lighting an aquarium for acropora

12 posts • Page 1 of 2

Discuss all topics related to saltwater / reef tanks.


jav36
 
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2007 12:32 pm

lighting an aquarium for acropora

by jav36

alright guys im trying to figure out some expenses for my future aquarium. im planning on keeping acropora and montipora with metal halide lighting but im not sure if i can afford it. is it true that you can go to walmart and buy fixtures then get bulbs from somwhere else to avoid expensive prices? or will my only choice be buying 500$ metal halides at my lfs? anyone whos tried this or has anything to say about it, leave a comment

thanks


saltwaterpimp
 
Posts: 1307
Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2007 2:22 am

by saltwaterpimp



angus4481
 
Posts: 199
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 12:31 am

by angus4481

jav, the fixtures i was tellin you bout is floresent, not halide. sorry for the misunderstanding


jav36
 
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2007 12:32 pm

by jav36

ohhh so with the floresent what corals could it support?


somalia123
 
Posts: 70
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2008 7:08 am

by somalia123

ive seen good deals on mh on ebay


saltwaterpimp
 
Posts: 1307
Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2007 2:22 am

by saltwaterpimp

it depends on how many watts per gallon you will have..ho floresents can keep some montipora and all softies.


schigara
 
Posts: 468
Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2008 5:42 pm

by schigara

Take a look at this DIY Metal Halide setup.

http://aquarium.union.rpi.edu/articles/DIY_MH.html

I used this setup for over a year and did get good growth. It uses an Advance Mercury Vapor ballast that will fire a Iwasaki 250w SE 6500k bulbs. Not sure if it will fire any of the other Iwasaki bulbs but it might. The 6500 was just way to yellow for me.

I now run 2 250w Reeflux 12K DE's from Blueline electronic ballasts.


Snowboss4492
 
Posts: 2098
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:24 pm

by Snowboss4492

nice build article...i'm in the planning stages of a big DIY tank and have been searching for some DIY lighting options........i used to build gas stations for a living out in Kansas and we put 420 watt metal halide {scottsdale, brand} fixtures in the canopies.......i don't know what the spectrum is on them but i know our cost for a 24"X24" box fixture was around 150 bucks....and they ran on 220vac......which is much cheaper to run over 110vac........thoughts? {i just sent an email to them to see what they have available............Boss


Peterkarig3210
 
Posts: 1980
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:04 am

by Peterkarig3210

I burned my fish's eyes using a halide floodlight. It was one of these things that requires little power and floods your driveway. I thought it would be good for my freshwater plants and then I noticed crescent shaped white cataracts in all three of my Spotted gar's eyes. Thankfully they quickly healed after removal of the light.

Some great deals for PC/halide/moonlight VHO/halide/moonlight on this post.


Snowboss4492
 
Posts: 2098
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:24 pm

by Snowboss4492

oooooooooo damn man....good to know....sorry to hear it but definately a mistake I don't want to make...............poor lil fellers

lighting an aquarium for acropora

12 posts • Page 1 of 2

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