New SW setup, newbie too
- Thread starter Dan06
- Start date
I know there is a big difference, but for less than $30 bucks it's worth trying it and seeing what happens. If it doesn't work, I have more than enough places to a mount a T5 light fixture in my garage. :thm:
Sure, you can go read at several different places that standard T5 lighting isn't enough, but so many places scream & yell about X product being absolutely necessary for a SW tank...and the more I get involved into this hobby, the more I'm learning that there is an incredible amount of garbage on the market. My LFS has standard T5 lighting over a frag tank and there has been several frags I've noticed getting larger over a period of 2 months of visiting. I'll give it a shot, worst case scenerio is I just bought myself a new T5 light for my work bench.
I bought this Icecap Retro kit but it is pricey. You can get a cheap ballast from ballastwise, each one is different so you need to know what type of bulbs and how many to pick the right ballast. This ballast for $50 does 4x54w T5HOs, then you would still need the end caps for $80, reflectors for $100 for 4, so do DIY with a cheap ballast it will run you about $250 or so with a DIY 4 bulb T5HO setup vs $300 to just buy the Icecap Retro kit that comes with everything and has a very good ballast that will overdrive the bulbs. I would spend the extra $50 to know I am getting a good ballast.. and I did. This does not include the bulbs on either kit, bulbs would run you an additional $100 or so.
So as you can see, there is no way your going to get a comparable light from HD for even 1/2 the cost. The above example was for a 4' tank, smaller tanks would be a little cheaper, but not much. Personally, I don't like to really experiment on how low a living animal can tolerate its living environment before it dies.. My goal has alway been to make them as happy as I can. To me it is like saying, lets put a person in a room and see how much air we can take out and still have them live.
So as you can see, there is no way your going to get a comparable light from HD for even 1/2 the cost. The above example was for a 4' tank, smaller tanks would be a little cheaper, but not much. Personally, I don't like to really experiment on how low a living animal can tolerate its living environment before it dies.. My goal has alway been to make them as happy as I can. To me it is like saying, lets put a person in a room and see how much air we can take out and still have them live.
I totally understand what you are saying, but I will be expirimenting with aquacultured frags, stuff like zoa's & a couple frogspawns. Stuff that I will be getting for $5 a frag. you can say it's unfair and not something you would do - but you still have an aquarium in your home. It's essentially a toilet bowl packed full of stuff removed from it's natural habitat for our own viewing pleasure..but the least we can do is give it the best environment possible if we insist on being selfish & having this stuff living in our homes 
Do I think this is going to work? I'm betting on it not working to the degree I would like it to. I have a wholesaler account at another electrical wholesaler that I can even get T5ho fixtures from, so don't fret - after a week or two if things don't work out, it'll get solved quick, and this cheap fixture from HD will be lighting my bench.
Do I think this is going to work? I'm betting on it not working to the degree I would like it to. I have a wholesaler account at another electrical wholesaler that I can even get T5ho fixtures from, so don't fret - after a week or two if things don't work out, it'll get solved quick, and this cheap fixture from HD will be lighting my bench.
Another pic!
I'll try to get a picture of my new pink ric tomorrow! I can't get the lights out of the way enough to get a picture to show it's true color.
Here's my Tang that will not get out of my face whenever I go near the tank! Those pumpkin zoo's are cool...and could someone PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ID the coral on the bottom left???
I'll try to get a picture of my new pink ric tomorrow! I can't get the lights out of the way enough to get a picture to show it's true color.
Here's my Tang that will not get out of my face whenever I go near the tank! Those pumpkin zoo's are cool...and could someone PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ID the coral on the bottom left???
Swapped out my #3 powerhead for another #2. It calmed things down in the tank a lot and the corals are much fuller, the torches definitely appreciate the decrease in flow. However, even with two #2's and my canister, I'm worried it's not generating enough flow behind the rocks. I've left several pockets for water to flow back there... I think I may add another #2 at the top rear of the tank just to give me peace of mind.
