Setting up a prop tank

[newsalt]

I want to set up an SPS prop tank. I'm looking at perhaps a 20g long. What lighting would I need?

[Ding2daDong]

4x24w t5's or 4 vhos or 1 MH like a 250 with a good reflector but that won't cover the whole tank so I would go with option 1 for the t5's scattered so they give you full coverage.

hth

-Matthew

[newsalt]

Do you know where I can get a 4x24W T5 fixture or DIY kit?

[Ding2daDong]

This would be ideal, you then can scatter them by putting one light more to the right, the next more to the left and so on so you have an even spread of light over the 30inch tank.

http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Fluorescent/IceCap/SLR_Retrofit_Kits/24_inch__4x24W_SLR_T5_High-Output_Retrofit_Kit_w!_Bulbs_by_IceCap

These will also work well, they come all together in an open type fixture.

http://www.sunlightsupply.com/product.cfm?sid=5F131C7FE0815D55340286DB954CA86C&p=968&cs=products%2Ecfm%3Fsid%3D5F131C7FE0815D55340286DB954CA86C%26c%3D34%26kys%3D%26pgi%3D1

hth

if you have any other questions please let me know

-Matthew

[reefcrazy0821]

im going with the 175w mh by icecap from reefgeek.com with a 14k ushio.

[fatrip]

yes 1 MH will cover the whole tank. and 250w is goin to be little over kill for a tank that at most will be 8inch deep becasue of either sand or a eggcrate stand.

[gunslinger]

which is better t5 or mh for the 20 gal?

[fatrip]

it is a question of preference and fund aloted for the electric bill and enitial cost. but if you go with t-5s you need to go all out. Ice Cap ballast, individual parabolic reflectors and as many as you can fit over the tank, to be able to get the full effect as well as the equivelent to the mh's. JMO, cause some people will feel diffently about the subject.

[gunslinger]

If it came to cost... i have someone who can get the ballasts either for mh or t5 what is the cheapest way as well as electric bill LOL

[fatrip]

toss up...lol...usually T-5's have a bigger inital cost than MH's. but usually, and i do believe for this instance becuase you will only be able to fit 4 24watt bulbs over the tank that it will be cheeper to run the T-5's, but you need to use the Ice Cap ballast on the T-5's becaue you need to overdrive them. also remeber that you willl need some type of fan (usually computer case fans) to cool the end caps. this makes the burn brighter and last longer, because they are running cooler.

[Ding2daDong]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12052193#post12052193 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fatrip
toss up...lol...usually T-5's have a bigger inital cost than MH's. but usually, and i do believe for this instance becuase you will only be able to fit 4 24watt bulbs over the tank that it will be cheeper to run the T-5's, but you need to use the Ice Cap ballast on the T-5's becaue you need to overdrive them. also remeber that you willl need some type of fan (usually computer case fans) to cool the end caps. this makes the burn brighter and last longer, because they are running cooler.

You don't "need" to run the ice cap ballast. I have 2 t5 tek fixtures with standard ballasts and get amazing growth. The icecap ballasts would just add more light to the given area. T5's can keep anything under them with individual reflectors and this has been proved time and time again.

I would go with ice cap overdriven ballasts with 4 bulbs for best growth/cost efficiency. I wouldn't go with a 175w metal halide because of how low the par value is vs cost factors. The whole point of putting a frag tank together is for the corals to grow so the little extra $$ for the overdriven ballast would be a plus but not needed to keep sps.

hth

-Matthew

[fatrip]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12058984#post12058984 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ding2daDong
You don't "need" to run the ice cap ballast. I have 2 t5 tek fixtures with standard ballasts and get amazing growth. The icecap ballasts would just add more light to the given area. T5's can keep anything under them with individual reflectors and this has been proved time and time again.

I would go with ice cap overdriven ballasts with 4 bulbs for best growth/cost efficiency. I wouldn't go with a 175w metal halide because of how low the par value is vs cost factors. The whole point of putting a frag tank together is for the corals to grow so the little extra $$ for the overdriven ballast would be a plus but not needed to keep sps.

hth

-Matthew

I happen to disagree with the use of the standard workhorse ballast. I have seen much better growth from the overdriven bulbs then I do with them driven by the work horse. im not saying that the work horse wouldn't work just saying that I have seen more growth faster with the IC ballast versus other Normal output ballast. This in itself to ME would constitute spending a little more money. But that is just my opinion.

I also wouldn't rule out a 175w, you will have more PAR coming from the 175w MH at the depth of 8 inchs than you will with the T-5's. Im not really sure what you are stating when you say the par value is to low versus the cost factors? the cost will be cheaper initially as well as using only a little more electricity as the overdriven t-5's.

[Ding2daDong]

My misunderstanding. I do agree with you on the icecap ballasts will give better light output which would mean better growth.

LOL I am all over the place tonight. When I was saying cost factors vs par I was trying to say that while the initial cost of the 175w MH setup could be cheaper in price, the overall "spotlight" type of par values over such a long tank wouldn't be cost effective vs the t5's being less par over a much broader spectrum of area. The t5's only need to be replaced every year if overdriven and every 2ish years if used with a standard ballast vs MH which would need to be replaced every 8-12 months.

Also the par values are much lower in a 175w MH in a 14-20k vs a 4 bulb individual overdriven t5 ballast. So in the end I think t5's would be the best for that tank in everyway. Cost. Efficiency. PAR.

whew.

lol sorry if that came out wrong.

Thanks

-Matthew

[gunslinger]

Cool then I will go with 4 t5's with ic ballasts. Thanks for all the info I really do learn alot on these type of posts.