Lighting Question for a 55 Gallon

salty72 · 05/03/2012, 05:11 PM

I just want a simple answer, I've scoured the lighting forum and all other forums and just don't see the answer to my specific question - which is pretty simple - I currently have an aquaticlife T5 HO 54 watt 2 lamp light fixture over my 55 gallon tank. I want to be able to keep corals of any kind (eventually) My lighting is not strong enough is it? Would the T5 HO4-lamp w/4 lunar LED's be plenty? Also the I assume both bulbs should be on, correct? The 460/420 bulb is hot but not lit up???

SkyJunkie · 05/03/2012, 05:26 PM

I just recently converted my 55g from FW to SW and I was told this light is good if I ever want to go reef

http://www.ebay.com/itm/48-T5-HO-Aqu...t_1270&afsrc=1

salty72 · 05/03/2012, 06:37 PM

I saw this one on ebay too. I like that it flips up, I hate having to slide my fixture toward the back of the tank when I want to feed or basically do anything in the tank, as I have glass tops. Thanks for the input!

Sk8r · 05/03/2012, 07:24 PM

I run a 250 w 10000k metal halide with 2 actinics in a 54 and have good coral growth. If your T5 output is in that area, you'll be fine.

a.browning · 05/03/2012, 07:57 PM

I run the Aquaticlife 4-bulb T5 fixture on my 55 and can grow anything in there. SPS do great in the upper half of the tank as well. I too upgraded from a two bulb fixture. If you want the best of the best look into the ATI fixtures, although Aquaticlife is certainly a good one as well.

salty72 · 05/04/2012, 07:04 PM

Thank you all for your input - I think I've made my decision and am going to go with with the aquaticlife 4-bulb T5.

SKurj · 05/05/2012, 08:13 AM

I have the aquatic life 4x54 on my 40g long tank. The bulbs it comes with are abit fugly, so if you can spare some cash for new bulbs it will make things look better. I love the 3 timers on the fixture though.

My tank is new so I can't really comment on how well the corals like it..

sponger0 · 05/05/2012, 08:22 AM

I agree to go a minimum of 4 bulbs if you want to have any corals you desire. And if you do get new bulbs, i recommend going with ATI.

SkyJunkie · 05/05/2012, 04:24 PM

Ended up buying the light I posted, got it in today (don't mind the bareness, tank is 9 days old)

Saltydrip · 05/05/2012, 06:55 PM

9 days old with fish in there already?? You need to pull those fish and take them back. Your killing them. You need to cycle the tank first. Read the sticky threads befor doing anything more to your tank.

salty72 · 05/05/2012, 08:17 PM

Looks Nice Sky Junkie.

SkyJunkie · 05/05/2012, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saltydrip

9 days old with fish in there already?? You need to pull those fish and take them back. Your killing them. You need to cycle the tank first. Read the sticky threads befor doing anything more to your tank.

3 of the 4 tropical fish professionals recommended I help cycle the tank with cheap damsels, so that's what I'm doing. I know chances are they will die, and that's what they told me as well.

steelwrap · 05/05/2012, 09:52 PM

Why kill fish just to cycle when there are other ways to do it? Three out of 4 pros dont seem to care about livestock so I would do business with the 1 out of 4 who didnt recomend this. I dont mean to offend You this is just my opinion.

TucanSam007 · 05/05/2012, 10:04 PM

When I worked at a LFS I had to recommend to people to "cycle" with a fish. Although not the most humane way of doing it, it's what people have been doing for years and years. Certainly there are better ways, for one...adding a piece of fresh shrimp does the job. I personally like "ghost" feeding..just because once you want other peaceful fish, damsels are a pain in the A** if not impossible to remove without tearing your aquascape apart. Id think about possibly removing them while your tank is still young and returning them unless your set on keeping damsels. Its a 50/50 chance they'll live, but if they do, your limited to your stocking options.

Saltydrip · 05/06/2012, 03:49 PM

They like to tell you to cycle with livestock for 2 reasons.
1. It sells fish that they know you will most likely be replacing.
2. It does tend to make for a faster cycle.

I'm a fan of the shrimp kickstart and then adding as much live rock as toy can afford. The majority of us have done the live fish cycle for our first tank. As time goes on you will start to get attached to your fish and realize you are now there god and your responsible for there little ocean and the thought of unhappy fish will bother you just as it does us.

Just remember. The professional at the store is trying to sell you something. The smart bunch on here are not and they have all failed and flurished so remember to look here for advice. Even if your LFS sounds reasonable.

Once again... In no way do I/we wish to offend you or chafe you from the sight. Please soak up the knowledge available on here.

SkyJunkie · 05/06/2012, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saltydrip

Just remember. The professional at the store is trying to sell you something. The smart bunch on here are not and they have all failed and flurished so remember to look here for advice. Even if your LFS sounds reasonable.

I see what you're saying, but one doesn't do tropical fish anymore, another lives across the country, and one was a local store where I shop - who down sold me on my filter, gave me a good deal on a barely used skimmer, and gives me a discount on anything I buy. I really don't think they're just trying to sell fish. If they were I don't think they'd give me $5 damsels,but who knows.

I definitely appreciate the advice I e been reading here and I'll be around for a while.

05/03/2012, 05:11 PM	#1
salty72 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 173	Lighting Question for a 55 Gallon I just want a simple answer, I've scoured the lighting forum and all other forums and just don't see the answer to my specific question - which is pretty simple - I currently have an aquaticlife T5 HO 54 watt 2 lamp light fixture over my 55 gallon tank. I want to be able to keep corals of any kind (eventually) My lighting is not strong enough is it? Would the T5 HO4-lamp w/4 lunar LED's be plenty? Also the I assume both bulbs should be on, correct? The 460/420 bulb is hot but not lit up??? __________________ 75 gal reef, Maroon Clown, PJ cardinal, fire fish, 2 blue/green chromis, lawn mower blennie, Six Line Wrasse, File Fish, Flower anemone, red star fish, yellow toadstool, green star, hammer, trumpet, z Current Tank Info: 75 Gallon Reef, 39 Gallon Fresh

05/03/2012, 06:37 PM	#3
salty72 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 173	I saw this one on ebay too. I like that it flips up, I hate having to slide my fixture toward the back of the tank when I want to feed or basically do anything in the tank, as I have glass tops. Thanks for the input! __________________ 75 gal reef, Maroon Clown, PJ cardinal, fire fish, 2 blue/green chromis, lawn mower blennie, Six Line Wrasse, File Fish, Flower anemone, red star fish, yellow toadstool, green star, hammer, trumpet, z Current Tank Info: 75 Gallon Reef, 39 Gallon Fresh

05/03/2012, 07:24 PM	#4
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 23,171 Blog Entries: 54	I run a 250 w 10000k metal halide with 2 actinics in a 54 and have good coral growth. If your T5 output is in that area, you'll be fine. __________________ Sk8r "Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale, not meq/l; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp abt 80, nitrate/ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal will not rise if mg is low. Alk reading far more imp't than PH; WATER QUALITY MATTERS!" "If anything CAN go wrong, it will, and at the worst possible moment."---St. Murphy. "For beginners---nothing good happens fast on an ice rink or in a fish tank." Current Tank Info: 105g, kalk, 250mh 10000; AquaCEV120; Iwaki 100, bsemnt sump/fuge; hermits, snails, mandy, scooter, blue chromis, azure damsel, starry & tailspot blennies, firefish, royal gramma, redstripe goby, YWG pair, lps;

05/03/2012, 07:57 PM	#5
a.browning Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 839	I run the Aquaticlife 4-bulb T5 fixture on my 55 and can grow anything in there. SPS do great in the upper half of the tank as well. I too upgraded from a two bulb fixture. If you want the best of the best look into the ATI fixtures, although Aquaticlife is certainly a good one as well. __________________ ~~75g SPS and Wrasse reef~~

05/04/2012, 07:04 PM	#6
salty72 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 173	Thank you all for your input - I think I've made my decision and am going to go with with the aquaticlife 4-bulb T5. __________________ 75 gal reef, Maroon Clown, PJ cardinal, fire fish, 2 blue/green chromis, lawn mower blennie, Six Line Wrasse, File Fish, Flower anemone, red star fish, yellow toadstool, green star, hammer, trumpet, z Current Tank Info: 75 Gallon Reef, 39 Gallon Fresh

05/03/2012, 05:26 PM	#2
SkyJunkie Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Southern California Posts: 139	I just recently converted my 55g from FW to SW and I was told this light is good if I ever want to go reef http://www.ebay.com/itm/48-T5-HO-Aqu...t_1270&afsrc=1

05/05/2012, 08:13 AM	#7
SKurj Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Oshawa Posts: 536	I have the aquatic life 4x54 on my 40g long tank. The bulbs it comes with are abit fugly, so if you can spare some cash for new bulbs it will make things look better. I love the 3 timers on the fixture though. My tank is new so I can't really comment on how well the corals like it.. __________________ 40g Long since Mar 2012, 20lbs marco rocks, 25lb live rock, Aquamaxx HoB-1, sumpless, CPR Fuge, 4 tube T5HO, Mixed reef, softies and LPS Current Tank Info: 40g Long sumpless

05/05/2012, 08:22 AM	#8
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,016	I agree to go a minimum of 4 bulbs if you want to have any corals you desire. And if you do get new bulbs, i recommend going with ATI.

05/05/2012, 04:24 PM	#9
SkyJunkie Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Southern California Posts: 139	Ended up buying the light I posted, got it in today (don't mind the bareness, tank is 9 days old)

05/05/2012, 06:55 PM	#10
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 954	9 days old with fish in there already?? You need to pull those fish and take them back. Your killing them. You need to cycle the tank first. Read the sticky threads befor doing anything more to your tank. __________________ Current tank 48" 55g DT w/ 29g sump/fuge.

05/05/2012, 08:17 PM	#11
salty72 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 173	Looks Nice Sky Junkie. __________________ 75 gal reef, Maroon Clown, PJ cardinal, fire fish, 2 blue/green chromis, lawn mower blennie, Six Line Wrasse, File Fish, Flower anemone, red star fish, yellow toadstool, green star, hammer, trumpet, z Current Tank Info: 75 Gallon Reef, 39 Gallon Fresh

05/05/2012, 09:52 PM	#13
steelwrap Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Michigan City IN Posts: 108	Why kill fish just to cycle when there are other ways to do it? Three out of 4 pros dont seem to care about livestock so I would do business with the 1 out of 4 who didnt recomend this. I dont mean to offend You this is just my opinion.

05/05/2012, 10:04 PM	#14
TucanSam007 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Suffolk, Long Island Posts: 657	When I worked at a LFS I had to recommend to people to "cycle" with a fish. Although not the most humane way of doing it, it's what people have been doing for years and years. Certainly there are better ways, for one...adding a piece of fresh shrimp does the job. I personally like "ghost" feeding..just because once you want other peaceful fish, damsels are a pain in the A** if not impossible to remove without tearing your aquascape apart. Id think about possibly removing them while your tank is still young and returning them unless your set on keeping damsels. Its a 50/50 chance they'll live, but if they do, your limited to your stocking options. __________________ 65g sps tank, 20L sump, Apex, ATI Sunpower 6x39/Reef brite, SSA CS1, 2xMP10wes & 1 MP40wes, Eheim 1260, Tunze Osmolator, Two-part, GFO/Gac

05/06/2012, 03:49 PM	#15
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 954	They like to tell you to cycle with livestock for 2 reasons. 1. It sells fish that they know you will most likely be replacing. 2. It does tend to make for a faster cycle. I'm a fan of the shrimp kickstart and then adding as much live rock as toy can afford. The majority of us have done the live fish cycle for our first tank. As time goes on you will start to get attached to your fish and realize you are now there god and your responsible for there little ocean and the thought of unhappy fish will bother you just as it does us. Just remember. The professional at the store is trying to sell you something. The smart bunch on here are not and they have all failed and flurished so remember to look here for advice. Even if your LFS sounds reasonable. Once again... In no way do I/we wish to offend you or chafe you from the sight. Please soak up the knowledge available on here. __________________ Current tank 48" 55g DT w/ 29g sump/fuge.