Seems like the best way to be with lighting is getting a Metal Hud light, but holy christ those are expensive. I'm planning on soft corals and some LPS, definately no SPS... is there any way to not spend over $500 to light my display tank?
And, since I'm asking, what do you all recommend for the fuge? I'm planning on using it as extra filtration (packing it with LR and letting some Macro-algae grow there), for the most part... would just a PC be alright, or do I need anything more extravagent?
You do not need Metal halides for most softies and LPS, you can go with either PC or T5s. This lighting question can't really get a fair answer until you give the dementions of your display. As for the sump a PC will be fine if it has a decent wattage. Again what size fuge do you have to light? The cheap way to light a fuge and the way I went is theLights of America outdoor floodlights from Home depot. Its a 65watt=500watts and it works great.
theres the volume figure again! what ever happen to dimensions to describe the tank! lighting for the sump or fuge is easy, 10-15k bulbs of any normal sort will do!
retro kit MH, or the cheaper to run T5 or pcompact units would be fine! or look for a combo unit with small MH in the middle with suppliment tubes surrounding it! doing the rigging yourself in a retro form can save a fair amount of money!
Haha, sorry. The display is 48x18x20. I don't have the tank for the sump/fuge yet, so I'm not sure what its going to be exactly.
Thanks for the advice. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to be depriving my corals if I didn't get a MH. I'll look for that combo unit... you don't happen to have a link to one that I could check out, do you?
Now, about lighting schedules.... I remember hearing in one of the podcasts that having the display's lighting schedule opposite that of the fuge's produces the best growth effect etc etc. That seem to work for people?
The fuge lighting can be on the lower end of the spectrum. They don't need to be 10-15k. You usually only place macro algae and maybe a few frags in the fuge. Remember when MH first came out you only could get them in 4,500-5,500k, it produces a yellow light but it's not your display. As for your macro algae, I think it actually grows better at the lower end of the spectrum.
No, I am talking about the bulbs that resently came out at our larger hardware stores with kalvin ratings. The fixtures are cheap and replacement bulbs are 1/4 cost of any bulb threw the online pet stores. My LP just switched all his tanks with fish, liverock and softies with VHOs over to these compact floresent bulbs from menards for $2 a pop. They are rated at 65K and are 150 watts. Like I mentioned above I bought the lights of america fixture for $45 and its replacement bulb is $9.
fare call, thats cheap! i'll take 6.
i was just looking at it from the point of versitility. you can use bulbs & fixtures for the whole system if needed, not just the fuge of sump.
also, the spectrum that benefits macro algae the most is different what most people use in there tanks
macro algae will grow best with 5500-6500K lighting, most peopel (not all) use at least 10,000K lights in there display reef tanks.
so there is one reason..
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aqua medic do them in the states, im sure your could find cheaper units though!
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