Light Fixtures....so confussed!

Can someone please help pick the right set of lights for my tank. Apartently I got ripped off at my lfs, he claimed they were great lights and according to this site and everyone else they are crap and not enough to grow coral.(t5's 2-24 watt bulbs) I have a 36 gallon bow front and I need to up grade my lighting.

As im looking around on the sites im seeing a lot of things I dont quite understand. Like what exactly is a ballast? and a retro kit? Another problem im having is the size, all the bulbs I have found that are strong enough are to long for my tank like 36" or more. My tank is 30" long and everything that size or smaller is less the 100 watts toal. I havent been able to find what I need. I have seen LEDs for like 200 bucks brand new, but i dont understand how they can be so cheap because usually LEDs are in the 500 or 600 dollar range, and I dont know how to measure watts and votts with those. What lighting would you suggest, T5's, Halides, or LEDs. I have about $250 to spend on lights.

If someone could give me a hand and point me in the right direction I would really appricate it. Maybe you have a good website that offers good prices on lights, I have went through so many but I just get confussed. Thanks so much in advance =]

 

That depends on the kind of corals you want to keep... for softies and lps, you may be ok with the fixture you have...

For SPS, I think if you added two more 24 watt T5's you'd be fine... either a four bulb fixture or two of the fixture you have should be ample light for your aquarium to keep almost any coral you want.

 

I dont have room to add more lighting because my tank is a bowfont, so the long part is only enough room to hold one light fixture =[ I will look and see if I can find a 4 bulbs fixture

In the future I plan on it being mostly coral with a few fish. I like the way coral looks more then the fish. So I know I need to invest in better lights

 

So, you plan on keeping sps, then?

 

4 bulb t5 would work with good reflectors on the bulbs even better or a 175watt metal halide pendant 10-12 inches above the tank

a ballast is an electrical component that runs the bulbs in most fixtures there inside you dont see them

a retro or retro kit is a lighting system for people that make there own canopys or fixtures thay usually include a ballast, wireing , some sort of bulb sockets maybee even a reflector

but if you can fit another fixture you already have go for it if that can save you some cash

 

+1
I agree with gabbagabbawill. It all depends on the type of coral (if any) that u may want to keep. Soft corals will be ok with what u bought but I personally think that you may have a hard time with LPS and more than likely won't be able to grow hard corals or SPS as we call them.

If u can return the light, I would advice u to do so and find a higher wattage fixture if T5's. With metal halide lamps you won't have a problem to grow even the SPS, but your electric bill will be substantially higher. LED's are a new technology, but it has come a long way since its beginning and some will put out just as much usable light spectrum as metal halides.

So, in conclusion, metal halides will grow anything as it will a T5 with 4 or more bulbs for your size tank. Maybe if 18 inches or taller, you may be limited to the.top 2/3rd of the tank for SPS, but should be more than sufficient for LFS and soft corals.



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What about these:

NOVA Extreme 24" T-5 Fixture 4 x 24W by Current USA - AquaCave

JBJ 24" TRINITY 4 x 24W High Output T5 Light Fixture - AquaCave

 

Eventually yes

 

some things u will want in a fixture are:
- independent bulb reflectors.
- independent switches to control actinic vs daylight or programable module included in the fixture.
- Internal cooling fans
- Definitely a splash screen or glass on the bottom.
Hope that helps.

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I'd say either of those fixtures looks good!

you'll want to eventually swap out the bulbs that they come with... the current USA bulbs are ok, but they aren't the best... I have a 6 bulb nova extreme fixture with all ATI bulbs and it's awesome! 8)

Get either four bulb fixture, the JBJ looks to have a better stand, IMO but I'm not sure that either is wide enough to fit on the edges of your tank...

Just put some ATI bulbs in it eventually- two blue plus, one aquablue special, and one purple plus bulb will do well in either of those fixtures, and you'll be rockin! http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Fluorescent/Bulbs/24_Watt/