Another Lighting Question

havnfun328

havnfun328

AC Members
Sep 11, 2006
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Kansas
We have a 90 gal tank (48Wx18x24D) with 260W of PC lighting. We need to upgrade but I don't want to replace the lights completely with halides (I'm a cheapskate). I don't think there's room to add a halide, but I could run a single 48" T5 across the tank - I've found a reflector that's only 2.5" deep.

Will that be enough light to keep Anemones and corals? (260W of PC and 85W HO).

Thanks.
 
how deep is the tank?? What type of Nem, where will the nem be placed??? Very open question, could it work yes, do I think IMO that it is a good idea depends on your tank and if it has an area to be happy towards the top of the tank.
 
If your tank is standard, I think it might be 24" high... If you have a lot of rocks and can place anemone as close to the light as possible, I think it might work. But then again, most people do not recommend nems without very strong lighting, like halide.
 
At 24 inces I wouldn't try, it will probably migrate to the bottom to try to avoid higher water flow and then would not get enough light.
 
Yes, it's 24" deep. We have a green carpet that's on the bottom, and a BTA that's almost gone (I don't think it was healthy when we bought it). Sounds like we really need halides. How do we integrate MH with the PC's we have now?
 
Do you have a retro kit now or a whole unit??
 
It's a 48" coralife lunar aqualite (or similar). I'm running 2 10K and 2 actinic bulbs, each @ 65W
 
If you are a good DIY person my sugestion would be to take those out of the fixture, build a canopy and add some halides. But build the canopy first..LOL!!
 
After some research, this is what I plan get for my 90G as well...

2x - MH Parabolic Reflector Set w/ Mogul Base-------59.9
2x - Electronic Ballast-------------------------------------199.98
2x - 400W 10k (or 14k) Halide Bulbs------------------179.9

Total: 439.78 + tax

Reflector:
http://www.hellolights.com/methalparref.html

Ballast:
http://ballastwise.com/item.asp?PID=129&FID=17&level=1

Then 400 watt 15000°K (or 10k, can't decide) from here:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produ...6&N=2004+113353
 
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