Setting up my first SW 90g + lighting

[Winters]

Hello! New member here.
I am in the process of getting my first reef aquarium going. It is 90g (48" x 18" x 24") with a 20g sump, protein skimmer, RO/DI water, 40lbs live rock (for starting Nitration cycle), and about 1.5" of sugar grain size aragonite sand for substrate. I plan to (eventually) keep mainly soft and some stony corals and a medium number of fish and invertebrates.

Some photographs are here: http://www.canreef.com/photopost/sho...00&ppuser=1497

It's now been cycling for about 5 days. Ammonia and Nitrite readings are still minimal, so the cycle is just starting or so it seems. Live rock seems to have had a fair bit of die off, if not a complete die off. Is something still alive in this live rock? Any ideas? I think I've killed all the worms and things.

I do have a question.. about lighting this aquarium. The aquarium comes with a (very pretty) wooden hood/canopy. (As pictured at the link above) I would like to install lights inside the canopy but don't know how to do it and what to install in there. I would like the shimmering effect caused by MH's (and HQI's) but I'm concerned about overheating especially in a canopy such as this, plus I don't want to install a chiller. I also want to keep energy usage as low as I can manage. Any ideas?

I did some research and found a couple of items that may work:

There is a 48" CoralLife AqualightPro fixture that I can install with two HQIs and two actinic PCs . Here is the link for this:
http://www.marineandreef.com/shoppro...aqualight.html
Is this a good idea for this setup? Surely would be easier. Not sure how it would live inside the hood though and also not overheat.

There is also a Hamilton Lighting 2x175W MH + 2x96W Actinic PCs retrofit available. Would this be better? Here is the link:
http://www.marineandreef.com/shoppro...175_Retro.html

I have also found a kit for putting in 4 VHO tubes of 110Watts each. (So this should be cooler but no shimering) Can someone comment on this? Will this be a good idea? I mean.. a VHO only setup.. would this look alright? Here is the link:
http://www.marineandreef.com/shoppro...ting_kits.html

And how IS HQI different from MH? I get a feeling that HQIs are somehow better than MHs. True?

Also.. since this will mean lighting installed inside the canopy, will I need a glass or plastic screen between the light and the water? Or can I skip that? Or does it depend on if I get MH/HQIs or just VHOs?

Need some advice desperately!!
Help!
_______________________________________
Imran, in Edmonton/Ardrossan, AB

[mr_alberta]

Welcome to the board!

How tall is the canopy? It doesn't look that tall and because of that, you might be limited to what type of lighting you run on your system. I have seen the coralife fixtures at retail stores and they look really slick, but I'm not sure if that particular system would work well for you because the cooling fans for the lights are at the top of the fixture and you wouldn't be able to mount it flush with the top of your canopy. You would have to leave a bit of a gap so there is air exchange.

I have seen some very gorgeous VHO only tanks. This included many SPS only tank with excellent growth and color. This could be an alternative for you, but you will not get the shimmering effect. The new kid on the block, T5 lighting, may also suit your needs.

As for a glass divider, a lot of reefers don't use them (unless you are using Double Ended MH setups) because eventually evaporation will cause salt creep onto the glass and block out a lot of light. Again, many of the VHO setups that I've seen and even some of the MH setups didn't have a glass/plastic divider.

[Cap'n]

Imran, glad to see you made it.

As far as lighting goes, I'm a strictly NO guy myself; but ask away, lots of gurus on board.

[Doug]

You could also look at installing T-5 lighting. Not sure where its available out there, but Jayson at Saltwater Connection in Winnipeg can fix you up.

Very nice lighting ,IMO, at least from what I have seen of it.

Nothing wrong with all vho either, if thats the route you wish to go. I have seen some beautiful vho tanks, including sps. Yes you lose the shimmer, but I think the corals have a more intense colour and the coralline grows like mad.

If you decide on halides, {I run a pair of 175 10K Ushio,s powered by Icecaps}, just make sure you have the hood clearance, and proper cooling fans, which both vho and T-5,s need anyways.

[kuatto]

Welcome to the board I know Ardrossan well,not more than 20-30 from me in the North end of Edmonton.Looking at the canopy,I'd go with VHO.I noticed in the canopy there seems to be a wooden cross beam?You might have to go with two 24" lights,instead of 48".
Maybe next time I'm heading to Ardrossan I'll get ahold of you and stop by,check out the tank

[Willow]

you have kinda snookered yourself with that canopy, it isn’t tall enough to add MH lighting. i have a similar issue with my hood and went with PC lighting. its pretty bright stuff but no comparison to MH. if i had to do it again, i would have made the hood taller to find some different lighting options. so if you stay with that hood then it looks like VHO, PC or maybe T5.

[Buccaneer]

You could do a extension base for that hood to raise it up to accomodate MH lighting ... 2 X 175W ( or 250W ) MH would suffice ... add 2 muffin fans to back of hood ... get reflector from hydroponic store ( quickgro will bend spectral aluminium to any shape you want ) and MH ballasts and mogul base from britelite.

[Winters]

Originally Posted by kuatto

Looking at the canopy,I'd go with VHO.I noticed in the canopy there seems to be a wooden cross beam?You might have to go with two 24" lights,instead of 48".

Yeah, having VHOs is an option. I was talking to Ron at AI yesterday (since he sold me that canopy.. ) and he seems to be recommending that I attach two Aqua Medic HQI lights to the top of the hood (ie to the bottom of the lid that flips up). He says that I don't even need any other light with these. Supposedly two of the 250W HQIs will supply more than enough light for a reef tank, without any Actinic PCs.

Here's a link to the lights I've been recommended:
http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_...ean_lights.asp

Anyone have any comments about this? I will have to put in a couple of fans on the canopy though.

Originally Posted by kuatto

Maybe next time I'm heading to Ardrossan I'll get ahold of you and stop by,check out the tank

Cool! Yeah that'll be great. Just send me an e-mail at ihayat(AT)telus.net and I'll give you directions on how to get to our house!