suggestions on bulbs to get for my 4x96w retrofit

[Jonathan G.]

im ordering a 4x96w retrofit tomorrow and i need to make a decision on what bulbs i should get. should i get something like the 10k and the 03's or the 10k and the 50/50's? im planning on keeping a ritteri anemone (heteractis magnificus) or a purple long tentacle, some zoo's, some soft corals like the hammer and bubble, some mushshrooms and a few toadstoals and those pulsating xenia things.

 

[Jonathan G.]

also how high should i build my canopy above my aquarium? its a 75 g

 

[CarlaW]

If you are gonna keep anenomes, I would strongly suggest metal halides, at least 175w. The hammer and bubble corals would also appreciate the extra lite, they are lps corals, not softies. In my 80 my halides are 8" off the water.

 

[Jonathan G.]

so once again the question was..... "whats bulbs should i get for my 4x96w pc's, and how high should i keep my lights above my aquarium?"

 

[Haole]

I’m guessing that you’ll probably like the look you’d get from the 10k & 03 combo.
I think it’ll be a little more to the blue spectrum than the 50/50.
I believe I’ve seen it suggested that fluorescents are best to place close to the water surface, like around 3 inches or so.

Do strongly consider what charlie said about anemones.... They do require very intense lighting in order to do well.
HTH...

 

[bigdave]

so once again the question was..... "whats bulbs should i get for my 4x96w pc's, and how high should i keep my lights above my aquarium?"

WOW! That wasn't very nice. Charlie was giving you good advice guess you didn't want that. Good luck don't want to upset you anymore

Dave

 

[Jonathan G.]

i understand that but at the same respect not everything like being blasted by 750w of nuclear light. also i already have the lights and am waiting to build my canopy and by asking one question i get a response that didn't answer my question.... i was not rude about anything just simply restated my question. so dave maybe u take things a little too personal.

 

[Ohgee]

LOL I let Charlie talk me into Mh's for my 150 and absolutely everything in the tank and more than doubled its size in less than 2 months time. Including a few mushrooms I have, a colt coral, sps, lps, and anenome.

No tank I ever have again will be without

jmho

 

[Jonathan G.]

dont get my wrong i would love to have MH but have neither the budget or the room for them. plus i love the look of the 03 bulbs just didn't know whether to get 50/50's or whole 03 bulbs. like i said when i invest in my bigger tank im gonna get 250w MH's with either pc or vho's. unfortunatly i am on a limited college budget and am trying to get by with what i have which is 4x96w pc's and what i am trying to do is build a canopy for them... so does anyone have any "advice" on how high i should keep my bulbs above water? and should i get a piece of lexon to cover the lights or just keep my glass tops on?

 

[CarlaW]

i understand that but at the same respect not everything like being blasted by 750w of nuclear light. also i already have the lights and am waiting to build my canopy and by asking one question i get a response that didn't answer my question.... i was not rude about anything just simply restated my question. so dave maybe u take things a little too personal.

Get 2 10k's and 2 actinics. If you were smart, you ordered a pc hood, and you get the lite cover. If not, yes you need something to cover the bulbs. You can put the fixture right on the tank. FWIW, we only "TRY" to help here, the rest is up to you.

 

[elvis]

My pc's are about 3" off the water. No glass or anything between the fixture and the water. I have a coral life fixture and I used the legs they offer for the light. I built a canopy over the fixture with plenty of ventilation. 2 10k's and 2 03's and 3 blue led's (moonlights). Hope this helps.

 

[Jonathan G.]

yea charlie i always love advice and all, but dave cames in all mellow-dramatic like i was ignorant and dissing on your advice. i have seen your tank pics and have much respect for the advice you give. but i am only a simple college student looking to make the best of what i got. I guess some people take a simple hobby too seriously and have to jump in other peoples threads to instigate and not to give advice. once again charlie thank you for your advice you have been really helpful.

 

[Jiddy]

The violence in the room, in Jon. G's defense i see where he is comin from because i also got the PC's for budget reason and everyone says get MH's when i ask a question about the PC i HAVE, anyways, my suggestion about tank height is, what brand lights did you get because i see many of them have the optional fixture legs that you can buy seperatly, if you dont have that kind then maybe you could just go as high as the legs are on a similar model?

 

[mojoreef]

Johnathan just a little side info for ya. When folks ask questions and get replies you have to understand you are not going to be the only one reading both. These questions and threads are viewed countless times by many new folks now and in the future.
In this case PC's are really not good enough for the type of anenomes that you are going to be trying. I realise you may know this but still want to pursue it but it is the responsibility of the folks answering it to point that out so that others do not take it that PC's will do the job. So its really not a personal thing or an emotional thing...its kind of a responsible thing. In saying all that its your tank and your hobby, all we can try to do is to help you.

On your question. The lighting is going to be good enough regardless so it becomes a personal choice as to what is pleasing to your eyes. On the height from the surface, if you can get water proof end caps or fittings it will allow you to keep them very close to the surface, but you will have to clean them as they will be susceptible to salt creep.


Mike

 

[dnjan]

You have reflectors with the lights, correct? If so (and if they are decent reflectors), the height above the water has minimal effect on the light that gets into the water. However, the closer you put the lights to the water, the more often you will have to clean them or you will significantly lose intensity. Plus, leaving some space between the lights and the water provides room for cooling fans on the ends/sides of the hood you plan on building.

I would start with 4" fans, and build your hood so the bulbs fit above the fans.

Will your hood be open back, or closed all around? If open back, I would put 2 or three fans on each end, blowing in. (angled slightly downward, if possible). Don't use any kind of glass (or acrylic) covering on your tank - this reduces light intensity and really decreases evaporation. You will need the evaporation for cooling.

When you wire the fans, wire one fan on each end to one of the light timers (I assume that you have the ability to have two of the four lights come on at one time), and one of the fans on each end to the second light timer. Wire the last two fans directly into a switch for really hot days. (after you get out of school, and have more disposable money, you will probably use a temperature controller for the last two fans, instead of a manual switch).

Back to your bulb selection question - I would agree with the 2 10k's and 2 actinics. My son has 2 10k's and one actinic over his 20-gal tank, and he could probably do with a bit more actinic. He has had acceptable growth from non-acro SPS (pocillapora, seriatapora, stulophora, etc.), but it definitely is not a frag farm in terms of growth.

 

[plack]

Mine are vho 1 1/2" above the tank top actinic white and actinic blue and I have various montipora doing well, some took longer than other to adjust from MH lights but all are growing.I built the canopy out of #1 pine and have a acyrlic lid for my tank as I have a wrass I don't want jumping out and the hood rests on top of it with the weight on the tank corners so the acrylic wont bend I put holes in the sides to add fan's later hope this helps.

 

[dnjan]

If your hood rests on the sides of the tank, I don't think wrasse jumping would be a problem. Where could he go? Haven't had a problem in 4 years with my 6-line. I think the "flasher-wrasses" have more of a reputation as jumpers.

How often do you clean the acrylic lid?

 

[Jonathan G.]

i understand totally dewman but dave gave no advice and just chimed in to dog on me like i was ignorant or is someone who doesn't listen. honestly who wouldnt want MH's in their tank? how many college students can afford MH's? now that last comment was not my idea it was my g/f's and i just went with what she said, she is just ass much into aquatics as i am. But all honesty my bad if i came off as being rude but i asked a direct question and in turn advice which is a known thing already. but anyways enough of that here is the webstie from where i ordered my fixtures http://ahsupply.com/96watt.htm i was pushing the question because i am building my canopy and am gonna try out the lunar tracker to let everyone here know how it works. but here i am still with the wood but no canopy because no one answered my question at first. since the reflectors dont come with a protective shield i am just gonna make a slit for a piece of lexon, not sure if that is spelled correctly, but it is a certain type of acrylic that wont melt or warp. any other ideas or is this good for now?

 

[Jonathan G.]

also i have glass tops for my tank should i just use these and disregard the lexon?

 

[plack]

I can tell you that the lexon was used in a coralifefixture and was for keeping the salt out of the contacts and from accidental splash and was inserted via a slit as you mentioned and was nice but not required. The glass on top of your tank for lights is not required for light purposes but used optionally for other purposes.