Upgrading my lighting... What do you guys think?..

[cthoughts1]

Hey all, I have a 75 gallon tank with 100+ pounds of live rock. So far I have 2 frags and a gbta, but I'm considering doint more corals as I go along.. I was considering the following lights and wondeing if you guys thought they were good or bad and why? I don't know much about what type of lighting is needed for all different types of corals. Also i would be open to any ideas or suggestions you may have as to what lighting is good.. Thanks for your help.

Here are the two I was considering:
http://cgi.ebay.com/48-SOLAR-T5-AQU...ptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

or

http://cgi.ebay.com/48-4ft-T5-HO-Aq...5|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1307|301:1|293:1|294:50


The second set seems like it's half of the first set for a quarter of the price.. Any ideas, thoughts or suggestions?

 

[DontXtripNfall]

I think your T5 lights are fine as they are, and I'm not sure if you should be going to ebay for such an important element in a reef. If you go on vacation they could possibly go out and kill your tank.

 

[Killerdrgn]

or burst into flames like Tracey Morgan's tank.

 

[NYPDFrogman]

Ice cap! give Russ or Jim a call they set me up with T5 supplementation for my tank

 

[Solace Aquatics LLC]

You can get a Sunlight Supply Tek light for about the same price. Also look into the Sunblaze by Sunlight Supply

Affordable and made by a reputable company

 

[masterswimmer]

Thanks Frank. :grouphug:

The lights you ultimately decide to get should be directly related to the animals you want to keep. Since you've already added an GBTA I'm guessing you'll be adding additional higher light demanding critters.

When it comes to certain pieces of equipment it benefits to spend where it is important. A skimmer, reliable pumps, and adequate & safe lighting is right up there. You get what you pay for with regards to lighting. There is a reason one of those fixtures is $99. It's not worth more than $99.

As stated above, Sunlight Supply and/or IceCap and Aquactinics make excellent fixtures.

When you buy cheap in this hobby, you often spend a second time to upgrade to the more reliable and dependable equipment. Spend right the first time and you don't normally have to spend a second time for the same piece of equipment.

Russ

 

[Keith P]

When you buy cheap in this hobby, you often spend a second time to upgrade to the more reliable and dependable equipment. Spend right the first time and you don't normally have to spend a second time for the same piece of equipment.

+1!!

My buddy got a low $$ MH fixture off of ebay. By the time we were done putting a decent bulb in it, replacing the ballast, etc. He could have bought a decent fixture.

Do it once, do it right.