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Unread 11/23/2017, 01:22 AM   #290
Ron Reefman
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Cape Coral, FL
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Quote:
Originally Posted by allykahn View Post
I have been out of the hobby for a few years and getting the urge to jump back in, so I figured I would start here. I ran a 180g (72x24x24) FOWLR and some corals for over ten years. My lighting was (5) T5 bulbs and 2 VHO actinic bulbs powered by Ice Cap ballasts. I'm not sure if I should stick with the T5s and VHO (if they still make them), go with LEDs or a combo of both. My plan is to have some colorful zoas, LPS and mushrooms.

I really appreciate the information that you are providing.
When it comes to a tank with zoas, mushrooms and lps, it's hard to pick a fixture that won't work.

T5's are fine and inexpensive. Bulb replacement every 12 months is the biggest drawback. And in order to change the color in the tank you need to buy different bulbs which can get a bit pricey and wasteful. However they do produce great light for any coral.

My current DT is much like you are planing and I use all leds. The light is just as good for soft corals as a t5 and there are no bulbs to replace. If you want to pay extra, there are a variety of extra levels of control you can get. They range from simple built in timers all the way to sunrise/sunset control and multiple channels of color control. That doesn't make the actual light they produce any better, but it allows you to fine tune the tank to look the way you want it to look.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask and I'll try to help.


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