Is this enough lighting for my 60gal tank

[kroniclove]

Coralife Aqualight Retrofit Kit-48"-4 x 65 Watt


Is this enough for my 60gallon tank which will house mostly LPS and Clams with a lil of softies here and there????

if not what would you guys recommend? I have a metal halide on my nano tank right now but looking at the prices for 60gal seems to be a bit high. PC seems to be more affordable.

thanks

[bertoni]

That lighting is on the weak side for some clams and corals. I'd go with a MH setup or T5, but a low-light clam might be fine. What species did you want to keep?

[kroniclove]

man. bear with me ok. i hav eno diea what the name of this clam is, but he is all purple. he didnt cost too much at the LFS, therefore i dont think its one of the high end ones. but none the less he is under a metal halide right now.

if the lighting si too weak, is it more suitable for softies then??

how much do you think the T5 setup will cost me??

[bertoni]

Soft corals will be fine for that lighting. The clam is likely to have problems, I'd guess, since it's likely a T. crocea or T. maxima, but I'm only guessing.

I haven't priced T5 setups, but you'll want a high-end one like the Aquactinics or Tek setups for high-light animals. There are cheap setups that aren't much better than PC lighting.

[kroniclove]

thanks for the fast reply

i gues metal halide and T5 are the best bang for the buck huh. maybe ill just go with metal halides then. i am guessing i need 175 watts on each side?? any model or brand in particular that you would recommend. somewhat reasonable price as well. i have the JBJ viper 150 and i like that ligh ta lot. but not sure what to get for the new setup

[rafa316]

This is kind of cheap for MHs
http://www.aquatraders.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=333

[kroniclove]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9863113#post9863113 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rafa316
This is kind of cheap for MHs
http://www.aquatraders.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=333

oh ****. not bad. anyone have any exp with this light?? any reviews on it?

[bertoni]

I personally wouldn't buy AquaTraders equipment. I've seen it in person and was leary of the quality.

[drummereef]

Here's a good tutorial on the basic lighting needs for clams. Please read. :)

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1072234

[Scuba_Steve]

I believe those are jebo odessea fixtures. Some swear by them because of price, others swear that they will burn your house down.................

[kroniclove]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9866045#post9866045 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drummereef
Here's a good tutorial on the basic lighting needs for clams. Please read. :)

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1072234


thanks for the link. pretty good write up. i think its best if i just go with metal halide set up.

what do you guys think 175watts * 2? ok now the question is buy a complete set up or buy it individually and build it up??

man i have no idea which light to get because of the budget issue. help me out guys

thanks

[bertoni]

I have two Iwasaki 175 W bulbs running, one in a Lumen Max 2, the other in a ReefOptix pendant. They'd be fine for that tank, although they're pricey. If you can make a canopy, some PFO reflectors would be okay, as well. I use an IceCap ballast, which seems fine.

[Str8baller]

There is a good thread on that light, I personally own it and think its great. Good price, but its kind of cheaply made. Others say it will burn your house down, because its not UL rated. I would recommend getting two 200w hqi viper lights. it will cost you $400, and its much more compact, and safer. But like I said, i bough the one thats going to burn my house down, lol. Its your call, If you go with either of the options listed you can do any kind of coral you want. Good luck with your reefing!