Lighting for a odd shaped 90 Gal

S

Snarkys

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Apr 7, 2004
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Starting a new tank and i am looking for some lighting ideas. Btw this is my first tank so no advice is to low for me.

The top has a kinda odd shape (wavy front) , i am not sure if i can put a hood on it or it might be a pain in the butt to build . here is a link .
http://www.petpress.net/image.php?i...k.jpg&imgtype=2

Tank is 48"long, 18"wide and 24" tall. we are looking to start the tank as a fish/live rock tank and when we are ready we would like to add cool things like corals and anenome. Because we are new to the hobby , ease of use is a big ishue. Personaly i'd like something we can just lay on top of the tank.

Right now i am thinking we would get a strip with either 4 X 96 watt PC's or 4 X 110 VHO's . Heat is the big concern i guess. would i be able to just lay these on top of the tank or would it over heat the tank ? guess i am wondering what the advantages and disadvantages of VHO vs. PC is also.

Looking good is a very high priority to us. so if we have to raise it off the top of the tank for heat reasons we would prolly have to build a hood of some sorts . any ideas on how we could make a wavy hood ?

Also if we have to go the hood rought i guess we might as well buy the MH/VHO combo anyways right ?

Looks and effectiveness are more important to us than money. I'd rather do it right this time than spend a few hundo now , only yo be unhappy and spend $600 more later.

IF you could post good places to buy lights it would be nice also ..

thanks alot for your help
 
guess the things i really want to know are can i set a stip of 4 110 VHO's right on top of the tank is fixture like this?
http://www.jlaquatics.com/cgi-bin/s...uorescent;Hoods

If i go MH/VHO would 2 X MH175 with 2 X 110 VHO be a good choice ? this site says i can put this PFO fixture right on top of the tank but it seems to me that the heat would be a problem. would it ?
http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium...ure.asp?CartId=

If i have to hang the light over the top of the tank , how far should i hang it and how much spillover of light would i get . will the whole corner of my room be lit up like the sun ?

and lastly where can i find Giesmann fixtures ?
 
I wouldn't have the light overhang outside the tank. Wasted light, bad reflections, and you won't get the benefit fro it. I suspect the PC's will work, since you can place the on the back and still benefit, ditto for the MH. Pendent style lighting would aslo work--you suspend them from the ceiling above the tank, or from a frame that sits on the tank/stand. You'll maybe need to DIY a bit of that, but it will work.

What do you want to have in the tank? This should determine which fixture you go with.
 
There needs to be an air gap, or some way of moving air around, but yes. You don't want the water to splash and hit them, and some fans will help disperse the heat. My MH will be about 10 inches above the tank surface, PC's are anywhere from 8 inches to sitting on the glass cover, VHO's are about 8 inches above.
 
Originally posted by OrionGirl
There needs to be an air gap, or some way of moving air around, but yes. You don't want the water to splash and hit them, and some fans will help disperse the heat. My MH will be about 10 inches above the tank surface, PC's are anywhere from 8 inches to sitting on the glass cover, VHO's are about 8 inches above.
Click to expand...


SO i take it that PC's run alot cooler than VHO's ?
 
Yep, much cooler. Mine have a fan, but the bulbs don't put out nearly the heat of the MH.
 
Originally posted by OrionGirl
Yep, much cooler. Mine have a fan, but the bulbs don't put out nearly the heat of the MH.
Click to expand...

figured PC's would be way cooler than MH's but i did not know they would be that much cooler than VHO's

Kinda looking at buying these

http://www.hellolights.com/484xcoluaqde.html

wish it was 4 X 96 watt but this price is hard to beat i think and would alow me to upgrade at a latter date without wasting much money . think these would be enough to keep all the stuff on tampabay saltwater live rock alive ? 18 inch deep 90 gal tank .
 
The 4X65 watt light will be great for hitchhiking critters on TBS rock.

From what I have seen, the main corals on TBS rock are phyllangia, which is non-photosynthetic, and cladocora, which is very adaptable. You may also get some siderastrea, which also isn't choosy, and, if you're really lucky, a small brain or two. The brains will be quite happy as long as they are closer to the light.

Any macroalgae that come in will be happy under those lights.

I haven't seen a proper writeup yet, but T5's are supposed to give you more usable light per watt than PC or VHO.
 
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