Suggested Lighting on a 46 gallon FOWLR system?

I will be getting a 46 gallon bowfront. I need help with what lighting i should get. I was looking into metal halide but that's way to expensive. So i need a low cost ligthing. I was looking into T5's but not sure what to get. I will not be using a chiller so i will need something that doesn't get to hot. I'm not sure what kind of corals i will be getting in the future, as it all depends on the puffer, but i do know i plan on getting some Green Star Polyps. So any help will be greatful.

 

well if you end up adding corals it will be a reef tank and not a FOWLR . As far as lighting I like t5s and don't have any heat issues with mine I just rigged some computer fans to blow over the top of them.

 

Hi Puffer chick

The minute you add the GSPs then the tank is no longer FOWLR
if it is FOWLR - then your choice of lighting is about budget and viewing pleasure IMO

once you get that 1st coral, you will want another, and another and another (I know I have been a 20 a day man for over 10 years)

so the best advice I can give is dont skimp on the lighting - get as many T5s at as high a wattage as the 46 gallon footprint will allow and that will help to maximise your options when looking at corals

Steve

 

T5's would be good, even for FOWLR. T5's may be a little more expensive, but they use less electricity and the bulbs last twice as long versus PC's, so that cost difference would be quickly made up.

 

We are using a Sundial T5 fixture on our 46 bowfront and it works just fine. Not the best lighting out there, but it hasn't killed anything, our GSP grows like mad, and we are able to keep acros, birdsnest, and other SPS corals on the top of our rockwork. The stock bulbs were ok...but we recently upgraded to UVL's and Geissman or however it's spelled, and so far so great! If you are willing to spend a bit more on a fixture than what a Sundial runs for, I recommend the Nove Extreme Pro fixture. The Sundial is 4 bulbs, which gets the job done with slower coral growth, and the Nova is 6 bulbs, which grows you some coral AND some.

Sundial 4x39watt - 36inch is $269.99 on thatfishplace.com

Nova Extreme Pro 6x39watt - 36inch is 319.99 on thatfishplace.com

Both lights have cooling fans, however the Sundial has them mounted towards the rear to help with cooling if you have them in a canopy or hood. The Sundial also has 4 built in moon lights controlled by their own switch, and then 2 timers to control daylight and actinic lighting.

If you want a good fixture with tons of functions such as the moonlights and timers, I'd go with the Sundial. If you want a fixture with tons of lighting power and you don't really care for the moonlights or timers, go with the Nova. If it's in your price range.

My 2 cents

 

thank's for the replies.

Jwin: The Sundial might be what i'm interested in as i would love to have moonlights and timers.

Steve Wright: I also thought of the same thing about when i add the GSP i would want more coral. I think it will make me hooked on a reef, and possibly make me want to return my green spotted puffer back to where i got him a couple years ago and make it into a true reef. Especially since i will have the equipment to run a reef system.

 

Check out the recent pics in our 46 gallon thread to see the corals we have going in there. We can see noticable growth on both birdsnest already, not so much the acros. The blue tipped green acro was our first SPS to attempt to see if the lighting could handle it. It hasn't grown much, but it hasn't withered away either. It colored up nicely in our lights and looks great in our actinics. And our green bubble coral pretty much glows under our lighting...I think the coral gets the credit for that one, rather than our lights :

 

puffer chick, you wont be the 1st or the last to do exactly that
the number of FOWLR set ups that become reefs is significant IMO
there is an interim period called "denial" , that involves just one or 2 coral pieces

Steve

 

if i were to get the other suggested lighting, would the rock or coral (or whatever i put in the tank) be ok without the lunar lights? I'm not sure what kind of coral i will be getting in the future as it all depends on the puffer, but if i do decide i want some i want to be able to get it without spending more money on another light fixture.

 

also are you able to post the link to your 46 gallon as i'm still trying to get used to where everything is on the fourm