Lighting question for my 90g tank

Hey,

Just got my first tank (roughly 48x20x20) and i'm starting to plan ahead with what i need to buy and when...

Basicly I got a really good deal off a guy who's wife didnt let him keep the tank he brought last week. The system i got came with 2x54W t5 bulbs.

As it seems im going to go waaaay over my initial budget so i'm going to have to wait a month or so before i can finnish off my build.

My question's are

1) How far can i go with the lightning i have now, can i start off the cycleing in the system with lights that "bad"? Do you think i could throw a couple of clownfish / shrimps in there?

2) I would like to have Anenome's / Clams ect in the distant future when i feel like i'm getting the hang of things. Do you think i can get enough light with t5 or should i go for a T5/MH combo?

As always, thanks in advance for all the help, you guys are awsome

 

2 54 watt bulbs will not keep a clam or anemone. You need much more light for both of them. For the fish your fine. Fish don't care about light. You need something in the 400-500 watt range in lighting for that size tank

 

Thanks, i knew it wasnt enough for Clams / anemone's, wasn't sure about the fishes though Great now i can save up for a really nice lightning for when my system is getting more mature!

Will coraline grow fine with that kind of light?

 

Agree with what was said above you will need a lot more light to keep coral,

clams, and nems. You could go with say 2 250W metal halides and suplement

with your T5 you have now, or you could upgrade to a 6 to 8 bulb T5 system.

I would go with an 8 bulb system if your going the T5 rout and wanting to keep clams and nems though.

You do not need light in a tank for the cycle so you can go ahead and begin
that now.

 

Thanks Brought an apartment a few weeks back so trying to wait till the moves done before i start Just three weeks more! Im so excited!

 

Hmm just did the maths and i realised its a 60" tank ive got not 48... (im not used to going from CM to Inches) Does this make any difference? Also for a 60" tank, if going for the T5 option, would you go for 8x48inch or 6x60"?

Is it good to go all the way out to the corners or is it overkill (or even bad since some stuff like a place where the light isn't a strong? )

 

On a 6ft tank you need a 6ft length light fixture especially if its T5.

 

You could go either way. The 48" won't fully light the last few inches on the end which could be an effect you like. I would suggest the 6x60 though because the 8x48 may overhang from front to back.

 

ahh true i didnt even think of that ... We'll ill proberbly be waiting a few months before getting a lighting system now anyway since i can start off with the rubbish i have right now. then we will see

Thanks for all the answers guys, feels like im finaly starting to get a picture of what im going to do .

 

Imho the 8 bulb fits perfectly over the 90. Only a bit of the trim sticks over front and back and it's not unsightly at all. I am very glad that I went with the 8.