Need new lighting ASAP

[fidojoe]

I know I've asked this before, so bear with me. I just can never get an answer.

I need to get new lights. My PC bulbs are shot and things are not looking happy.

I have a big dilemma though. I'm looking at about $500 either way I go, but I still cannot decide what I'm going to do.

Before I tell what I've narrowed it down to, I want to describe what I want to keep.

At the top level of the tank I want to have some LPS, a few montiporas, and MAYBE a clam if all goes well.

Mid level- LPS and zoos

Lower level- mushrooms, zoos and other lower light things.

My choices I have narrowed it down to are~

Either 2x 20" Current USA 150w setups (run as pendants) which gives me flexibility later, rather than being stuck with a single 48" fixture. Or 2x AquaMedic 150w pendants these will pack a little more punch since they are overdriven a little (to about 175w). I will not get 250w MH due to heat, elec. consumption etc. I also only want DE's since the lower wattage bulbs pack more punch than SE's. If I go this route, once I recoup from the initial purchase, if budget permits I may try to get one of those extra tall leemar canopies that matches my stand that I can hang the MH inside of, and supplement with T5's.

~or~

T5's. I would need a canopy, and I would get a retrofit. With my budget ($500 max) I would only be able to get a Tek 4x54w retro and the canopy for now, and add another 2x54w later if needed.

The other thing is that I do have 2 coralife 2x96w PC retros, and all I'd need for that is bulbs and a canopy to mount them in. I know that this may not be the best option, but it would be the most cost effective.

Help!!! Please

Thanks

 

[fidojoe]

Well for anyone that cares...

I really want to go the T5 route just for efficiency purposes. Only problem (which is why I asked) is that all my tools are in storage, so building my canopy is going to take a few weeks. I asked to see if it is worth the wait. Well I came up with a temporary solution. I've used this before while I was waiting for my MH to come in for my old 29g last year...

I'm going to make a ghetto rigged hood to screw the T5's into. Basically I go to lowes and have them cut me a 12" pine plank the exact length of my tank, and 2 5x12" pieces from the same plank. I also grab 2 3"x12" pre-cut pieces. I will basically nail the 2 5x12" pieces under the big piece to make legs for it, so that it stands about 5.75" tall alltogether, and overlap the 3" wide pieces onto the bottom outside of the legs by about an inch to keep the hood from sliding off. And voila! Just screw the lights in and use this till I build the real canopy. If I want to get really fancy I can get some square dowells and attach them right below the bottom of the reflectors and get some acrylic cut to size to sit underneath as a splash guard.

This is a $15 solution to not having a canopy

 

[Witfull]

good thinking,,DIY solutions~

 

[fidojoe]

It didn't turn out as ghetto as I expected, but it does have a very temporary look to it

I ordered my Tek 4x54w retro yesterday. I upgraded the reflectors to IceCap SLR's and got one GE 6500k daylight, one ATI aqualblue, and two ATI blue+ bulbs.

 

[Woodstock]

Tough decision.. I think you made the best one getting the T5's... they'll have a better spread and you can always add-on more bulbs later if needed.

 

[fidojoe]

Thats my thought. The MH would be nice, but my budget only allowed for 150w between elec. cost, heat (and AC costs to cool that), and fixture price (although that was a much smaller difference).

The 4x uses 216w alltogether, and I plan on adding another 2x later if I need it. I may not though, since apparently the GE bulb that I got packs a lot of punch, and may even cause me to have to put my mushrooms on the bottom, maybe even shadowed a little.

 

[blue_eyes53813]

I think you answered your own question... Heck what ya need us for, lol Just kidding... Hope it turns out for you....Pictures would be cool

 

[fidojoe]

I used the T5 Q&A thread on RC .

 

[fidojoe]

Here are a couple pics of my "temporary" hood. I'm not going to sand it or stain it, because I want to make myself hate it in order to motivate myself to make the real one once the tools come out of storage.

I have blue LED fans that I will be mounting on the inside where those holes are.

The overlaping pieces on the bottom are there to hold the hood in place from the outside.