Need lighting advice.

[pds802]

My display tank is 20"x15"x18". I currently am blasing it with a 15k 400 watt Pheonix type with 80w of pc actinic and another 96w of 50/50 (sounds like alot) anywho I am interested in a change but there are so many options out there. I Like the way the new HQI fixtures look but have no clue how many watts I really should be pumping through my tank. Also would be nice if I could continue to use my current ballest. Any input/opinions or advice would be helpful in my purchase of the right unit.

 

Thanks

Patt

[pds802]

I am kinda sad that nobody has any advice...?

[jgf86123]

LOL I never saw thsi thread man, sorry about that.

 

With that tank, I'd go with no more than a 250w, matter of fact, there's, on Ebay currently, 150w halide pendant with 2 t5 actinics for 90 bucks, it'd be perfect for you.

[Smann]

I'm with mick, look at some of the new fixtures maybe a HQi with LED's they are starting with the smaller tanks and some pretty cool fixtures. Probably alot less electric bill for the size of tank

[wegotjs]

T-5's always look nice

[Rick]

For the depth I would say a single 175w or 250w MH should be plenty. T5's are not a bad option either and would lower the power bill some. You would lose the MH shimmer though.

[lewisriverfisherman]

i think the 150 watt bulbs are kinda hard to come by, but what do i know

[reef165]

T-5's always look nice

 

 

I agree, T5's would drasticaly lower electric $ on your tank plus cut down on the heat transfer to the tank and (now that it's summer) to your room/house cutting your cooling cost's. true there isnt as much shimmer as MH but there is a little.

[Rick]

I agree' date=' T5's would drasticaly lower electric $ on your tank plus cut down on the heat transfer to the tank and (now that it's summer) to your room/house cutting your cooling cost's. true there isnt as much shimmer as MH but there is a little.[/quote']

 

I figure I would save about $8 a month if I switched from my (3)250w MH to T5's. Might be a little less depending on how long I would need to run them.

[pds802]

Thanks for the input, it's nice to get some opions before I drop any hard earned dollars on equipment!

[reefnjunkie]

Short answer-I'm right there with Rick-I had a similar tank I had 6 24 watt T5's then went 150 DE MH, I liked the MH which added heat, which caused me to by a chiller, and after that it was over, 2 new tanks in 2 months.

 

Good luck with the never ending chase-

 

MH has my vote/suggestion-

 

feel free to "DISAPPROVE"-LOL

[Rick]

Short answer-I'm right there with Rick-I had a similar tank I had 6 24 watt T5's then went 150 DE MH, I liked the MH which added heat, which caused me to by a chiller, and after that it was over, 2 new tanks in 2 months.

 

Good luck with the never ending chase-

 

MH has my vote/suggestion-

 

feel free to "DISAPPROVE"-LOL

 

LOL, Let's see if I can remember them all. In my first 6 months I set up a 55g, a 20g, an 85g, a 14.5g Nano, a 40g, a 125g, and built and set up a 28g (approx.) frag tank. Not sure if the frag tank was in the first 6 months or not though. (Might have been around 8 months) Either way I set up at least one a month for the first 6 months.

[Lowman]

I would do a 250 watt de 14k phoenix bulb with blue t-5's. That would rock that system!!!

[pds802]

Whats the DE stand for? double ended?

[jgf86123]

aye

 

 

stupid minimum character thing