Step by step help for a newb

[Ninong]

Thanks all for the suggestions. Keep them coming - really need help on the lighting

You say you ordered the 84" long Oceanic tank with stand but you didn't say anthing about whether or not you are getting the Oceanic canopy. If you are getting the standard Oceanic canopy, it can handle either VHO or T5 lighting without problems and that's more than enough for a FOWLR tank. If you ever wanted to convert over to a reef tank, you might consider cutting out part of the top of the canopy so that you can mount a metal halide fixture over the opening.

[Zivman]

You say you ordered the 84" long Oceanic tank with stand but you didn't say anthing about whether or not you are getting the Oceanic canopy. If you are getting the standard Oceanic canopy, it can handle either VHO or T5 lighting without problems and that's more than enough for a FOWLR tank. If you ever wanted to convert over to a reef tank, you might consider cutting out part of the top of the canopy so that you can mount a metal halide fixture over the opening.

Didn't get the canopy, so I can do a DIY hood or a commercial setup - looking to do T5s with MH - would like to be setup to go Reef from the start

[Ninong]

Didn't get the canopy, so I can do a DIY hood or a commercial setup - looking to do T5s with MH - would like to be setup to go Reef from the start

The nice thing about your new tank is that you won't have to deal with any cross braces!

There are so many different ways to do this that it would probably be easier if you just posted what you are thinking of doing and then everybody could chime in with their opinions.

[Zivman]

The nice thing about your new tank is that you won't have to deal with any cross braces!

There are so many different ways to do this that it would probably be easier if you just posted what you are thinking of doing and then everybody could chime in with their opinions.

This is what I am thinking for lighting:
2 of the following:
http://www.reefgeek.com/products/cat...ng/104064.html
or
2 of these ( is it worth it to spend the $ on the icecaps over the teks?)
http://www.reefgeek.com/products/cat...ng/104430.html
With 3 250W MH DE - 2 250w 10,000K and 1 250w 20,000k -
Only problem I have is that I don't know if I can retro all this into a hood/Pendant that doesn't yet exist (ie I have to make).

Don't know what a good brand is to buy for either the t5s or the MH or how to set this up?

[Ninong]

Your first link doesn't work, the second one does. So I have no idea what your first link is about.

[Zivman]

Your first link doesn't work, the second one does. So I have no idea what your first link is about.

Should be fixed now - do you think I need the 4 bulbs or would 2 be enough on the t5s?

[Ninong]

Should be fixed now - do you think I need the 4 bulbs or would 2 be enough on the t5s?

Both of your links are to the same thing: a 36" long 4x39w T5 retrofit kit. I believe T5's come in 2', 3', 4' and 5' lengths. I guess that means you are planning on using two 3' T5's in front of your metal halides and two 3' T5's in back of your metal halides??? That would be the usual arrangement as far as actinic supplementation is concerned. Then you would want to stick either three or four (or even five) 250w metal halides between them. Three would be minimum, four would be fine, five would be super!!! For a reef tank, five would be spectacular because you could mix 10,000K & 20,000K lamps -- three 10,000K & two 20,000K between them.

[Zivman]

Both of your links are to the same thing: a 36" long 4x39w T5 retrofit kit. I believe T5's come in 2', 3', 4' and 5' lengths. I guess that means you are planning on using two 3' T5's in front of your metal halides and two 3' T5's in back of your metal halides??? That would be the usual arrangement as far as actinic supplementation is concerned. Then you would want to stick either three or four (or even five) 250w metal halides between them. Three would be minimum, four would be fine, five would be super!!! For a reef tank, five would be spectacular because you could mix 10,000K & 20,000K lamps -- three 10,000K & two 20,000K between them.

The differing links were to different brand t5 retros - one was sunlight and the other icecap - is it worth it to pay more for the icecaps? Will supplementing with 1 3' t5 on each sid of the halides be enough or do I need 2?

In terms of the MH, what is a good retro kit to go with?

[Ninong]

I would go with a minimum of one row of T5's in front of your halides and another row behind them. Since your tank is 84" long, I guess the best way to go would be with the 39w (3') T5's. You can't get too crazy because your tank is only 23" wide (allowing for the thickness of the glass) and you can only fit so much stuff over that space.

Sunlight Supply http://www.sunlightsupply.com/?log=yes is one of the sponsors of Reefland and PerryinCA http://www.reefland.com/forum/members/perryinca.html works for them so he could answer any of your questions about their products. IceCap http://www.icecapinc.com/?log=yes is a manufacturer of electronic ballasts. They sell other products that are manufactured elsewhere but electronic ballasts are the only things they actually make themselves. Their electronic ballasts for VHO fluorescent lamps have an excellent reputation. Some of their metal halide electronic ballasts have had problems off and on over the years and I really can't tell you how they stack up today against the competition.

URI is considered the best brand in VHO fluorescents but I'm not familiar with the various T5 lamp manufacturers.

[Zivman]

I would go with a minimum of one row of T5's in front of your halides and another row behind them. Since your tank is 84" long, I guess the best way to go would be with the 39w (3') T5's. You can't get too crazy because your tank is only 23" wide (allowing for the thickness of the glass) and you can only fit so much stuff over that space.

Sunlight Supply http://www.sunlightsupply.com/?log=yes is one of the sponsors of Reefland and PerryinCA http://www.reefland.com/forum/members/perryinca.html works for them so he could answer any of your questions about their products. IceCap http://www.icecapinc.com/?log=yes is a manufacturer of electronic ballasts. They sell other products that are manufactured elsewhere but electronic ballasts are the only things they actually make themselves. Their electronic ballasts for VHO fluorescent lamps have an excellent reputation. Some of their metal halide electronic ballasts have had problems off and on over the years and I really can't tell you how they stack up today against the competition.

URI is considered the best brand in VHO fluorescents but I'm not familiar with the various T5 lamp manufacturers.

All right, have it figured out - going with the following: http://www.reefgeek.com/products/cat...ng/104474.html

My only question is, because I have a 7' tank, is a 6' light going to be adequate?

[Ninong]

That looks like a very nice fixture. It will be more than adequate for your 84" long tank. There is a big difference between what is adequate and what is spectacular. Most of us tend to dream impractical dreams that include spectacular lighting schemes that are much more than adequate.

Fossa & Nilsen did an excellent study of lighting over a 5' long tank using a 4' long fixture holding two 250w HQI DE lamps mounted 15" above the surface. This was done over an empty tank with nothing but saltwater in it because they wanted to measure light intensity at various points and depths in the tank. I can never find that study when I want it but I remember it well.

Obviously the ends of the tank will have less intense lighting than areas closer to the lamps but you are not likely to put stuff up against the glass there anyway.

[Zivman]

Updated list of my setup:
200 gallon oceanic brick style RR tank and stand
Lifereef LF1-200 berlin system
Airwaterice Typhoon III RO/DI
72" Maristar: 3-250W MH & 4-39W T5 HO
300 lbs Carib Sea Aragamax sand

I think this takes care of most of the mechanical/initial setup. Next comes the liverock - already have this picked out:
http://www.drmaccorals.com/sys-tmpl/fijirock/
Going with mostly the tonga ultra and some fiji ultra and fiji pukani - like a 50/25/25 mixture

[Ninong]

Interesting comment by AcroSteve:

"I hooked up a little giant 4 ... and It was too loud to tolerate."

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...94#post3195894

I believe I have mentioned the noise problems with Little Giant pumps previously in several threads. I have both the LG 4 and the LG 3 as part of my Lifereef system and IMO they are both too loud to tolerate.

[Zivman]

Interesting comment by AcroSteve:

"I hooked up a little giant 4 ... and It was too loud to tolerate."

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...94#post3195894

I believe I have mentioned the noise problems with Little Giant pumps previously in several threads. I have both the LG 4 and the LG 3 as part of my Lifereef system and IMO they are both too loud to tolerate.

Interesting

[Zivman]

Well my tank and stand arrived yesterday. The tank is very nice. All I really have to say is, it is BIG and HEAVY!

[Ninong]

Congratulations!

Good luck setting everything up. Did you receive your light fixture yet? If so, how do you like it?

Post some pics!

[Zivman]

I received the light fixture a couple of weeks ago. The setup looks nice, but won't have it setup for about a month. The tank gets to sit empty in my living room until I get my sump from lifereef. Let me tell you how happy my wife is. When I asked her how much she hated it, she said; even more than I thought I would

[Ninong]

Let me tell you how happy my wife is. When I asked her how much she hated it, she said; even more than I thought I would

And she hasn't even heard it yet.

:eek3:

[Zivman]

And she hasn't even heard it yet.

:eek3:

Is that refering to the little giant pumps?

[Ninong]

Is that refering to the little giant pumps?

No, just a general comment. It seems that most wives who are unhappy with the appearance of an empty tank are even less happy with the noise and heat that often accompany them once they are up and running.