Need help with lighting

OK, first here are the tank specs...

35g bow front (12D X 32W X 20H)
40+ pounds of live rock
2 inches of live sand
Deluxe Red Sea Prizm Skimmer
Fluval Canister Filter
2 400gph powerheads

Livestock:
5 Hermit crabs, 5 snails, TR Percola Clown, Red Scooter Blennie, Fire Gobie, Blue Green Chrome, 2 Shrimp (Fire Red and Cleaner)

Corals:
Mostly soft corals (clove polyps, mushrooms, white xenia, Xenia and Zoanthids). I also have a purple tip frogspawm.

My current lighting system is a PC with one bulb (it is actually a dual bulb, one blue and one white; 10,000K/460nm). It began to flicker so I removed it and am currently borrowing a friends TEK T5 lighting system (4 24" bulbs - Pink, Blue and two whites) while I determine the best system to purchase.

I would like to add some SPS (like the Montipora Capricornus) and another LPS (a branched hammer).
The tank has a hood that limits the size (only about 4" deep) of a fixture and makes heat a potential problem...this seems to rule out MH lamps?

As I look on difrerent websites, talk to guys in my local reef society and LFS owners I get more and more confused as to what my lighting needs are. The responses are so dogmatic and diverse it makes the whole thing sound like a preferential choice. It seems the needs of the different species are too specific to leave it up to preference

Given the limitations of my hood size (and my wallet) I seemed to be left with a couple of options; (I am happy to restrict my species purchases for the sake of staying in my current set up)

1) Upgrade my PC's to a dual bulb system and possibly get my other PC fixture fixed and add it as a third, dual bulb)

2) There are small T5 set ups by companies such as Current (i.e - the Nova Extreme) but the wattage is much smaller and I am not sure any improvement over what I currently have.

3) Something altogether different I have yet to discover.

The only other livestock considerations (as I sneak in extra questions). Would this lighting system sustain the same tank if I switched to anenomes from the corals down the line?

And would a sand sifting gobie like the orange marked gobie be too much to add to this system?

Sorry for the length of this. I wanted to make sure I gave all the pertinent information though I am sure I have left much out.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

sb

 

As far as MH's they are never out of the question there as so many way's to use that type of light and incorperate it in a hood/pendant fixure that way you can vent the heat.. Just off top of my head a 150w mh would do wonders for that tank...
I am running on a 24 gal Nano total 64 watt. PC I have Frogspawn and Zoa's and shroom's and every thing is doing great...
You said it best with the size of your wallet... If MH's are out of your wallet but can afford T5's deff get thoes... Alot better lighting system and will be able to grow the sps that you want.. With lil or no heat issues.. then there's the PC's when in doubt retro fit a upgrade..

Also check around at craig's list or even your local paper you will be surprised the things you can find at a good price...

Pending the lightin upgrade you choose it "might " be able to keep your anemome.
A sandsifting gobie i think will do fine in your tank...

Keep in mind just my salt encrusted 2 cents..

Best of Luck....

 

Salsalito,

Thanks for the reply. I am looking for "salt encrusted cents", that is why I was asking. I have also started to look at the retrofit kits. Per your advice, I will check out the 150 w MH. Are there brands I should look at or stay away from?

Thanks Again.

 

if you have room i would upgrade befor you buy a light that you wont be able to use on your new tank. if not then i would go with the 150 mh. but as far as brand go with any one that makes one of the clip on ones because i havent ever hurd of a mh fixture that is on 12 in wide

 

WHen it comes to MH.. try and get at least a eletronic balist.. reason being is they are more efficent on eletric bill and along with that if you get a magnetic one they tend to make a lovely hum when powerd up and not so good on the electric bill...

type/ brand of bulb... well that's up to you realy every one on this site has there own brand they like and will swear by them.. when in doubt take advise from every corner and build your own idea...
Only in case you dont know... bulb Kelvin rating is as followed.. 10,000k or 10k bulbs are the purist white. when bulb is lite.. 15,000k or 15k still white but have a blue hue to them... then of course 20,000k or 20k very blue or well just blue... Keep in mind all brands of bulbs will differ to make the customer choose there bulbs over one another...

Once again just my salt encrusted 2 cents...
And i am sure there are others that will pick up where i left off...



BEst of Luck....

 

You have one of the best fixtures around on your tank already! Tek T5s! 4x24w should be able to grow some monti caps and bridsnest no problem as long as he got the individual reflectors with the bulbs. i would ask your friend if you can buy his lights. I wouldn't mess with halides if i were you. Too much energy. I'm running a 4 bulb t5 combo on my 72 and I'm able to keep birdsnest, montis, and green slimer growing great. They are at the middle of the tank with noticeable growth every week.