Lighting HELP!

Silentwater · 01/18/2018, 06:33 PM

Hi Guys,

Im newish to the hobby, I have MUCH to learn.

I was "forced" into the hobby by my mother that no longer wanted her 75 gallon saltwater tank. I since then have fell in love with the hobby and have a 125 gallon tank.

BUT here is where I'm probably going to get yelled at, I do not have proper lighting at all. I'm using the Fluval LED lights I had for the 75 gallon, so I obviously do not have even lighting or enough so I added another strip but this one is only 38 inches long.

My questions are:

What type of lighting do you recommend for coral growth, like exact lighting. I know T5's do the trick but I want to be able to just type the name of the lights or light fixture and order it.

How many watz do I need or how can I be sure that proper lighting is reaching the bottom of the tank?

I apologize for the long post with silly questions but I finally have the money to properly invest in my tank and I want to get a move on so my tank can be beautiful! thanks in advance!

Tank dims: 72 X 18 x 24.

JUNBUG361 · 01/18/2018, 11:54 PM

How old is your tank? What do you have in your tank? What type of corals your planning on keeping? What’s your budget?

RobZilla04 · 01/19/2018, 05:49 AM

For lighting check the Equipment section of this forum. There are plenty of Stickies and conversation threads which cover sufficient coral lighting including T5HO, MH, & LED.

How many watts depends on the fixture. With newer technology I don't believe there is a rule of thumb relationship between tank size, water volume, and required watts.

Take some time and read through some forums to get a good understanding of the basics. There is far too much to post in one response.

Ron Reefman · 01/19/2018, 06:09 AM

OK, any form of light, MH, t5, led or and combo can work over your new tank. The issue with your old fixture is that it uses very weak (0.3 to 0.5 watts) leds. Good fixtures use 3.0 to 5.0 watt leds.

I can't help much with t5 fixtures, but most any 4 or 6 bulb fixture will work.

Specific led fixtures you could use are Mars Aqua (3 units at 16" each or 2 units at 32" each). The prices and extra features go up from there. Viparspectra, Euphotica, SB Reef, Galaxy Hydro, Ocean Revive and more.

Check out this post to learn some about led prices and extra features:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...&postcount=233

Just remember that all the extra features do very little if anything for the corals, they are all about convenience and control for the human owner/operator.

Uncle99 · 01/19/2018, 12:30 PM

You would need 3-VISPARSPECTRA 165w LED from Amazon for your size, each $160 Canadian, so cheaper in US, delivery by Amazon to your door...all ya need to do is sign for them and hang them with the kit supplied to the ceiling above......14 months, very happy with these lights..coral growth excellent, 1 dies 24x24x24 maximum.....

Uncle99 · 01/19/2018, 12:31 PM

Course dies is does....

Silentwater · 01/20/2018, 10:20 AM

Thank you all for your replies, I will check out the options you guys have gave me , I’m very pleased with this group and I’m feeling super confident I am going to find the perfect lighting now .

My tank has been going for about 2 years and it’s inhabitants include:
1 carpet anemone (that I’m struggling with)
1 LTA
Foxface
Salfin tang
Yellow tang
A couple snowflake clowns that are hosting the carpet anemone
And 2 blue damsels
2 scooter bleenys

A bunch of crabs and snails.
My budget is 400-500 dollars

Thanks again for all the help I’m hopin onto amazon right now.

Uncle99 · 01/20/2018, 08:53 PM

Carpets are viscous, I am surprised your fish are still there

01/18/2018, 06:33 PM	#1
Silentwater Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Posts: 2	Lighting HELP! Hi Guys, Im newish to the hobby, I have MUCH to learn. I was "forced" into the hobby by my mother that no longer wanted her 75 gallon saltwater tank. I since then have fell in love with the hobby and have a 125 gallon tank. BUT here is where I'm probably going to get yelled at, I do not have proper lighting at all. I'm using the Fluval LED lights I had for the 75 gallon, so I obviously do not have even lighting or enough so I added another strip but this one is only 38 inches long. My questions are: What type of lighting do you recommend for coral growth, like exact lighting. I know T5's do the trick but I want to be able to just type the name of the lights or light fixture and order it. How many watz do I need or how can I be sure that proper lighting is reaching the bottom of the tank? I apologize for the long post with silly questions but I finally have the money to properly invest in my tank and I want to get a move on so my tank can be beautiful! thanks in advance! Tank dims: 72 X 18 x 24.

01/19/2018, 05:49 AM	#3
RobZilla04 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: St. Augustine, FL Posts: 1,857	For lighting check the Equipment section of this forum. There are plenty of Stickies and conversation threads which cover sufficient coral lighting including T5HO, MH, & LED. How many watts depends on the fixture. With newer technology I don't believe there is a rule of thumb relationship between tank size, water volume, and required watts. Take some time and read through some forums to get a good understanding of the basics. There is far too much to post in one response. __________________ 90g Mixed Reef

01/19/2018, 06:09 AM	#4
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	OK, any form of light, MH, t5, led or and combo can work over your new tank. The issue with your old fixture is that it uses very weak (0.3 to 0.5 watts) leds. Good fixtures use 3.0 to 5.0 watt leds. I can't help much with t5 fixtures, but most any 4 or 6 bulb fixture will work. Specific led fixtures you could use are Mars Aqua (3 units at 16" each or 2 units at 32" each). The prices and extra features go up from there. Viparspectra, Euphotica, SB Reef, Galaxy Hydro, Ocean Revive and more. Check out this post to learn some about led prices and extra features: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...&postcount=233 Just remember that all the extra features do very little if anything for the corals, they are all about convenience and control for the human owner/operator. __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

01/18/2018, 11:54 PM	#2
JUNBUG361 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Antioch,CALIFORNIA Posts: 1,091	How old is your tank? What do you have in your tank? What type of corals your planning on keeping? What’s your budget?

01/19/2018, 12:30 PM	#5
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	You would need 3-VISPARSPECTRA 165w LED from Amazon for your size, each $160 Canadian, so cheaper in US, delivery by Amazon to your door...all ya need to do is sign for them and hang them with the kit supplied to the ceiling above......14 months, very happy with these lights..coral growth excellent, 1 dies 24x24x24 maximum.....

01/19/2018, 12:31 PM	#6
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	Course dies is does....

01/20/2018, 10:20 AM	#7
Silentwater Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Posts: 2	Thank you all for your replies, I will check out the options you guys have gave me , I’m very pleased with this group and I’m feeling super confident I am going to find the perfect lighting now . My tank has been going for about 2 years and it’s inhabitants include: 1 carpet anemone (that I’m struggling with) 1 LTA Foxface Salfin tang Yellow tang A couple snowflake clowns that are hosting the carpet anemone And 2 blue damsels 2 scooter bleenys A bunch of crabs and snails. My budget is 400-500 dollars Thanks again for all the help I’m hopin onto amazon right now.

01/20/2018, 08:53 PM	#8
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	Carpets are viscous, I am surprised your fish are still there