Converting FO to reef, how?

[Phildo]

I have a 225 that I'm ready to convert over to a reef.
I overwhelmed by where to start, the fish only thing seems so simple. I know I'm going to need a lighting upgrade but I know very little about lights.
I'm reading about PC lights, VHO lights, Icecap ballasts, etc.
What do I need? What's the difference between PC & VHO?
I was thinking about taking the four 36" shop light strips I have now and putting actinic bulbs in them and getting two 72" VHO bulbs for either side of the actinics. Which would give me two 72" standard actinic rows and two 72" VHO rows. Is this a good setup for a 225? If so, what do I need and where do I get the best deal outside of my LFS who probably would charge too much for this?

After I figure out the lighting, I'll need help with a current ick problem. I have the copper treatment in my hand but hesitate to use it for the problems it may cause in eventually converting to a reef. The LFS sold me an easy to remove brand in Cupramine, but I want to know the ramifications this may have on my conversion to a reef. Will I be able to break it down enough to eventually change over to a reef or not? I do have a UV sterilizer and plenty of carbon on hand to attempt a removal when my fish are cured.

This seems like a pretty impossible feat that I'm up against but I'm just heading into uncharted waters (literally). I'm sure you guys can help as usual. Thanks a bunch in advance for your advice.

[OrionGirl]

Power compact lights are more efficient than fluorescent lights--so, you get more light for a lower watt. VHO are Very High Output fluorescents--they put out more light than NO or HO lights. You have to have a special ballast to run these lights--an NO ballast will fire the HO and VHO bulbs, but it won't produce any more light than the NO bulbs.

For a tank that large, I would go with metal hallide (about 175Watts per 2 feet of tank) for the daylight source, and then run about 200 watts of actinic, either VHO or PC.

I would not treat with any copper treatment. If you can remove the fish to quarantine, treat them there as needed, and leave the main tank fishless for at least 6 weeks.

[Phildo]

Thanks for such quick response.
Wow thats a huge difference in cost to get three 175w metal halide fixtures with ballasts and bulbs than a PC or VHO set up. Probably a budget buster. Is that a requirement or the ideal to have a reef? Since Metal Halide is probably out of the question, which is better for my setup- VHO or PC, and how do I do it?
I'm not trying to be cheap but I just couldn't make that kind of investment into lighting only.
I'll definitely stay away from the copper route. I'll just set up a quarantine tank and treat the fish in there.
Thanks again

[OrionGirl]

The metal hallide lights will penetrate deeper into the water, enabling you to have a wider variety of corals. With fluorescent and PC, the light won't get close to the bottom of the tank, so you'll have to keep any corals in the upper levels of the tank. Some, like mushrooms, will be okay lower down, but others will die. Without using MH, I would go with the PC. You get more light for the watt, and the bulbs last longer than VHO's without as much heat (much less than MH, too). You could start with the PC, and then plan on adding MH as you go, or just stick within the limits of the PC. The depth is really the bigger issue for that large a tank. They are costly though--the 120 I'm setting up will have about $700 worth of lights--much more than the cost of the tank, plumbing, and filters, but to ensure the survival and thriving of the corals (about $1500 already in them!), it's well worth it.

[Phildo]

Since I've read your advice I'm searching the web on DIY MH set ups. It seems to be the way to go. Do you or anyone here have any experience with a DIY MH setup?
Looks like I am going to go this route if I can find some more info which I'm sure I can.

Thanks again!

[mtbiker9000]

Hi I am literally sitting in front of my newly built diy metal hallide system. You have two routes for this, but first lets just talk about how much light you need. To start with any corals I wouldn't suggest going any lower than 5watts per gallaon and with the tank you have fewwww thats alot of light. I am currently running 496 on my 54 corner. Thats roughly 9.2 watts per gallon for those without a calculator handy. Granted I am setting up my tank to eventually have sps coral which are in need of alot of actinic high intensity light. But anyways I digress, to start I would go with a diy setup that you can get the parts for from most online engineering companies like mcmaster carr I would just suggest buying your bulb from a reputable dealer. You have two options mogul connection bulbs which come with a uv sleeve over them or hqi which don't, neither in my mind or knowledge has any adavntage over the other in providing light but for the diy'er who doesn't want to go and find special glass shield to shield the uv then go with the mogul connection very nice all self contained bulb that you just plug in. As for the parts......you can buy stuff seperately and thats exacly what I had planned out roughly 250 for 400 watts "but negating what I'm about to tell you this is probably "your" best option because of the huge amount of light you will need- but at the last minute a company on ebay just got started called marine madness check out their retro kits from coral vue yet again another new company. Granted these two companies don't have long track records but on the other hand I did an exstensive amount of research got enough flack from my girlfreind....long hours in front of the puter in researching these folks not much out there about them but all is good that I could find, except one review but that was for their first bulb, but the second generation is much better. I also found this website that posted 3rd party findings about what each one of their bulbs puts out both in intensity and nm spiking values, very nice stuff I will try to find again and post. So to start over with that much tank 1000 watts should do it to start. So if you have any lights already minus that wattage from the 1000. It shouldn't cost that much maybe 500 dollars yes I know its alot but far far far less than any other option. I have had my diy setup for like a week now and I have never seen corraline algae spread so fast before and my fish are never hiding always out, oh ya and my nitrate levels went from 5ppm to not detectable obviously kicked up the live rocks filtering ability a bit. All in all watt for watt least expensive system I could find, but the nice thing is its an electronic ballast which just trust me the engineering details why this is true are for another discussion but deffinately electronic is the way to go, again trust me I am a mechanical engineer and chemist by day. Any more questions which I'm sure you will have don't hesitate to post again I will be looking at this thread most often as I highly respect diy'ers. Again there is alot more to tell but lets start with what questions you have now!!!!