Lighting Big Tanks

J

Jaykit

Means To An End
Feb 4, 2009
953
0
16
Alberta
Hey all,

So I think that I am finally going big getting a 72"x24"'x30"(LxWxH) tank and turning it into a high tech planted system. Question is should I be getting 1x72" light fixture or 2x36" fixtures?
If I went with the 36" I think that I would get a second sundial t5ho and use the other one from my other tank as I have been really pleased with that product. There was only a couple 72" t5ho fixtures that i've found being the nova extreme and the aquatic life. The nova extreme has 468w of light but appear to be only a large single refector where as the aquatic life is 312w of light with single reflectors for each bulb.
Any opinions or help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much in advance.
 
i have a 60" tank, and trying to find a light fro that is next best thing to impossible. i'm looking into using 2 30 inch fixtures if i can find enough wattage
 
FindingBlemo said:
You could even get four and lay them out in a grid on the top of the tank. Does your hood have a middle bracket? or bar?
Click to expand...

There is no hood for this tank so it would be using the legs from the lights and setting them on top off the tank. Not sure that would multiple lights saggered criss-cross would look the best but probably will use this idea with all my old singles fixtures to light the tank while progession takes place.

stratusfearrr said:
This nova extreme boast 468 watts, with single bulb reflectors. I have the nova extreme 4x39 watt light fixture and LOVE it. these fixtures are excellent. Mines on a freshwater tank and its excellent for high-light plants
Click to expand...

Thats the one I was looking at(different site but same thing), I guess I must have miss read as it does say that each bulb has single relectors. Would 6' of lights heating up sag/deform in the middle though with that much span?
 
The only problem with the Nova Extreme Pro, is that need to replace 6 bulbs from the start, it ships with 10k and Actinic bulbs. IMO it would be easier to go with 3 150watt MH fixtures instead, especially with a 30" tall tank. Plus if you go with fishneedit.com, you save about $300 too.

http://www.fishneedit.com/150w-metal-halide-pendant-lig.html - Also get a nice choice lighting temps, I like 8000k personally.
 
So I have read that MH lighting is different than T5HO. With the 3 MH lights would I have to worry about hot and low spots in the tank or if they were positioned properly they would cover the area as good or better than a 72" fixture?
 
With 3 fixtures, the spread should be pretty even, just space them at 1.5' from each other.
 
i doubt it would sag. those light fixtures are awesome fixtures
 
Riiz said:
With 3 fixtures, the spread should be pretty even, just space them at 1.5' from each other.
Click to expand...

I'm a complete rookie when it comes to MH lighting. Is there any certain brand of MH light that is better than the others? Are the ones that you recommended are compareable? If I were to get the MH should I get all 8k bulbs or 2 - 8k and 1 - 6.5k? What is the recommended height above the top of the water for them?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom