could this work?

Semi change in plans for the 125 FOWLR, i got the coral "itch" a lot sooner than I thought i would. I have a chance to get 2 x 36" retro-fit 200w power compacts that would fit perfectly in my canopy. Will those with 4 x 36" 21w T5 10000k, and 4 x 36" 21w T5 actinics be enough to keep some corals? If so what kinds should i be starting to look into?

I still really want a brazilian dragon eel (might have to settle for a zebra tho) and a lion fish in this tank, will that be ok around the corals as long as the live rock is well-set? What would my clean up crew options look like, and could i have a star fish or 2 (direct request from "the boss")?

Thanks again!

~Will.

 

Thats sounds like a good lighting scheme to me. I would start off with some cheaper lower light corals and work your way up. They make good fill in the end anyway. You should look into sand sifting stars. As far as I know they are the only reef safe star fish. I have housed a couple of lion fish in my reef. Never had any problems regarding them and the coral. My rabbit fish seems to like killing them though.

 

Use the Power Compacts for Actinics and get reef lights for the T5'es you have (If I am reading your post correctly). Actinics in a Power Compact fixture do just as well as Actinics in any other fixture. The main issue with Power Compacts is trying to use them for reef lighting. You could probably get away with just one retro kit, split it in half for each side of the tank, and use it for actinics.

 

I have a lionfish with all of my corals and it has never posed a problem!

 

mike - what kind of corals would you recommend as beginner low-light corals? and do you mean the rabbit fish was eating your corals . . . or lions??

hikk - what "reef lights" could you recommend for a 8 x 36" 21 watt (normal output) t5 arraignment?? i'm pretty sure each power compact comes with 2 bulbs, 1 blue and 1 10000k both at 96w each, and a double reflector for each unit. i'm looking to work a trade with the guy, so its prob going to end up being both PC's or none. what is the main issue you refered too . . . are PC's bad for corals?

~Will.

 

If you are getting them for free, I would go for it. As long as the bulbs were new and free as well. I just don't like PC lighting. I did that routine for a year with very limited success. I know you are coupling them with T5s, but I can't help but think the money would be better spent (if there is money being spent) on a T5 retrofit. Or add it to the T5 piggy bank and get something really good in a couple of months.

When my PCs were going out, I had a choice of 1.) buying more PC bulbs, 2.) getting two cheap 4x54W T5s or 3.) waiting three months and getting my Teks. Glad I waited.

 

When I speak of "reef lights", it is referring to bulbs in the 10K to 20K light spectrum. A lot of what you pick in that range is personal preference and whether you want a more yellow, white, or blue look. 10K has a yellow tint (some) while the 20K tends to be more on the blue side with the 14K being a mix of the two.

I would try to find someone with a 24" HO bulb and see if your ballasts will fire it. A 24" HO is 24 watts versus the 36" being 21 watt. Just a matter of whether the ballasts will fire them or not. The endcaps on a HO and a Normal output T5 are the same. That would give you more light and be an HO bulb where you would have more options for bulb choices.

The issues with PC is mostly PAR (Photosynthetically Available Radiation). Its how much of the light the coral can actually use for growth. The PAR readings on PC bulbs are abysmal at best. You can use them for Actinics because the actinics are mostly for color so the PAR reading doesn't really matter for them.
But, the other major issue with them is cost. A PC bulb will last about 6 months and its time to replace it. You can get 12-18 months on a T5 bulb so they last 2-3 times longer than PC bulbs and aren't as expensive either.

Is this the type bulbs in the fixture:
Compact Fluorescent Aquarium Lighting: Compact Fluorescent Quad Bulbs

I ask because you say its a 96W bulb. I have a 8x65W PC Fixture that I intend to disassemble and use it on a FW Planted tank. The daylight bulbs for them are dirt cheap compared to reef tank bulbs for a PC fixture.

 

the bulbs he has are brand new in the box (just found that out today), and they dont look like the one in that link. the fixture is a single big reflector with mounting for 2 separate 96w PC bulbs. i went to an amazing coral store today and after cleaning up my drool stains off the glass i got some info i'd like to run by you all.

the owner said i could just get better ballasts for the NO home depot fixtures for like $35 and run HO or VHO bulbs in them with the original [bulb holder thingers] . . . is that correct? if so i may just go that route and get real reef bulbs right off the bat instead of the 21watt girly ones. with 8 HO 36" T5 (unknown wattage as of yet) could i go with the majority of the t5's 10000k-20000k and use the PC's as my blues?

thanks for having patience with all the questions, i really value this info.

~Will.

 

OK, I found the longer 96W bulbs. There are two kinds, flat pins and a square pin connector. The difference is the shape of the outline of the pins. In a "flat pin" all the ins are in a line with one another. With the square pin, the 4 pins make a square. Didn't really look hard for a length but it seems the square pin bulb is about half as long as the flat pin bulb.

Personally, I would use the PC's for "blues" (actinics) and get T5 HO's for the "whites" (10-20K). The PC'es do fine for actinics but the pc white bulbs just aren't worth buying for a reef tank.

You have two options with what you have now, as far as ballast/bulbs.
1) Upgrade ballasts. That means get a ballast that will run 36" T5HO bulbs.
2) Downsize the lightbulb. Running a 24" T5HO bulb on your current ballast.

The safest/surest option is 1 since its possible that your current ballast won't fire the 24" T5HO bulbs so you would have to replace them anyway.

Does the top of your tank have 1 or 2 dividers/supports in it? I assume you have a 6' 125 from using two 36" lights on it (They make a 4 and 5 foot 125). If it has 1 then a 36" fixture is the way to go. If it has two then a 24" fixture is a better option. But either way, I would use T5HO or MH for the "white" and leave the PC'es for Actinics.

 

yes, its a 6' 125 and it has 1 support in the middle. i've been looking into option 1 (getting a real ballast to run HO or VHO bulbs) and have a couple more questions.

what ballast would be best to run 4 x 36" T5's? i've been reading alot on the icecap 660, but is wouldn't 16 lamp feet with a total of 464 rated lamp watts be a little overkill? i can get an ARO VHO Ballast thats 220 watts for pretty cheap, can that be made to run 4 x 36" HO T5's?? is there any other ballasts i should be looking at?

~Will.