more lighting questions

[Kai]

Hi-I'm new to this forum and to reef aquariums--I was wondering-- with a new tank what kind of lighting is the best choice?? I was told 3 to 5 ??watts per gallon. So on a 125 tank is 625 enough??? we were thinking of going with soft corals eventuially and maybe in the long run clams....but can't seem to find any hood with enough power if we just stick with cf or vho's--this tank is 22" deep. The more I read the more confused i feel --my husband would like to stick with a ready made hood to keep things simple.
thanks for any info
Kai

[Bobby]

Hi, I've been into reef tanks for about two years now. I have a 55 gal. and I'm running 4*65 watt power compact, 260 watt total. I wished now I started out with big boys (Metal halide). From what everyone here has told me, if your thinking clams thats what you want. I am looking at a MH setup for mine now. The power compact did good for me and my soft coral. I haven't gotten alot of growth out of them but their heathyThere is alot more smarter people on here than me about this kind of stuff i just wanted to let you know what i have started off with and where i'm going in just two years. I'll let you know up front MH setups are not cheap but it will be cheaper than doing what i did.

[Poseidon]

Hi Kai,



Bobby has given good advice, especially if you want to keep clams. Metal Halide is really the best way to go. There are several ready made fixtures in 6ft lengths, but I would encourage you to go with a canopy and then retro fit the lights in it, that way you can get the required height above the water, and not have a ton of light spill into the room.

Also ditch the watts per gallon thing, it simply does not work. It lacks to take into account the shape of the tank, more specifically the HEIGHT. Think about it this way, a tank that is 12" deep, but 6ft long, will not require the same lighting as a tank that is 24" deep and 3ft long. Yet both may hold the same volume of water.

This board has an excellent "search" function, give it a try, I'll bet you can find tons if you type a few key words. I know some other boards the search tool doesn't work for whatever reason, but Scott does an excellent job here keeping the board functional.

[jasutton]

Mike,
you said ditch the W/G formula, i agree. However, i have a 10 gal that i want to make into a nano (mushroom and maaaybeee soft coral). However i cant determine how much light is necessary for the shrooms...i used to be a reef junky and knew all this crap but fell out of it when i went away to med school...no time. Now i am done with that crap and want to get back into it. Help?
Jamie

PS. you live right by my family (lapeer, MI)

[ANGRY JOHN]

i have seen a 10 gallon at a lfs with power compacts on it and it looked great. i think on tanks that are small it is the way to go because there convinet and dont generate a lot of heat for the amount of lignt. the one i saw had 4 bulbs 2blue and 2 daylight. they filled the hood and there was a reflector and a fan. the hole on the other side of the hood was empty to allow air to pass over the entire surface of the water but if it was hot in your area or in the room the tank was in then you could add a second fan one push one pull.

[ANGRY JOHN]

for my 125 gallon i used 3 250w 10k mh pendants. this made the tank bright and the color was great. i liked this arrangement because i could raise lower the lights independantly for each. if you need less light in an area of a new annimal introduction just raise the light in that area of the tank and slowly lower it untill your back to the standard level. if money is tight this works well to because you can start out with one and add them as you and the tank are ready. one will keep the coraline alge growing and be good during cycleing and then add another as you add the lower light inverts like the shrooms. eventualy when the tank is stable and everthing has settled in and you want light loving creatures then add the third and your off and running. some reefers like to suplement mh with vho or pc's. this can be done at any time and might be used in place of a pendant at any step.

[SKRIZ]

I have been researching lighting options for..well, forever now. What I have found is that you have a LOT more flexibility with a retrofit setup. If you can't build your own canopy, talk to a LFS and they will refer somebody to build one. This way you can do exactly what Angry John suggests.

Mh is definately the way to go. You can't beat the look and the growth.

hth