Need help on Lighting
- Thread starter jmorrow
- Start date
Bifferwine
I am a girl
Hi and welcome! Just wondering -- why LEDs? They are extremely expensive and the technology hasn't quite been "proven" in terms of long-term effectiveness. The best type of lighting for a 75 gallon tank would be T5s, in my opinion.
dcantucson
Reef pro
Hey there welcome to the site.
I have been there and done that! I had the Solaris PFO LED lighting which was the best a year ago. I had to switch over to T5/MH lighting and everything in the tank responded much better. I think LED lighting will be the way of the future, but not just now.
I have been there and done that! I had the Solaris PFO LED lighting which was the best a year ago. I had to switch over to T5/MH lighting and everything in the tank responded much better. I think LED lighting will be the way of the future, but not just now.
Spoke with someone at the "Gulfarium" and he mentioned LED's. Did alittle reading online and it said that LED's don't use as much electricity or let off as much heat. It also mentioned that I would not need a chiller and that the light gives of a shimmering effect. It also said that the bulbs would last about 11 years. (50,000 hours)
Bifferwine
I am a girl
You probably wouldn't need a chiller anyways -- the vast majority of us do not. The bulbs may last a long time, but the fixtures themselves (so far) usually have problems within the first couple years. The bulbs are also expensive to replace if they go out (and the ones I've seen have very poor track records when it comes to individual bulbs dying). Metal halide lights also produce the shimmering effect for a much cheaper price.
Be wary of someone trying to make a sale off of you -- other types of lighting are a fraction of the price of LEDs and are of higher quality. A salesperson may just be trying to make some money off of you.
Be wary of someone trying to make a sale off of you -- other types of lighting are a fraction of the price of LEDs and are of higher quality. A salesperson may just be trying to make some money off of you.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
Yep, with a good set of T5s you could keep anything you wanted to keep.
dcantucson
Reef pro
LED lights are much more costly too!
yote
In Memoriam
Welcome to the site and the hobby Jennifer.
Like Biff and David said,LEDs just aint all their cracked up to be right now.They have a tendency to burn out within a year or so.Plus the fixtures that I've seen personally,cause a spotlight effect,which IMO,just dont look good.
A good 4 foot fixture with 6 or 8 54 watt bulbs will be plenty of light for anything you want to keep in your tank.
Like Biff and David said,LEDs just aint all their cracked up to be right now.They have a tendency to burn out within a year or so.Plus the fixtures that I've seen personally,cause a spotlight effect,which IMO,just dont look good.
A good 4 foot fixture with 6 or 8 54 watt bulbs will be plenty of light for anything you want to keep in your tank.
XxKnuckleheadxX
Reef enthusiast
oh and i would be happy to sell you a light fixture :)
You guys are great. I really appreciate your opinions. I really want our "eventual" tank mates to thrive and live a long happy life. It sounds like T5's is the way to go. I have read the book "Saltwater Aquariums for Dummies" Do you have any ideas on books that would benefit me through our adventure?
Knucklehead, talk to me about the fixture.
PS: This is my first chat experience and not to sure on how to do this. On the screen it has a thank you button. What do I use it for?
Knucklehead, talk to me about the fixture.
PS: This is my first chat experience and not to sure on how to do this. On the screen it has a thank you button. What do I use it for?
yote
In Memoriam
I would recommend The Conscientious Marine Aquarist.Its considered the reefkeepers Bible:D
The You click the "thanks" button under the post that you want to thank.
The You click the "thanks" button under the post that you want to thank.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
The book that Yote recommended is great. For learning about livestock, I recommend these two:
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/PocketExpert-Guide-Marine-Fishes-Essential/dp/1890087386/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262448013&sr=1-4]Amazon.com: A PocketExpert Guide to Marine Fishes: 500+ Essential-To-Know Aquarium Species (0681290087386): Scott W. Michael: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/PocketExpert-Guide-Marine-Invertebrates-Essential/dp/1890087661/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262448127&sr=1-1]Amazon.com: A PocketExpert Guide to Marine Invertebrates: 500+ Essential-to-Know Aquarium Species (9781890087661): Ronald L. Shimek: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/PocketExpert-Guide-Marine-Fishes-Essential/dp/1890087386/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262448013&sr=1-4]Amazon.com: A PocketExpert Guide to Marine Fishes: 500+ Essential-To-Know Aquarium Species (0681290087386): Scott W. Michael: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/PocketExpert-Guide-Marine-Invertebrates-Essential/dp/1890087661/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262448127&sr=1-1]Amazon.com: A PocketExpert Guide to Marine Invertebrates: 500+ Essential-to-Know Aquarium Species (9781890087661): Ronald L. Shimek: Books[/ame]
dcantucson
Reef pro
That is a great book. As for other resources Biff and Yote are probably as good as any of those other books. On line sources are also very good these days.
darren0311
Reefing newb
The LED's are not all that they are hyped up to be, for the money that you are going to pay for that anyway you can get good T5 HO lighting
Rcpilot
Reef enthusiast
I use T5 and like them very much.
Metal Halide gives you that shimmering effect - which is kind of a personal choice. I think it looks cool. Some people don't. It's your tank so do what you like.
This T5 fixture with 8 bulbs will grow any corals or clams you want. I promise!
Catalina Aquarium
A lot of people are using a combination of MH and T5 lighting. This page lists retrofit kits for the DIY person. Typically you'd run a 10K or 12k MH bulb and actinic T5 bulbs. You'll need to install this lighting into your own canopy. Some wiring is involved, but most people can do it with a little help. Look at any combination with the 54w T5 bulbs - those are the 48" long bulbs and I'm assuming you are talking about a standard 75g tank thats 48" long.
Catalina Aquarium MH and T5 HO Retrofit
This one would work great with actinic bulbs for the T5 and a 12k MH. This is more for mushrooms and LPS corals IMO. Plenty of light but not too much for these types of corals:
http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/product_info.php?cPath=71_7_10&products_id=951
This is an SPS and clam light IMO.
http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/product_info.php?cPath=71_7_10&products_id=949
THIS is totally insane and you'd probably need a chiller:
http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/product_info.php?cPath=71_7_10&products_id=917
Don't even look at this one. Thats CRAAAAAZYY!! Probably wouldn't need a chiller, but you'd need sunblock and some really good sun glasses to even look at the tank.
http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/product_info.php?cPath=71_156&products_id=1564
Metal Halide gives you that shimmering effect - which is kind of a personal choice. I think it looks cool. Some people don't. It's your tank so do what you like.
This T5 fixture with 8 bulbs will grow any corals or clams you want. I promise!
Catalina Aquarium
A lot of people are using a combination of MH and T5 lighting. This page lists retrofit kits for the DIY person. Typically you'd run a 10K or 12k MH bulb and actinic T5 bulbs. You'll need to install this lighting into your own canopy. Some wiring is involved, but most people can do it with a little help. Look at any combination with the 54w T5 bulbs - those are the 48" long bulbs and I'm assuming you are talking about a standard 75g tank thats 48" long.
Catalina Aquarium MH and T5 HO Retrofit
This one would work great with actinic bulbs for the T5 and a 12k MH. This is more for mushrooms and LPS corals IMO. Plenty of light but not too much for these types of corals:
http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/product_info.php?cPath=71_7_10&products_id=951
This is an SPS and clam light IMO.
http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/product_info.php?cPath=71_7_10&products_id=949
THIS is totally insane and you'd probably need a chiller:
http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/product_info.php?cPath=71_7_10&products_id=917
Don't even look at this one. Thats CRAAAAAZYY!! Probably wouldn't need a chiller, but you'd need sunblock and some really good sun glasses to even look at the tank.
http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/product_info.php?cPath=71_156&products_id=1564
Last edited:
yote
In Memoriam
Get the lights in that last link,and hang them over lawn chair in front of your tank,Pour yourself a shot of Capt. Morgan and you'll feel like your at the beach:D
yote
In Memoriam
6 bulbs with individual reflactors,8 with the single reflector.
You'll have to acclimate your corals to the light,but thats really no big deal.
You'll have to acclimate your corals to the light,but thats really no big deal.
XxKnuckleheadxX
Reef enthusiast
just let me know what lite your interested. i cant get anything linked above by rc. but i can get the well know brands in the undustry like lights made my current ie nova pros etc, or aquaticlife brand lights too.
