*~*New DOW -- Reef Lighting*~*

[ReefLady]

New discussion of the week topic:

Reef Tank Lighting

VHO's, PC's, MH's, NO's .... balllasts, wiring, energy efficiency, wattage, intensity, par, etc. etc.

What works for you? What creature needs what lighting? Are lighting requirements over-exaggerated?

How often do bulbs need to be changed? Cost comparisons? What is eye pleasing?

Questions? Links? Comparison pics?

Post it all here....

 

[semigodd154]

finally a great discussion to be had here i'm sure I cant wait myself I have 2 96watt powerquads on a 30 cube for a diverse group of animals including a couple of sps (high in the tank) 3 clams (all maximas) and some lps and 2 leathers this tank has been running since nov. and everything is fine. On my other tank a 30 breeder i have 180 watts of NO flourescents with an asst. of softies which are all doing fine these are the setups which work for me because I cant justify the need for MH even if i could justify the cost of the setups electricity here in NY is ridiculous and I would probably end up killed (by the wife) for using them. I cant wait to see what others have to say on this topic.

 

[NaH2O]

I'll start with some links.

Lighting the Reef Tank: A Primer for Beginners

Bulb Color Comparisons

Spectral Analysis of Recent Metal Halide Lamps and Ballast Combinations

 

[Maxx]

Hopefully some of the real experts will chime in here and contribute *cough...Mojoreef...cough.... JBNY...cough*

I'm a big proponent of MH's. I think they contribute enormously towards reefkeeping. True they are expensive, but when directly compared to alternatives, (VHO/PC....dont think that T-5 is all the way there yet), they're really only marginally more expensive. That is when comparing 500 watts of MH vs 500 watts of VHO's/PC you'r really not going to see much difference purchase cost wise. I'm not an electrical genius so I won't comment on usage costs, (especially since I suspect that MH's are less energy effiecient. But I also suspect thats due to start up energy usage primarily).
The MH's will take up less space in the canopy, and bulbs last longer, (ALOT longer than many people have been led to believe according to initial results of JBNY's testing of 250 watt mogul/Single Ended bulbs). And bulb replacement is something that people need to take into account when factoring in costs associated w/ lighting.
In my opinion, the real benefit to using VHO's/PC instead of MH's is the ability to upgrade your lighting piece by piece as opposed to spending it all up front. So for people who are unable to spend that much right away, VHO/PC is the way to go.
An important thing to realize is that you dont need MH's to keep a reef....you don't need MH's to keep SPS or clams. You can do it using only VHO's/PC if thats what you want. But you will need ALOT of VHO/PC to make up the difference and your light penetration won't be as great. So that might not really be a viable option for people w/ deeper tanks.
I'm currently running a single 175 watt 10K AB over my 20 gallon tank. I've seen pics of a 20 gallon tank w/ a 400 watt radium bulb over it...its all how you wanna do it.
Nick

 

[BoomerD]

I'll chime in here on the low tech end of this. My 90 gallon has the following lighting: 2 110w VHO actinics come on at 0730, 4 110w VHO (3 50/50, 1 actinic) on at 0900, first 2 actinics off at 0930. 2 actinics back on at 800pm, main 4 VHO's off at 9 pm, 2 actinics off at 9:30.
I have great luck with assorted soft corals, frogspawn, an LTA, 2 green BTA's and a huge Condy anemone, but SPS frags just bleach out, placement in the tank doesn't seem to matter much. I've had a few last a couple of months, but they still don't do well under this lighting.
Now my 40 gallon has 4 95 w VHO's, 2 50/50, 2 actinic that come on at 0930 and go off at 830 pm, and some sps frags do fairly well in there. I have a brown montipora cap that has more than quadrupled in size since August, Blue ridge coral that still polyps out and grows well, but acros...no go.
I have a pair of 250 w Metal Halides for my 180 if & when I ever get that set-up, and I realize that for a 6' tank, I probably need 3, but 2 will be all it gets due to some compromises with the bill payer lady. These will most likely be supplemented with a pair of
60 or 72" VHO's.

I'm not really a reef keeper, more of a fish-o-holic who enjoys an occasional coral or 2 in my fish tank.

 

[EdgeKrusher]

Just tagging along for the info.

 

[JB NY]

I think it depends on what animals you are keeping. I keep lots of SPS so I tend to favor MH. But if you are keeping softies, button polyps, mushrooms and LPS, VHO will work, sometime better than MH. I find coloration of LPS seems to be better using VHO than MH as well.

Of course if you are keeping acropora or montipora corals, best bet is to use MH lighting.

 

[cheeks69]

Great topic !! I'm in the process of buying a 94gal cube and thinking of getting metal halide. I'm thinking of going with one IceCap Horizontal 12K 250watt Pendant from PA.HERE

I only have softies and LPS maybe in the future I would like to try a couple of frags of SPS see how they do.

 

[Pro_builder]

Just tagging along to see what I can learn.

 

[Craig Manoukian]

MH lighting gives you the broadest coverage for all creatures. SPS and clams can be set anywhere not just at the top with lower intesity lighting.

PAR value, although I don't completely understand it completely, is the most important element for good light penetration through the water column.

:smirk:

 

[Cougra]

I'm currious about reflectors and thier importance. What is the best design? What matterials can be used as reflectors? How effective are the different shapes and materials? Can you make your own reflectors or is it better to use manfactured reflectors?

 

[wooddood]

it's funny i just bought new lights within the last 2 weeks and now it's discussion of the week oh well i'm always a day late and a dollar short lol. so what i bought was 2 250 watt 10 k xm halides with reflectors/ballast/ bulbs and 4 55 watt pc 03 actinics with reflectors/ballast end caps/bulbs and must say im very satisfied with them. i bought them from a guy named troy [pro_builder] anyone ever heard of him?lol. im very satisfied thanks troy.

 

[Craig Manoukian]

I have the dimpled shiny aluminum reflectors. Returns maximum light to the water surface and provides that shimmering effect you get from the surface of the moving water in a natural reef setting. Shiny aluminum is better than the brushed or white sufaces for reflection.

 

[addict]

I'm also a big halide proponent like Nick...
I'm a firm believer that halide lighting with PC or VHO actinic supplementation is probably the best way to go.

I started my first tank with 220w of PC (on a 55g) and those lasted me about 6 months until I decided I wanted a couple of maxima clams and an anemone or two (or 10)...

Halides really aren't that expensive if you DIY... total cost runs around $150-160 per light for 250w halides (using tar ballast and Ushio 10K bulb).
Also (this kinda addresses Cougra's question) you don't have to buy special reflectors for your lights... even using the shiny side of tin-foil will work. Just spray down the inside of your canopy with 3M Super-77 Spray Adhesive (available at HD/Lowe's) and stick the foil to it... voila!
I went with brushed aluminum flashing inside my canopy to create a huge reflector that contained all the lighting... in this fashion, my tank is evenly lit almost end-to-end (it's a hair shady in the back, behind the bulbs and under all the powerheads)... you wouldn't know I have 8 bulbs over the tank.

Another drawback with buying reflectors is that they really don't leave much room for other lights in the canopy... once you get in a pair of halides you normally don't have much room left front-to-back.

Maybe that's just the DIY'er in me... I just figure as long as the reflections from the bulb make it to the water, why spend $30-40 when you can do it yourself for $10.

Anyway, here's a pic of my lighting... the description is in my sig.

 

[Woodstock]

Well, I've used PC lighting for several years with great success.... growing softies and some LPS. The 260 watts over my 90 gal was sufficient lighting... until I fell in love with anemones :smirk:

My tank is 24 " deep so I felt the need to get MH. I've recently purchased (waiting for them to arrive) a Hamilton canopy which includes 2 x 250 watt MH, 6500 iwaski (driven by magnetic ballast ... i'll upgrade later on) and 2 x 96 watt actinic PC. I can't wait to see the difference in coral growth (I've heard they'll grow twice as fast!!) as well as the shimmering affects the MH will create!

 

[Scooterman]

Originally posted by Maxx
That is when comparing 500 watts of MH vs 500 watts of VHO's/PC you'r really not going to see much difference purchase cost wise. I'm not an electrical genius so I won't comment on usage costs, (especially since I suspect that MH's are less energy effiecient. But I also suspect thats due to start up energy usage primarily).
Nick

Actually MH lighting is More energy efficient..here is something to chew on. Think about it, put 400W of ANY florescent lighting PC/VHO/T5 , T8 or T12 & you throw in one 400W of MH, which one will produce more PAR per given area? YEP, MH, this is why MH is used for SPS, clams etc, they have more PUNCH per watt of power. Lets not confuse power consumption with light efficiency, if you add an electronic ballast to the equation you will get maximum efficiency per watt Period, there isn't anything better. I do agree wholheartly about the fact that you can thrive a tank without MH, & I also agree that supplementing is the best way to go, start out your lighting with fluorescents them MH & then reverse the process for evening light.

 

[jimeluiz]

What about bulb/tube life? I have VHOs. I'm guessing that they will slowly fade... but then I will have a hard time noticing the difference while our critters slowly suffer. What is the 'standard' switch-out period? One year? Shorter, longer? Are there subtle, predictable changes in appearance that will alert me to the need to change out tubes?

Also, regarding reflectors. The tubes have internal reflectors built in to the top of the tube. My guess is they help lots, but adding a shiny aluminum reflector on the inside top of my hood would boost matters further. Any guesstimates on the percent increase? Sorry to go fishing for fractions of advantages, but perhaps I would be surprised by the increase. It may get me off my duff and to Home Depot. I do notice that the edges of our tank are considerably 'darker' than the center. A reflector would help.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Scooterman,

Can you provide a good working definition/description of PAR value? TIA

 

[strat]

great topic, ive gotta run to work but.... my uncle works for an electrical wholesaler, he manages the place, and he says that he can get me 250 watt MH bulbs for 14 bux CDN.... i almost freaked. and all the ballasts etc will be similarly cheap. im wondering if these lights will work even tho they arent made by a 'reefing' company, as long as they are 10-20ooo K?? any ideas, i have to look into it more, and see if i can get some online info about the products he has access too. but if anyone already knows the answer lemme know... (it kinda feels like cheating) LOL.. BTW xm bulbs etc here online cost about 110 bux.. yikes

thanks in advance

strat

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Strat,

Off the top of my head, make sure the fixtures are for the highly corrosive salt water environment. Rubber seals for protection are part of all marine set ups. great price and to my knowledge 250 watts of 10,000k MH lighting is just that. Some bulbs will produce more white, blue, or yelloew looking light depending on the manufacturer.