T5 vs VHO vs PC vs Metal Halide Vs Moon Lights

What would be the ideal combination of lighting for growing soft corals?
Which would be the cheapest on the electric bill?
Which will bring the most colors out of corals?
Which will help with the best overall growth?
What excatly are moon lights for other than they look cool at night?

 

You'll get the most light out of a metal halide. The spectrum is the key for growth/color. The closer the kelvin rating to 10k(white) or lower, the faster they USUALLY grow, the closer to 20k(blue), the better color they USUALLY have. Metal halides can get quite hot and they use up a lot more electricity than others. T5's are known to be the cheapest amount of quality light for the electric cost.

If you're going to grow only soft corals, PC's are acceptable, but T5's would be a lot better. However, most people usually end up upgrading and getting more corals with advanced lighting needs, so you should get the best light the first time.

Moon lights encourage spawning and give a better viewing experience at night. They can be setup for cheap and they are definitely worth it in my opinion.

There is no "perfect light" and you're going to have to a lot of research before deciding. There are a never ending supply of opinions on the subject, good luck!

Adam

 

I have t5s and growth is great energy consumption is low...I would go with these or halides...and like Adam said do some research to see what you like...if it is just softies you have a a few more options to choose from...check out some threads on reef central too...good luck

 

For most soft corals, your lighting requirements are not going to be tremendous. Softies generally grow very fast under decent conditions. I'd go with 4 T5 bulbs and just pick a color spectrum that you think looks good. If you were doing LPS or SPS you'd have to give it a bit more thought, but again, softies are not as picky.

Halides would be total overkill for a softie tank, but they would still look the best IMO.

-JB

 

would it be cheaper to build your own lighting set-up or to purchase a pre build set up, I currently have a 55 gallon long with flourecent lighting running a marineland emperor 400 with the extra media baskets filled with carbon and phosphate remover, I don't have a skimmer running yet as teh phosphate remover does a decent job of keeping the phosphates downs. I do plan on adding a HOB skimmer of some sorts and then upgrading the lighting before I start growing corals, currently it is a fish only tank with live rock. The fish are reef safe perucla clowns and chromis's. Has anybody on here built there own light set-ups?

 

Yep...I built my canopy and put the retro fit t5s on there...I like being able to put them exactly how you want them...you also have to mount your ballast with the retro kit where the premade light set ups usually have the ballast inside

 

Yep...I built my canopy and put the retro fit t5s on there...I like being able to put them exactly how you want them...you also have to mount your ballast with the retro kit where the premade light set ups usually have the ballast inside

 

How much did it cost to do the retro fit? Was it cheaper that buying premade lights with the ballast already inside?

 

For what you have. I would say that a Premade Fixture with T5's would work the best for you. A retro fit set up would require you to build a canopy, as to were a fixture would just sit on top of the tank. T5's are much much cheaper to run on the electric bill then most other options.
I know that JB had ordered a T5 fixture, that was a good price, can't remember where he got it, but might want to PM him for the website, at least worth looking into.
Troy

 

Well I actually am in the process of building a canopy for it

 

I've decided I'm going to build a combination of 2 metal halide lights, 4 HO t5's 2 antic and 2 reef white and several blue moon lights, But I'm not sure on the wattage I would need for the metal halide, 250 and 400 seem a little excess give my tank isn't reall deep as it's a standard 55 gallon long. What is everybody else's thoughts?

 

2-250w M/H will be plenty for a 55g, along with the T-5s. 

 

3 to 10 watts per gallon...I am at 5 right now and things are going well...all t5

 

I think 2 MH (250 or 400) and 4 T5H0 is way more light than you need over a 55 and will only cause your power bill to go up. This is especially true if you are only growing softies... 4 T5's (or even 2 or 3) would be a better choice. The other problem you're going to have is fitting that much lighting over a 55. You might be able to do it, but you're going to have to be very care with your canopy design. Last but not least, plan to buy a chiller because you're going to need it. That much wattage is going to have a huge impact on the tank temp in a 55.

As a point of reference, I only run 3 250W metal halides over my 125 SPS tank. I do have some T5's but I don't run them at the same time as the halides.

Good luck.

-JB

 

If that is the lighting set up you would like to have. I would strongly recommend upgrading tank to atleast a 75g tank with overflows. Then you can add a sump to help control the temp. I know that its your tank and you set it up the way you want. We are just trying to keep you from having trouble in the future. I have a 180g display with 3 250w & 4 96w PC's, i also have another 100g in sump/frag/fug. I still have temp problems

 

I have a 4 x 54 watt T5 fixture over my 75 gallon and the way I have it mounted with the standard mounting legs it is too much for some of my mushrooms, even at the bottom of the tank. A T5 fixture with individual reflectors is plenty for soft corals.

 

I did figure that heat would be an issue which is why during the development of my canopy I'm installing an exhaust system with computer fans hooked up to potentometer sorry I can't spell to control fan speed, I figured I could fit 2 high speed ball bearing fans on each side. Using the ball bearing style fans to keep the noise down. with 2 puling air into the canopy and 2 pulling air out, I've also considered wiring the fans so I could do either push the air or pull the air out of the system out of either side. I've also considered installing heatsinks to the top of the reflectors as a possiblilty to draw more heat out of the system. I certinaly don't want to cook my tank but would like to have some stony corals down the line.


PS how do I get this stupid pop-up in the lower corner that says I have a new message when I don't have a new message to go away?

 

i agree with 2, 3, or 4 T5's, plenty of wattage per gallon for what you are going for...how tall is your canopy going to be??...my bulbs are about 6.5 inches from my water line...during the summer i have heat issues and actually ran the fans 24/7 and tank was still too hot during the day but just right during the night...during the winter my fans are never turned on...i like the idea with inward and outward blowing fans...both of mine are blowing in but the back of my canopy is totally open and air escapes back there...i have thought about turning one of the fans around so i would have more of a stright shot of air going across the top but havent done it...anybody think this would be better???...also your question about retro kits and price, i was working at petland at the time and got an awesome discount so it was almost 50% off when everything was done, i am not sure how much the premade light fixture would have been... i love discussions when so many people add their input...life as a fish tank nerd

 

why not buy one of these off ebay cheaper and will work perfect with out temp issues

http://cgi.ebay.com/48-Nova-Extreme-4x54-watt-T5-HO-10K-460nm-Model-1122B_W0QQitemZ280394910531QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4148d6cb43&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14
or
http://cgi.ebay.com/48-NovaExtreme-Pro-6x54-watt-T5-HO-Model-1081B-W-SLR_W0QQitemZ280394903240QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4148d6aec8&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14