Lighting for 125G

[Featherdusters]

Hello, I just recently bought a 125G and was wondering what type of lighting I would need to grow Zoas and softies nicely.

Since I am not familiar with the wattage vs light intensity would you be able to give me an estimate to see how many watts I would need for:

Metal Halide Lighting-
T5 Lighting-
PC Lighting-

Any suggestions are welcome.

[luke33]

Do you need a fixture or are you going to put the lights under a canopy. For those types of corals i'd say go with a t5 setup. You could get a 60" retro that would work for those corals and then after you want sps and everything else you could just buy more and be done with it. I would suggest to buy something that is upgradable.

[Entropy]

Depends on how much of the tank you plan to grow corals in. Assuming compelte coverage I would go with:

3x250w metal halides (with Actinic supplements maybe)
8x54w T5 staggered
I don't like PC's

If you don't mind losing a little off each end you can probably just get a 4x54w T5 setup and only light the middle 4 feet (give up a foot on each end). I assume you have center braces (two), so you really need three halides to get full coverage. You can use 150w DE, 175w SE, or either styel 250w. I think which ever deal you can find that is best.

Zoo's and softies don't need as much lighting as a lot of other corals, so you have a lot of options.

[Featherdusters]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10566581#post10566581 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by luke33
Do you need a fixture or are you going to put the lights under a canopy. For those types of corals i'd say go with a t5 setup. You could get a 60" retro that would work for those corals and then after you want sps and everything else you could just buy more and be done with it. I would suggest to buy something that is upgradable.

It looks like I will need a fixture, however my dad has been considering building me a canopy. I will take a look at the t5 retro setup. Thank you.

[Featherdusters]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10566595#post10566595 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Entropy
Depends on how much of the tank you plan to grow corals in. Assuming compelte coverage I would go with:

3x250w metal halides (with Actinic supplements maybe)
8x54w T5 staggered
I don't like PC's

If you don't mind losing a little off each end you can probably just get a 4x54w T5 setup and only light the middle 4 feet (give up a foot on each end). I assume you have center braces (two), so you really need three halides to get full coverage. You can use 150w DE, 175w SE, or either styel 250w. I think which ever deal you can find that is best.

Zoo's and softies don't need as much lighting as a lot of other corals, so you have a lot of options.

Thanks, I think I will avoid PC setups. This is the setup so far for the top of the tank (just coverage wise, not lighting):

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/5079/tank2ud3.png

I am not sure if that helps.

I think I will definitely look into the T5s for now and possibly add on metal halides later if need be?

[Entropy]

I would do two halides in spider reflectos (with canopy) or lumenarcs (no canopy). Mount them about center over the holes in the top, but close enough so any drop off in light will be at the sides and not the middle. It will look great. I would go with 2x250w and use either 14-15k bulbs with actinic supplements (VHO or T5) or 20k bulbs stand alone.

T5's are nice, but halides add glitter lines. :D

[Featherdusters]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10566710#post10566710 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Entropy
I would do two halides in spider reflectos (with canopy) or lumenarcs (no canopy). Mount them about center over the holes in the top, but close enough so any drop off in light will be at the sides and not the middle. It will look great. I would go with 2x250w and use either 14-15k bulbs with actinic supplements (VHO or T5) or 20k bulbs stand alone.

T5's are nice, but halides add glitter lines. :D

Hmm... if I go with halides could I mount two fo these from the ceiling?
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/grd/398177264.html

Sorry if thats a stupid question xD

[luke33]

Thats not the right kind of halide, but good thinking! Lighting will put a hurt on your pocket! For a t5 fixture for a 125g tank your looking at the 72" aquacintics constellation with 14 bulbs. A great fixture but dang thats expensive to replace the bulbs. I would suggest if you want to go eventually with a full reef to just get like said above 3x250w MH retro's or 6x60" t5's retrofitted. For now i'd go with a couple t5's and add on as you grow. This way it doesn't hurt the pocket as much and gives you time to save and keep your eyes peeled in the used forum for 60" or 48" t5's that are icecap with an icecap 660 ballast. I have t5's and mh's on my 125g and i like the t5's more than the mh's. There's more bulb selection and colors.

[Featherdusters]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10566993#post10566993 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by luke33
Thats not the right kind of halide, but good thinking! Lighting will put a hurt on your pocket! For a t5 fixture for a 125g tank your looking at the 72" aquacintics constellation with 14 bulbs. A great fixture but dang thats expensive to replace the bulbs. I would suggest if you want to go eventually with a full reef to just get like said above 3x250w MH retro's or 6x60" t5's retrofitted. For now i'd go with a couple t5's and add on as you grow. This way it doesn't hurt the pocket as much and gives you time to save and keep your eyes peeled in the used forum for 60" or 48" t5's that are icecap with an icecap 660 ballast. I have t5's and mh's on my 125g and i like the t5's more than the mh's. There's more bulb selection and colors.

Thanks so much for all that advice. I am slowly getting a much better idea of what I want now. I have to admit that price is a big deal for me since I am a poor college student xD

Is the icecap a type of brand?

[Entropy]

Yep IceCap is a brand. The sell ballasts mainly, but have a full line of lighting goodies.

[HBtank]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10566710#post10566710 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Entropy
I would do two halides in spider reflectos (with canopy) or lumenarcs (no canopy). Mount them about center over the holes in the top, but close enough so any drop off in light will be at the sides and not the middle. It will look great. I would go with 2x250w and use either 14-15k bulbs with actinic supplements (VHO or T5) or 20k bulbs stand alone.

T5's are nice, but halides add glitter lines. :D

Glitter is for 3rd grade arts n' crafts :D

[oct2274]

if you are just doing softies you can easily get away with 4-6 T5HO bulbs as long as they have good reflectors.

[oct2274]

you would only need 8 if you were doing the most light demanding sps corals.

[luke33]

He wouldn't need 8 if he was overdriving the t5's and put them half way up the tank.

[Rewd]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10568132#post10568132 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by HBtank
Glitter is for 3rd grade arts n' crafts :D

LOL. After seeing my halides lit up for the first time I remembered why that stuff was so appealing to kids. :p

[HBtank]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10568197#post10568197 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by oct2274
you would only need 8 if you were doing the most light demanding sps corals.
8 can't even fit in a tank that size...

[luke33]

Yep, 6 is max for my 125g for the 6' tank.

[TikiDan]

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n122/Tikidan/_MG_3280.jpg
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n122/Tikidan/_MG_3307.jpg
This is my 125 AGA with 3 Lumenarc minis at 250 watts each.
I love it except my tank gets a liitle hot sometimes :(

[Featherdusters]

Thats a beautiful tank TikiDan! I am even more limited on size though. I believe yours is the 125G long at 72"? Mine is the 60" 125G.

[TikiDan]

I would put 2 400 watt lumenarc minis :)

And thanks for the compliment