lighting-need something better

[sharkboy1410]

I always thought my bulbs were around 65-70 watts, but they're 40! That's only 120 watts in my tank!! Luckily i learned this early with a new tank. I definately need better lighting. I'll take a t-5, halide, power compact fixture, or what ever! Just something better than what i have, i'm looking to have atleast more than 200 watts in my tank. Please make an offer, my birthday is in a week so i can ask for a fixture for my b-day, but please no rediculous prices.

[sharkboy1410]

shaheen, tried to pm you, your box is full, still intrested in light kits.

[grdavis]

Ross,


Are you looking for a fixture, or halide/VHO retrofit that you install under a taller hood. I have 2 250W IceCap halide ballasts, complete with Aqualine 10K bulbs that are only three months old, along with an ARO VHO Ballast for 2 48" Actinic 03 bulbs. This type of lighting has to be mounted inside a canopy that is either shielded from water splash, or at least 12" off of the top of the water. This would be well over 500+ watts of light depending on if you count the Actinic spectrum. I would think $300 would be a fair price.

Thanks,
Glenn

[sharkboy1410]

i'd like to keep my hood, but if i have to get rid of it for better lighting, then it'd be worth it.

[robsmith32]

i have a dual 175w custom sea life balast with 14k hamiltons SE moguls, I could take the moguls out my hood. I'll still need my reflector though.. i'm running a single 250w, in center with w2 normal flourescents, only have one sps and its right under the 250w.
THe 175w i got used from justin when he sold me his setup. I was only running them 2 hours a day though for the 3 mo i was using them.
$250 sound fair. for the dual ballast/ bulbs, and 2 mogul sockets.
whoa grdavis, just the 2 icecap ballasts alone would be almost much? DOn't they run 130-150 each?

[sharkboy1410]

could you give me a link to a pic of the fixture?

[robsmith32]

If speaking to me, its not a fixture, it would be coming out my hood. As I still need it for the 250w and the flourescents. it's also 6' long, so not exactly for a 4' tank

[sharkboy1410]

oh, so do you have pics of your lights on your hood so i can get an idea of what i'd get if i did buy you lights?

[sharkboy1410]

as of now, i'm thinking of power compacts, unless i get a better deal

[grdavis]

Ross;

PM me your e-mail, and I'll send you a few shots. For and extra $75 I'd even be willing to leave everything completly installed on the Canopy the way it is. I will also include a 96W PC ballast and bulb that is installed inside.
Total would be:
2 250W Icecap ballasts complete with aqualine 10K bulbs and reflectors
2 48" 130W VHO actinic 03 bulbs, and ARO Ballast
1 96W Dual Daylight Power Compact ballast and bulb
1 Power center that everything connects to.

Canopy measures for a tank 48" by 18" and is painted black. For $375, Everything you would need for some serious SPS farming can be done. As mentioned earlier, the ballasts alone run in the $130 region. Using champion lighting I recon it's about 700-750 worth of gear.


For disclosure I am setting a 110 up, and just custom built all of this in the last two days. I put it in the kitchen and my wife had a duck. She feels like the whole setup is too tall. I'm going to have to go with a fixture on some legs.

[sharkboy1410]

does anyone have the 4x65 watt power compact fixture? That's what i'm looking for now.

[sharkboy1410]

that is the coral life fixture, let me know if you have one available.

[hesstondc]

Go ahead and get the pc's but you will just get halides in a year or so. Lighting can limit you to what you can put in your tank eventually.

[Schwaggs]

Originally Posted by hesstondc

Go ahead and get the pc's but you will just get halides in a year or so. Lighting can limit you to what you can put in your tank eventually.

I 2nd that.

[sharkboy1410]

i'm not getting halides, i don't want sps, the only sps i will have is montipora which does not strictly require halides.