What would you do? - Tank Lighting Upgrade.

[scherzo]

I just bought a 4X54W TEK5 Light for my 90 Gallon (4 foot - 24" Deep) FW (in wall) tank.

I'm thinking of converting it to a reef sometime in the fall or new year.

Since it is behind a wall I don't really mind the look of retro-fit lighting so my question is.

If you wanted to have the widest range of possibilities (getting fairly good par at med to lower levels of the tank) would you:

1) Add 2 more T5HO Retro Fit bulbs to the current 4X54 T5HO
2) Add 4 more T5HO Retrofit bulbs to the current 4X54 T5HO
3) Add 2 more 175W MH to supplement the 4X54 T5HO
4) Scrap the 4X54s and get 2X250W MH

Cost should be considered.. wouldn't want to go NUTS over this upgrade...
Cooling isn't an issue because it is in the basement of the house and it potentially could have a 75 gallon sump which is on the basement slab floor which stays cool.

- My head spins with all of the possibilities.

[Jason McK]

5) keep the 4X54 T5s and add 2X 250W MH

That would be my choice

J

[fkshiu]

Getting everything to fit over your tank may become an issue. How wide (front to back) is your tank?

[Snappy]

Originally Posted by Jason McK

5) keep the 4X54 T5s and add 2X 250W MH

That would be my choice

J

This what I would recommend also, make sure to get hqi (double ended bulbs) not moguls.

[Doug]

I ran one of the cheaper 4 bulb units over my 90g. Great for soft corals but not enough for sps. A pair of 250w halides I put over the same tank was no comparison for the sps corals. Like night and day and the corals showed the difference.

Now the high end t-5 fixtures may a different story but never owned one. If you like the t-5 look, then I like the idea of adding another 2 or 4 bulb fixture. Guess it depends on how many bulbs one wants to replace every year and the corals you wish to keep.

[scherzo]

Originally Posted by Doug

Guess it depends on how many bulbs one wants to replace every year ...

I've been doing this light thing (for FW High Tech planted) for a while and never really thought about this. Great point.

[wickedfrags]

What type of corals do you see yourself keeping? LPS, zoas/palys, SPS, mixed reef?

If you go with 400W halides you never need to worry about "upgrading" again, and can keep any coral you like in terms of light. 2x250W would also work with florescent lights for actinic/dusk-dawn effect. I personally use single ended bulbs, lots of selection in terms of light spectrum and cost.

[Myka]

Originally Posted by Jason McK

5) keep the 4X54 T5s and add 2X 250W MH

That would be my choice

J

My thoughts exactly.

There are small reflectors, the Sunlight Supply Reef Optix reflectors are pretty small. PFO too. I'm sure there are others I'm not thinking of. Oh, Hamilton. You can often just buy the reflective piece without the pretty outer casing, and that would save space as well. I can't seem to find a link to any of those though. Make sure you buy reflectors that are closed in the end, not just a half cylinder shape with open ends, they lose a lot of light.

[scherzo]

Wow.. I didn't expect that many responses..

This is one of those questions that you "seasoned" reefers probably get over and over and over and over again..

What light should I get? What light should I get? What light should I get?

- rinse & repeat -

As for the "in-wall" clearance. I have a furnace near the tank with a bulkhead that goes right over one side of the tank.

Not sure if you can see it in my journal

Thanks for all of the input so far!

http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/showt...=wall+aquarium

I'll try and get out to the swap&meet on the 24th.. maybe someone will be getting rid of what I may need.

[fkshiu]

Originally Posted by scherzo

I'll try and get out to the swap&meet on the 24th.. maybe someone will be getting rid of what I may need.

Swap meet is on the 23rd! I'll be at work if you show up on the 24th.