another lighting question from snow

[SnowManSnow]

do you think i could light a 48" long tank (remember only 13" deep" with a 400w pendant?

 

[SnowManSnow]

I just plugged that thing in and... geez.. its some serious light. a 400w HQI really burns bright. I shot it onto the wall from about 3 ft away and it DiD cover 48 inches, but the outsides would only be good for softies and zoos.

The only issue would be flooding the room with it haha.. I want a clean look .. no cables or anything... no hoods.. just a light suspended from a bracket that I'll attach to the back of the tank.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

B

 

[Ben1]

If I was doing a 48" long tank only 13" tall I would be using T5's hands down. Probably a 48", 8 bulb, SLR unit.

I love the bulbs options, cool running fixture(no chiller needs in the summer), even lighting/par through most of the tank, and lower electric bill.

Plus there are some really slick looking fixtures for T5s, and with a 13" tall tank it would be more then enough to grow anything anywhere.

 

[Ben1]

I would go with something like this

http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Flu ... ure_by_ATI

And although the initial setup is a bit more expensive then a single 400 watt halide, I think in the long run it would make you happier. With the hanging fiture they look real nice.

 

[kgross]

For a 13inch deep I think you would be great with just 4 54 watt T5s with good reflectors. Actually there is not enough room to put unless the tank is over 16 inches front to back there would not even be enough room for 8 t5's wtih good reflectors.

Kim

 

[Ben1]

He wanted to go 24" wide so I think the 4 bulbs wouldnt give the spread front to back, I would go 6 or 8 still.

 

[kgross]

Ok. At 24" wide, you could easly fit 8 bulbs. I'm still not sure 8 would be needed, if you had something to mount a retrofit kit to, just spread the lights out and I still think 4 would do it. I have one customer that has 6 on a standard 75 gallon tank, and he is convinced that he has to much light and has dropped down to 5, and is still thinking about going back to only 4 bulbs........

Kim

 

[SnowManSnow]

<-- changed mind completely im going with a standard 120 4x2x2 in a few months! but yea!!!