Lighting recommendations?

[Andrew52984]

Hey everyone, hope everyone's having a good day. I'm really wanting to upgrade my lighting. Currently have Corallife 6000k 50/50. It a decent day light but i currently have no dusk lighting so i have to do my best to try an regulate lighting with my dimming overhead light in my living room lol. Just trying my best not to shock the fish by just shutting off the light.

Its a 46 gallon bowfront, 36" fixture and I would really like a 24 hour setup, any recommendations? Wouldn't mind buying seperate pieces or just one simple setup, money doesn't matter but I haven't won the lotto like i've been planning so I don't wanna spend a ton of cash.

Tank currently consists of 36 pounds of live rock, 3 tank raised false percs, 2 camelback shrimp, 2 brittle stars, 10 blue leg hermits, 2 scarlet leg hermits, 4 or 5 turbo snails, and 3 emerald crabs.

I'm also looking into getting a new fish, thinking about a LM blenny...
Anyway, thanks

I'm looking to keep some sps and maybe an anemone for my clowns. Thanks for the help?

[aquawolf]

If you are looking to keep sps and an anemone then you are going to want to look at at least a T5 fixture with individual reflectors on it such as the TEK fixtures.

The other option is to go with a metal halide fixture that also has actinic supplementation with it.

I am sure others will chime in shortly with more information for you as well.

[crvz]

For a tank that size T5 lights are a bit easier of a solution, but a pair of 175W metal halides with supplemented fluorescents would be a good choice too.

[Loverotties]

4 T-5 with individual reflectors.

[Andrew52984]

I was wondering if someone could please post a link for me to a nice setup of 4 T5's i'd appreciate, just so i can see what i'm looking at as an example and so i can price them. I have no reef lighting experience. Thanks for the help!

[aquawolf]

Here is a link for Tek Fixtures just to give you an idea of what you are looking at price wise. You may be able to find a better deal shopping around some, but these are very good fixtures.

http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_...ight_Fixtures/

HTH

[crvz]

With bulbs in the $300-$350 range would be a good setup for a 4 bulb T5 fixture.

[Andrew52984]

Well i've decided to go with the tek light t5's. I can afford these for now as I plan on saving the money i could spend to get the MH's to go towards my large tank i'm planning on purchasing next year. My wife wants a 220 room divider but I don't wanna go that big just yet.

I am still looking around for the best deal on the tek light t5's 36" 4x39w. I am contemplating the ones on aquacave.com, they have 4 different options for lights:

these are the options....I plan on just keeping softies and maybe some sps....
Option 1:
2 x AquaSun 39W T5 Fluorescent Aquarium Lamps by UV Lighting
2 x Super Actinic R 39W T5 Fluorescent Aquarium Lamps by UV Lighting

Option 2:
2 x Actinic White 39W T5 Fluorescent Aquarium Lamps by UV Lighting
2 x Super Actinic R 39W T5 Fluorescent Aquarium Lamps by UV Lighting

Option 3:
1 x AquaSun 39W T5 Fluorescent Aquarium Lamps by UV Lighting
1 x Actinic White 39W T5 Fluorescent Aquarium Lamps by UV Lighting
2 x Super Actinic R 39W T5 Fluorescent Aquarium Lamps by UV Lighting

Option 4:
4 x Planta 39W T5 Fluorescent Aquarium Lamps by Aqua Medic

Any recommendations?
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[crvz]

Ah, the bulb question. It's kind of personal preference over anything. I've got a link on another computer that I'll get here that has some PAR output for various bulbs... that and color helped drive my decision. I'll post it here later.

[crvz]

Go to about the middle of the page and you'll find the UVL par ratings compared to other bulbs. Note that these are only comparisons, not what you'll experience in your tank, but it's to give you a basis to gauge which bulbs you want to use. Honestly, it looks like 2 super actinics is crippling your potential light output, I'd look at some of the other bulbs and just use 1 actinic.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...ghlight=T5+par