Old Tank New tank Lighting

[Dave Lumsden]

GDay
I am in the process of buying a new tank, dimensions 48Lx24Dx30H, I am putting PC lighting over it and have been told by the LFS that 4 off 55w PC lighting fixture will be OK, I am concerned I may need 96Watt PC fitout with the 30" height, can anyone help.I am also concerned about burning my corals that are under my Normal fluros presently, thanks muchly. Also what size return pump should I use I have a 2200ltr Ehiem now is this enough?

[Pete1399]

As for lighting I would definetely not spend any more money on PCs. If you upgrade go to T5s or MH. For a 30" deep tank MH may be a better option depending on what you want to keep. Check out the head loss calculator to see what your flow is after head loss (length of vertical and horizontal pipe between the pump and the return. I do not know how you could "burn" your corals with a NO light.

[Dave Lumsden]

Thanks for the quick reply. Now I'm confused, the Lights I am looking at are T5's but I thought T5's were PC's?? that's what the LFS guys said, but on the box was T5 i seen it, and thought great. Will these be OK? I am not burning corals with NO Fluro I was worried about the T5's burning mainly if I go to 96W, T5's. I am keeping Mushies, fluffies Brain and Helio Fung want to add more softs and maybe Goniopara (not sure about that).

[beard]

no pc (power compact smaller bulbs)is not t5 (high output floresents normal size bulb higher wattage then no floresents) the coral will be fine just start them at the bottom of the tank and slowly move them higher over a few weeks and they will be fine.

[Dave Lumsden]

4 x 55w or 4 x96w T5's

[beard]

By the way you will be happier down the road if you go with MH lighting. You wont have the need to upgrade down the road if you get MH to begin with.

[beard]

Its a matter of opinion if you are just going to keep low light corals the 4x55w would be fine if you think you would like to keep sps or other high light corals get the 4x96w or MH its realy up to you and the corals you want to be able to keep

[Dave Lumsden]

are most soft corals considered low light?, I won't be keeping Acropora and alike, possibly Cataphyllia, and or frogspawn

[emoore]

I would go MH with a tank that deep. But you are right, PC bulbs are the same diameter as T5s. But the main difference is in the reflector of the T5. You can get much more light into the tank with a T5 than PC's. Also T5 bulbs tend to last longer than PCs.

[beard]

Not all are low light for example hairy mushrooms are high light and most newbes think all mushrooms are low light! My sugestion is to look at a good coral store online see what you like and the requirments of them. Frogspawn will do ok under low light but will look, grow and be happier under higher light.

[Dave Lumsden]

By High Light, is the 4 off 55w high enough, thanks for your help!

[beard]

If you put high light corals high in the tank they should be ok. When you are looking at light watts matter just as much as intensity! Alot of people will say you need x watts per gallon but it is not a good way to judge what you need. Intensity is more of a factor then watts alone. Anyway you should be ok with most corals if you go with 4-54w t5's you should be fine.

[Dave Lumsden]

I have decided to go with 2 off 150 watt, 10000K MH for my 30" deep tank, with one or two actinics, what would be the minimum distant from the surface of the water for the MH lights? I'm limited in height but will modify hood if the distance isn't appropriate, thanks.