knockoffs) you won't get anywhere close to $350, so the fact they tossed it all in a streamlined case seems to equate to that difference.

However that being said, I know quite a few who have bought those cheapy ones, then simply replaced the bulbs with good bulbs, or replaced the ballasts with decent ones (but that that point you might not be saving anymore)

 

[dadstank]

i am going to pick up the tank and furniture tomrw... i want to see how i can modify the canopy to have the lights mount directly to it....
(just spent 2 hours fighting nyc traffic in an 18 yr old pick up with a stick..... ugh.... how i will not miss that........ :wink: )
i'll let y'all know the measurements as soon as i get them....

 

[Anonymous]

Well I can't honestly say how bad the NYC traffic is however it looks pretty much the worst I've seen, but there are some commutes around here which won't make it seem that much better