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 | Lighting for 100Gal US tank? |
connah  Hobbyist Posts: 126 Kudos: 168 Votes: 4 Registered: 09-Nov-2003   | Hi I am in the process of setting my 100gal US tank as a marine setup. To start with I want FOWLR but intend to add corals later on once I get comfortable with the tank. The tank is 20 inches deep will Fluros do or do I need to go for me MH are more expensive and I will have to mod my hood, where as Fluros are cheaper & fit my hood but I dont know if they will be powerful enough. So what type of lighting should I go for? any help would be great:%) thanks |
 Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:20 |     |
So_Very_Sneaky   Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 3238 Kudos: 2272 Votes: 201 Registered: 10-Mar-2004   | I would go for compact flourescent lighting. Often just referred to as CF. Say, if your hood is 48 inches long, a regular flourescent might give you 30 watts max, but a compact flourescent hood will give you a minimum of 135 watts. They are the best bet, and less expensive than me Come Play Yahtzee With Me! http://games.atari.com Http://www.myleague.com/yahtgames |
| Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:20 | |
| connah Hobbyist Posts: 126 Kudos: 168 Votes: 4 Registered: 09-Nov-2003 | thanks I will check them out |
| Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:20 | |
dthurs     Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 4340 Kudos: 4170 Votes: 529 Registered: 18-Feb-2003  | Check here, http://www.hellolights.com/index.html Very good prices on parts to build lights. I built a VHO light for my 125, 320 watts. You can build HM 250watt lights for about $125 Dan |
| Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:20 |   |
| dthurs Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 4340 Kudos: 4170 Votes: 529 Registered: 18-Feb-2003 | Ack, that shoudl be MH, not HM.  Dan |
| Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:20 | |
| connah Hobbyist Posts: 126 Kudos: 168 Votes: 4 Registered: 09-Nov-2003 | I could make my own MH lights but that site is a US site and it says they dont do international orders any more, plus the shipping would put the price up. I need to find an Aussie site, dose anyone know any? |
| Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:20 | |
| connah Hobbyist Posts: 126 Kudos: 168 Votes: 4 Registered: 09-Nov-2003 | ok I alredy have a six foot fluro 2x 3 foot 30W globes and I have found that I can use shoplighter MH 150W so would 2 150W MH + the fluro give me enough light when the tank is 20 inches deep? |
| Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:20 | |
| FantomFish Hobbyist Posts: 120 Kudos: 183 Votes: 1 Registered: 30-Jan-2004 | Make sure you can get the right bulbs, and your lights will be fine for almost everything. |
| Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:20 |  |
| connah Hobbyist Posts: 126 Kudos: 168 Votes: 4 Registered: 09-Nov-2003 | Are 14000K better than 10000K? as I can get them for the same price from this web sitehttps://www.corallights.com.au/shop/catalog/index.php?cPath=22&osCsid=3aa4678c9cd1522ef58efb75b2a534f1:%) |
| Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:20 | |
| connah Hobbyist Posts: 126 Kudos: 168 Votes: 4 Registered: 09-Nov-2003 | anyone? |
| Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:20 | |
| nano reefer Fish Addict Posts: 716 Kudos: 570 Votes: 3 Registered: 29-Feb-2004  | 10000k is less blueish that 14000k is so if you want more of a blueish colour then go for the 14000k but if not then go for the 10000k. |
| Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:20 | |
ACIDRAIN  Moderator Posts: 3162 Kudos: 1381 Votes: 416 Registered: 14-Jan-2002  | 14,000K will be more blue than 10,000k. IMO the 10,000K gives the best quality in appearance. As for you tanks lighting, well it depends on what type of corals you may be wanting to keep in the future. If you are planning on SPS, then you will definitely need MH, and more likely about 2-4 250 watt min, or 2 400 watters. The PC lighting will be OK for most softies and LPS though. For a comparison in the lighting colors, visit this site, and on the right of the screen click on the link that says, "250 watt me http://www.cnidarianreef.com/ There is always a bigger fish... |
| Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:20 | |
| connah Hobbyist Posts: 126 Kudos: 168 Votes: 4 Registered: 09-Nov-2003 | Thanks that give me a good Idea of what I am deaing with. If do go for MH I will have to mod my hood so they fit, I was think of cutting holes in the top of my wooden hood then mounting the lights on top, but this will only have the lights 4 1/2 inches away from the glass, would this heat the glass to much using 150W lights? If its to close what the minimum distance I should keep them from the glass? Last edited by connah at 22-Dec-2004 14:36 |
| Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:20 | |
| ACIDRAIN Moderator Posts: 3162 Kudos: 1381 Votes: 416 Registered: 14-Jan-2002 | Make some vent holes in your hood as well, and purchase some small fans to blow cooler air into the hood, thus pushing hotter air out the vents. This will keep it from heating the water as much. And, 4 1/2 inches is fine. Also, most people do not use tank tops when using a hood and MH lamps. As they want as much light getting to their corals, and don't want the glass getting in the way. There is always a bigger fish... |
| Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:20 | |
| connah Hobbyist Posts: 126 Kudos: 168 Votes: 4 Registered: 09-Nov-2003 | so should I also remove the glass thats in the fitting as it suposed to fillter out harmful UV (when use for lighting human places ie shops and stuff) or should I leave it in? dont want my animal getting skin cancer  there is a pic of the fitting on this site http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/150wmh.html Last edited by connah at 22-Dec-2004 20:22 |
| Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:20 | |
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