Fishneedit lighting thoughts
 

I know a few on here are using the light from www.fishneedit.com I am wondering what your thoughts are on the light? Do they seem good? Price is right right now. I need to replace my T5's and getting this light is only $50 more. Also, what wattage should I need fro my tank? It's a 1/4 round, 24" radius, and 22" high, 18" water depth. Would a 150W be enough for clams and some SPS? or should I do a 250W?

If this is of any use or not. I have a m.h. fixture got it for my 72 and it is put away in another room. Did you say you you have yours hung. I am pretty sure it is a 250 watt.
If you would like to try it you are welcome my dad broke 1 of the lights may need minor repair.......but well you know me, LOL! I will dig out the info after I post this just in case.

Sure Leah, that'd be great. If it needs repair, I'll do that, rental fee LOL. Would sure be nice to try first. One thing I'm thinking, is the reason I have my T5's spo low is that when I sit on the couch, the tank is beside TV. And If light is to high, its blinding in the living room. Not sure how much Spread a MH will have??

Everybody say's that to me. Not a huge t.v. watcher puts me to sleep.
This is info on light for you:
Lunar Aqualight model 53406 It comes with two heavyy ballasts. 48"x 7.5"x 3"

Ya way to big. I can only fit a 26" l fixture over my tank. Being a corner tank. Thx anyways.

leah do you want to sell the lights? if so im interested and i am pretty close to bandit, location wise. ( if they are the 250s)

bandit: Depends what types of SPS and clams you want to keep. If you want higher light demanding ones, then you're better off with a 250w, if you're happy with things like montis, birdnest, and derasa or squamosa clams then 150w should be sufficient to keep nice colors and growth (of course light isn't the only ingredient in the recipe as I'm sure you know). If you want stags and Crocea clams then I would suggest you go for the 250w.

I haven't looked at the Fishneedit fixtures too closely, but if they have electronic ballasts, then they should be able to put out good PAR still, as according to Sanjay most (if not all?) electronic mh ballasts perform within a very small window of performance. Where you will lose out is the reflectors. You get what you pay for there. It doesn't sound like a bit of a loss of PAR will be an issue for you as it doesn't sound like you will be keeping very light demanding species. In a way it is a waste of electricity though. In your case, I think the Fishneedit fixtures would probably be well suitable.

I think I just bought a couple 175W pendants. SE bulbs, but magnetic ballasts. Used. Atleast it will get me started. I do have a Crocea clam. Up high on my rock, about 4" from surface right now.

And the Fishneedit lights are Electronic ballasts. DE bulbs, looks like just a flat hammertone reflector though, so that would be lacking there

I have the 250w MH fixture from fishneedit and I like it so far. This is my first MH so I don't have anything to compare it to. The bulbs that come with it are crappy so I replaced mine. You can see it fired up on my thread.