I Need Help. 29 Gallon Lighting

I'm so confused. I've tried to read through this forum and get the answers I need for myself, but I simply just don't understand the technical language that people are writing when talking about lighting.

I have 29 gallon FOWLR setup right now. My tank measures at 30w x 12l x 18h. I would one day like to add some "easy" to care for corals and maybe a anenome sometime down the road. I've read that you want anywhere from 2-5 watts/gallon, but then I've read here that's not a accurate way to buy lighting. I've read PC's are good, but other says they are not effiecient enough. I just want something that will let me keep both arms and legs but will be enough to keep the type of livestock that I may get one day.

This is what I've been looking at. Please tell me what you guys think.

Current USA 30" PC 2 65 watt

Coral Life 30" PC 2 65 watt

Current USA 30" T5 2 24 watt

Are these too little? Are they too much. Please help/adivse. Thanks!

 

If you want cheap and easy any of those would be fine. The PCs are energy ineffiecent and have costly bulbs but if you are mainly having a FOWLR than its fine. T5 is better but if you get T5 you might as well get a decent T5, I know thats not what you are looking for but believe me and many others, once you start corals it becomes more of an addiction than this hobby itself.

Good luck

 

What would be a decent T5 fixture? I'm finding very limited options that are 30" wide for some odd reason.

I found this Sundial 4x24 watt fixture. It's more than the others but not out of my range. I've also learned in life that something that cost more isn't always better, with the flip side of that being.. you get what you pay for. Plus with a 29 gallon tank I don't think I've have space to get too addicted.

 

Hahaha, just look at the Nano 10 gallon tanks people have. There is plenty of room to get adicted to cool looking corals in a 29 =)

 

I think that 4x24 T5 fixture is the way to go. The others weren't powerful enough for what you want to do. This will give you ample light to allow you to choose from a wide selection of corals. You will be able to get soft corals and even a few lower light lps.

 

So you think the 4x24 T5 would be best? I thought so to until I found this lighting chart at marineandreef.com. They are saying those various PC lights are more efficient than the T5's. I thought you could get away with lower wattage T5's for some reason. They have successfully confused me just when I thought I had it figured out.

 

Actually, I think you will be able to keep most LPS under a 4x24W T5. Maybe even a clam. You are kind of on the edge with a little over 3 watts per gallon, but I think that will suffice. If you got somewhere in the neighborhood of 5 watts per gallon with T5s and used UVL bulbs, you would have no limitations. SPS, clams, etc.

Absolutely not. PCs are not more efficient than T5s. T5s are a much better choice for corals. Period. You can see what I have run with 3.5 watts per gallon of PCs. Just think if I had T5s. Wow. What a difference that would make. Even at the same wattage per gallon (which, BTW is not a very accurate way of measuring effectiveness when comparing the two systems----apples to oranges really).

If I were you, I would just get a good set of T5s. Then, if you want to convert to a reef system, and trust me a 29 gallon would make a good reef tank, you can without worrying about upgrading. I looked around and couldn't find anything but the 4x24w by Current. I was looking for a 4x39W but it seems that you are indeed limited by the 30 inch dimension.

Current USA Nova SunDial T5 Aquarium Lighting Fixture

 

thats funny i have a 29 too, and i spend my days off going from store to store looking for the right thing...it just like tattoos you start with alittle on then you have picture of Lord Helmet and Barf from Spaceballs...;D

I have 150 MH with two 39w T5 Atinics and thats can be alittle much for some corals, but for what it sounds like you want to do i would go with the T5, will get better reuslts, IMO

 

T5's get my vote, halides are very expensive and you have heat/evaporation issues to go along with it. People say T5's have better PAR values and more lumens per watts. Whatever you get, don't get pc's, bulbs generally last 6 to 8 months with pc's, T5 bulbs can be ran up to 1.5 years or maybe more.

 

First off, thanks to everybody for weighing in.

I've read a few threads on here and on other sites and I just couldn't understand the jargon regarding watts and lumnies. I couldn't find a simple, "this will work for you" excluding the marineandreef.com light chart (btw, I still don't understand why they only reccomend the Sundial for live rock and soft corals) . I work as a web designer/developer and I now know what my boss feels like when I explain what I do to code to make it something work. ;D

So the consensus is to stay away from PC lighting fixtures, right?

Ok. I think I'm good now. I'm think I'm going to order the Sundial 4x24w T5's before my wife makes plans for my fantasy football championship winnings.