Cali Kid Corals

need to light my 120 gallon tank

Tumbleweed said:
Gomer said:
What's your budget? LPS, SPS, Softies or mixed? For a 120, I'm generally a fan of 2x 250 MH + 2-4x T5 supplement
+1 That is what I have on my 120.

Thats what I will be doing as well, currently I have 2 t5 fixtures and can grow anything so it can be done, but if you go t5 I would say go with 8+ blubs, 6 bulbs leaves a lot of uncovered space.
 
I rock 2 ATI 8 x 39 watt T5 powermodules over my 240 and I have bleached out several softies and lps corals. 10 of the t5's are ATI aquablue plus and 2 are 6500k GE, 2 are 12000k bulbs, and 2 are a purpleish color which i forgot what they are. I used to have only 2 x 250 watt metal halides and 4 x 39 watt T5's. I have still have the ballast for 2 x 250 watt metal halides and a ballast for a 2 x 175 watt metal halides if you are interested. they both still work and look like new. they are both the dual blue wave 2 ballasts by sunlight supply if you are interested. call me at 650 515 5095 if you want to talk.
 
eldiablosrt8 said:
really, 8 bulbs....... damn.......

i have seen people have clams under 6x54 in a 120 or are the pictures lying to me

8 bulb fixture is buying yourself a little upgrade before you think you need it. You may wire all ballasts individually to run 2, 4, 6 or 8 bulbs at a time. You do softies start with 4, then when the bug gets you you just have to plug in the next pair and the last one when you are hooked as many here are.
 
xcaret said:
eldiablosrt8 said:
really, 8 bulbs....... damn.......

i have seen people have clams under 6x54 in a 120 or are the pictures lying to me

8 bulb fixture is buying yourself a little upgrade before you think you need it. You may wire all ballasts individually to run 2, 4, 6 or 8 bulbs at a time. You do softies start with 4, then when the bug gets you you just have to plug in the next pair and the last one when you are hooked as many here are.


Running less then 8 will also limet how you can scape your tank and get corals to grow wherever you put corals, I ran a 5 bulb fixture for a long time, I could grow anything including clams in my 120, however when I added a 2nd fixture I noticed a lot of growth on some of my corals that were on the outside edges of my scape (I have 2 islands of rock basicly in the center of my tank)
 
Roc said:
xcaret said:
eldiablosrt8 said:
really, 8 bulbs....... damn.......

i have seen people have clams under 6x54 in a 120 or are the pictures lying to me

8 bulb fixture is buying yourself a little upgrade before you think you need it. You may wire all ballasts individually to run 2, 4, 6 or 8 bulbs at a time. You do softies start with 4, then when the bug gets you you just have to plug in the next pair and the last one when you are hooked as many here are.


Running less then 8 will also limit how you can scape your tank and get corals to grow wherever you put corals, I ran a 5 bulb fixture for a long time, I could grow anything including clams in my 120, however when I added a 2nd fixture I noticed a lot of growth on some of my corals that were on the outside edges of my scape (I have 2 islands of rock basically in the center of my tank)

Totally agree and one reason I don't like T5.
 
I've got 2 x 250 MH, and 1 48" Reefbrite Blue LED on my 120g. I'm a rookie, so don't have experience with growth but the few frags I have are doing fine.

I might add another Reefbrite, or just put in 2 of my T5's that I was going to install previous of the Reefbrites. I can make one actinic bulb, and maybe one purple. Still contemplating though...

The BAR meeting this weekend is supposed to talk about LED's I think? and if so, probably all other lighting.
 
I think you may find you'll need two ReefBrite 48". I'm doing the same set-up on a 4x2x2
 
GreshamH said:
I think you may find you'll need two ReefBrite 48". I'm doing the same set-up on a 4x2x2

Gresh... I'm just wondering if the ReefBrite's are missing anything beneficial from the spectrum I can get from T5 bulbs. But if not, then I will probably get another reefbrite and sell my still brand new T5 icecap setup.
 
doubtful it's lacking, if anything it may peak higher in the true actinic range. I suspect what it's lacking would be out of the actinic range :D Good question for Jake this weekend ;)
 
will these MH work until i can finish my DIY led boards my heatsinks are on backorder for 4 weeks and i cant keep using the lights i have

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260574692616&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123
 
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