Hog Head Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 First off this is my first post here and I would like to say that this has been an excellent site so far. I have been into FW tanks since I was a kid and decided it was time to try saltwater. I recently bought a 100 gal. tank 72x18x18 All-Glass off of craigs list to replace my 29 gal reef I have had running for about a year now. I know that there are several options for lighting, but not so many MH/T5HO combo units out there. The units I am considering are: Marineland's 72" 3x150 14K MH/8x39w T5HO or AquaticLife's 3x150w 10K HID/4x39w T5HO. I have never had a tank of this size and I am unsure of which lighting would be the best. http://www.marineland.com/sites/Marineland/products/productdetail.aspx?id=2054&cid=3617&mid=3228 http://www.aquaticlife.com/hid/index.html Bulbs for the HID fixture come in 10k, 14k and 20k. I also thought about using Sunlight Supply's products and make my own but the cost would actually would be more. Thaks in advance for any help, Gene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saltfinsax Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Are you wanting to stay with MH? Have you looked at full T5 lighting? I have T5 on my 6' tank, Nova Extreme Pro. The thing with T5 is the refectorsand the bulbs that come with the Nova arent very good and need to be replaced in 6 months to better ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef165 Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 there is a guy on here selling 3 pfo 175 watt mh ballasts for 100$ and another guy selling 2 DIY parabolic reflectors best offer could get the third one cheep as well, then buy the bulbs. would save some green for other things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hog Head Posted July 9, 2009 Author Share Posted July 9, 2009 Are you wanting to stay with MH? Have you looked at full T5 lighting? I have T5 on my 6' tank, Nova Extreme Pro. The thing with T5 is the refectorsand the bulbs that come with the Nova arent very good and need to be replaced in 6 months to better ones. I would if I could get it in a 16 bulb fixture. The 12 bulb units would only be 468 watts if they were all white bulbs. Put 2 actinics and you only have 390 watts. I had thought about 2 36" Tek-lights but unlike the 48" units they are only 6 bulbs each, so it would be the same situation as the Nova Extreme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hog Head Posted July 9, 2009 Author Share Posted July 9, 2009 there is a guy on here selling 3 pfo 175 watt mh ballasts for 100$ and another guy selling 2 DIY parabolic reflectors best offer could get the third one cheep as well' date=' then buy the bulbs. would save some green for other things.[/quote'] That would be cool. Then I would just need to figure out something for actinic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCR Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Welcome new"TOAD"What is it you want to keep in this setup?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COReefer Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 if your tank is only 18 inches tall I would go with the 3 175 watt mh or go with 6 bulb tek. don't worry about wattage on those bad boys. You will be fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowman Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 I would go with the Maristar fixture from Sunlight and use Galaxy 250 watt ballasts with Phoenix 14 k bulbs. It would actually be cheaper that the Marineland fixture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hog Head Posted July 10, 2009 Author Share Posted July 10, 2009 Welcome new"TOAD"What is it you want to keep in this setup?? Everything from all the softies I have to the LPS/SPS I don't have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hog Head Posted July 10, 2009 Author Share Posted July 10, 2009 I would go with the Maristar fixture from Sunlight and use Galaxy 250 watt ballasts with Phoenix 14 k bulbs. It would actually be cheaper that the Marineland fixture I thought about that one, but 750 watts on a 18" deep tank? Would my mushrooms and other softies survive that much light? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hog Head Posted July 10, 2009 Author Share Posted July 10, 2009 there is a guy on here selling 3 pfo 175 watt mh ballasts for 100$ and another guy selling 2 DIY parabolic reflectors best offer could get the third one cheep as well' date=' then buy the bulbs. would save some green for other things.[/quote'] I think that I saw they were sold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef165 Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 yestarday they were still for sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClayTheSavageFraser Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 I would go for the maristar by sunlightsupply! That's what I have and it's awesome!! everything grows and loves it! The combo of the t5 and the mh is unbeatable! CLAY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef165 Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 http://http://www.pnwmas.org/forums/showthread.php?t=12312&page=2 Never have added a link, hope it worked! you could prob make an even better offer then I saw the reflectors i mentioned for 50$ bulbs run abought 50$ each Id get 15k's then have someone make ya another feflector and wham ya got your lights for prob arround $350.00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R-3 Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 If not of that works out, Hellolights.com has a retro kit that comes with a free XM bulb for $90!!! Tough to beat http://www.hellolights.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1773 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hog Head Posted July 10, 2009 Author Share Posted July 10, 2009 Which is better, single or double ended? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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