Lighting recommendation

[Primetime33]

Hello everyone! I am new to this forum and have a lighting question or "2". I am currently running 4@96w PC on my 110g Tall tank. Specs= 48x18x30(h). I mostly have softies and a few LPS. I most definately want to have SPS as well. I dont have any now since I have been told that my lights are not up to par. I would like to know what setup everyone suggests. I would really like to use a retro of some sort. I do not want the lights to be a pendant or above tank style. Do I go with MH/PC combo? MH/T5? All T5's? what wattage etc. ?


Thank you,

Prime

[GL]

I would skip the MH/PC combo for one.

You could go all T5's but at 30" it might be tough keeping SPS's down low although I run 6 T5's on a 90, 24" deep and I have SPS's growing on the bottom.

What do you mean by "Above tank style"?

Do you have a canopy now?

[Primetime33]

Yes, I have a canopy now. My preference is to have the lights "hidden". It looks better that way.. IMO.

Prime

[jag1979]

how high is your canopy? unless it has at least 12" of interior clearance stay away from mh's. If I were you i would get t5's, put the sps higher and the softies/lps lower

[Primetime33]

jag1979, I will be buying a new canopy as well. The one that I have now is a top opening. I need to get a front opening canopy. But, your advice is well taken. I never really thought of the interior clearance. Good advice.

Prime

[Primetime33]

jag1979,
What cofiguration of T5's do you recommend?

Prime

[jag1979]

http://www.reefgeek.com/products/categories/lighting/104435.html

or

http://www.reefgeek.com/products/categories/lighting/104434.html

I like the ati blue plus bulbs for actinics, not sure about which daylight bulbs (I run mh's for 10k and t5's for actinics).

Hopefully Grim or Hahn will chim in for bulb recomendations and whether you will need the 4 or 6 bulb configuration.

One more thing fans are almost essential for t5's to function properly

[Primetime33]

With the 6 bulb configuration, that gives me a total of 324 watts. Is that enough for my tank?

Prime

[jag1979]

the 6 bulb configuration will give plenty for sure, i'm just not sure if the 4 would be good enough too to save some money. don't worry about the watts/gallon rule w/ t5's and mh's, thats an old rule mainly for pc's

[jag1979]

also the icecaps run the 54 watt bulbs to 85 watts each

[Primetime33]

If I am correct, I would not need a chiller with the 6 T5's either. Is that correct?


Prime

[jag1979]

just a few fans, btw I don't need a chiller w/ my metal halides either

[Primetime33]

I think I have made a decision to go with a MH/T5 combo. The MH will be 2x250. Anyone have a reason why this would not be a good setup for my 30 tall 110g tank? Remember, I want to have SPS in this tank. Any suggestions on a manufacture? type of MH bulbs? 10K or 14K?

Thank you,
Prime

[zombiereef]

you dont need mh to have sps anymore. HO t5's put out an incredible amount of light. to simplify things, you could easily elliminate the mh altogether and just run the t5's. i know a lot of reefers in my area that have given up on mh totally, even on sps dominated tanks. you would be impressed my the par numbers from the t5's vs. mh. but, the setup you are looking at would surely be more than adequate for your sps needs.

[Primetime33]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8871094#post8871094 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mbunakeith
you dont need mh to have sps anymore. HO t5's put out an incredible amount of light. to simplify things, you could easily elliminate the mh altogether and just run the t5's. i know a lot of reefers in my area that have given up on mh totally, even on sps dominated tanks. you would be impressed my the par numbers from the t5's vs. mh. but, the setup you are looking at would surely be more than adequate for your sps needs.

mbunakeith,
I was really leaning toward the T5's but 2 different LFS owners told me that they would not be enough for my tall tank. Should I disregard their comments? I would love to be able to use T5's so that I can save a bundle of money in costs, since I would not need to buy a chiller, keep my electrical bill down etc etc. 6 bulb or eight bulb hood?

Prime

[bigloggerhead]

Go with the halides man. You won't be sorry. I was having the same dilemma you were. T5's for actinics.