Need more lighting!

[Peoplepc3]

So here is the issue....

I have a 135 Gallon with eight 39w t5 HO lights. (4 white, 4 actinic)...total of 312 watts.

That is merely 2.31 watts per gallon.

I have no corals as of yet but I would like to have them in the future.

I realize with my lighting, I am very limited to what I can have, and what I can not.

Trying to find a completely new fixture with 600 watts or so, gets very very expensive.

I was trying to find a less expensive option to "add" lighting to my current setup. I have a very large wooden "hood" over my tank that I could add most any lighting to.

"Clip on" metal halides are VERY expensive. Not sure about CFL's.....

Any ideas on what I could add to supplement my current 312 watts?

Would like to add another 200-300w. H E L P!

 

[Zissou]

Watts per gallon is typically not used these days.

50-100 watts of LED is equivalent to 150-250 watts of metal halide, 100w of T5 is brighter than 100w of compact flourescent, etc. It's not enough to go based on watts.

That being said, I would think that with 8 T5's over your tank, you should be able to keep almost anything, depending on depth.

Metal Halides are on their way out because they generate a lot of heat and use a ton of power. LEDS are the way to go if you can afford them, but remember that any corals you get will have to be acclimated to the light. This is another area where LEDS shine, because of their dimming abilities.

Things may not look brighter to the eye, but you can easily fry a new coral under half as many watts of LED as an MH equivalent. This does not mean, however, that you can just rush out and buy any LEDS. There's a large difference between your typical 1w LED versus a 3w CREE, or 90 degree optics vs 60 degree optics, etc. So do your research before you buy. Ecoxotic is a good place to start, for supplementation. Ecotech Radions are the holy grail if you got the coin.

 

[Bifferwine]

That being said, I would think that with 8 T5's over your tank, you should be able to keep almost anything, depending on depth.

Since those are 3 foot bulbs over what I assume is a 6 foot tank, it sounds like there are only 4 rows (not 8) of T5s over a 135, which isn't nearly enough light.

 

[Peoplepc3]

You are right Sarah, and there is my problem.

I could easily find something in the 600w range but the cost of a MH/t5 combo is silly expensive. I was just thinking there had to be some way to ADD 300 watts or so additional lighting to my existing set-up, without buying a whole new fixture.

I didnt know if this idea was crazy or if I need to start over from scratch and buy a whole new lighting system....which I DONT want to do.

Looking for ideas.....

 

[Bifferwine]

You can retrofit more T5s into your existing canopy of you have space. Since you already have some T5s, adding to them in this way may be the most cost effective way to go.

 

[cvcdrk]

How much money do you want to spend?

You could get three or four of these:
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/TaoTronics-TT-AL01-Aquarium-Output-Ratio-/dp/B0058RXPOS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1344911595&sr=8-2&keywords=taotronics]Amazon.com: TaoTronics TT-AL01 White Aquarium Coral Reef Tank LED Grow Light (120W Output, Blue/White Ratio- 25:30; Two-Year Warranty): Patio, Lawn & Garden[/ame]

Idk how deep your tank is, though.

 

[AndyNH]

CVC, I have a 4 foot wide 55 gallon tank. Your standard 55 tank. How many of the lights you posted from amazon would I need? Does anyone have experience with Aquatic Life LED light fixtures? Thanks.

 

[austingunkel]

You could add led strips most interlock and you could attach them to your hood

 

[Cathic]

Here are some choices for cheap that will get the job done:
Odyssea Metal Halide System
EVO Quad 72 LED Reef Bright

For higher quality I would do something like this
T5 DIY Components - AquaCave.com

The retro T5 kits are relatively cheap to customize to your needs and just require the addition of bulbs and of course assembly.

EDIT NOTE: ( By posting these links I am not validating worth or quality, simply posting what you asked for Cheaper solutions to more light output. I will note that I do approve of Aquacave.com as they have never done me wrong, and all my Bulbs and components Ive ordered from there have been shipped well and correct.)

 

[cvcdrk]

I think most of the LEDs with *good* optics recommend that you go with one for every 2ft. of tank width....I would say you'd be ok with 3 and safe with 4. On a 55, though, you could spend a little extra and get like 2 AI Sol or something which is a high-quality fixture.

The light I linked to is a decent choice for LEDs that is less expensive. It's some sort of Chinese manufacturer. I plan to buy one pretty soon I think for my 29g tank. Someone here already is using a couple of them over his tank (I want to say a 55 but not sure).

I don't think there's anything wrong with the light, but I also don't want you to buy it thinking that it is perfect or a high quality fixture because it's probably not. You get what you pay for and a ~$200 LED fixture isn't ever going to be the same as a ~$400 LED fixture....but sometimes that's ok. :-)

 

[fastrd400]

CVC, I have a 4 foot wide 55 gallon tank. Your standard 55 tank. How many of the lights you posted from amazon would I need? Does anyone have experience with Aquatic Life LED light fixtures? Thanks.

Yes, they are a great company with top notch customer service, and an above average product.

you could spend a little extra and get like 2 AI Sol or something which is a high-quality fixture.

AI Sols only cover 18" of the tank, thus needing 3 of them for a four foot tank. Not to mention, you need to buy a controller with any of the AI products.

I would highly recommend a pair of Kessil A350's for that or any 4' tank if you do not have the money to spend on the Radions.

 

[Peoplepc3]

Update....

Bit the bullet and bought a Geisseman 3x 250 metal halide.....WOW is it BRIGHT.

Had to run a separate 20A breaker for it! LOL.

Thanks for the input!