Hmmm.. all these LED lights coming on the market recently... what happened to the "Patent" that got PFO sued out of existence?
20" lighting question
- Thread starter OgreMkV
- Start date
Amph,
The problem with the plastic cover is that it is black. There is an 18" x 8" window that is the opening for the lights. Anything I use for light has to put the majority of the light through that or I'm wasting money. A halide would probably have to be higher up and most of the light would hit the plastic.
I'm really thinking of taking the top down to a glass shop and asking them to copy it in 1/4 or 3/8 glass. That would give me a lot more options for lighting and block the IR from a halide.
The problem with the plastic cover is that it is black. There is an 18" x 8" window that is the opening for the lights. Anything I use for light has to put the majority of the light through that or I'm wasting money. A halide would probably have to be higher up and most of the light would hit the plastic.
I'm really thinking of taking the top down to a glass shop and asking them to copy it in 1/4 or 3/8 glass. That would give me a lot more options for lighting and block the IR from a halide.
That sounds like a much, much better choice. Either that or look into cutting a piece of acrylic. You'll be getting some IR no matter what, since IR is heat radiation. UV will be taken care of by any glass shields the halides have, negating the need for glass on the tank.
OK, so a budget of less than $400. Max width about 24". Corals as stated above (with an increasing interest in SPS).
What do you get?
4 bulb T5?
Halide with T5 actinics?
What do you get?
4 bulb T5?
Halide with T5 actinics?
For your tank size and future interests, I'd honestly go with the combo. If the tank were longer (the best tanks for T5s are 48"), I'd say all T5s may be a better choice, but they will all get the job done. The combo will give you the most bang for your buck, though, out of all the options available.
I have a different opinion on lighting. I would go with a pendant MH light that you can mount/hang from the wall, keeping it up out of the way of kids and animals. I think aesthetics would be much better as well. Also ease of access to the tank is a plus. I would go with a 250w Icecap ballast and a Phoenix 14k bulb. Another + with the MH is you only have 1 bulb to worry about replacing. I don't think you really need actinics if you went with a Phoenix 14k or Radium 20k 250w on that size tank.
Top, I like glass cut to shape. I find glass is easier to clean and you never have to worry about it warping.
Top, I like glass cut to shape. I find glass is easier to clean and you never have to worry about it warping.
OK, now i'm even more confused... sigh. The halide/T5/PC combos are the same price as the all LED fixtures. I've read that a 20k bulb is basically useless for coral growth. I don't know whether to look at 250W halides (I don't know if I can handle the elec cost) or a Nova Extreme Pro 6 bulb T5, or just go back to the LED fixtures... sigh.
A Radium 250w 20k is more than enough light on your size tank to give you good coral growth for any type of corals as well as a good white/blue balance IMO. You may not like the blue though, it is personal preference. My opinion is heavily swayed simply by the aesthetics of it and the fact you only have 1 bulb to worry about. The T5 setup will do just as good and those LEDs may come close as well.. soo... hard decision huh? 
You could try one of the 175w Iwasaki 15K lamps, which would give you more light than the Radium, but it isn't nearly as blue. If you wanted the extra blue, you'd need to supplement it with actinics--either T5 or compact fluorescent. If you did that, though, you wouldn't be too far from the electrical consumption of a single 250w halide.
Edit: the 6 lamp T5 fixture wouldn't be far from the wattage of a single 150-175w halide, either.
Edit: the 6 lamp T5 fixture wouldn't be far from the wattage of a single 150-175w halide, either.
