20L Frag Tank Lighting

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aquemeni5110

New Member
I'm thinking of setting up a 20L frag tank and need some input on what lighting would be best choice to go for. I plan to stock various zoo's, mushrooms/ricordias, yellow polyps, xenia's, capnella's and possible other soft corals... NO SPS.

My question is VHO or MH? Wattage? Which will give me the best coral growth and reproduction?

I'm looking into the 30" 150w HQI Current USA Sunpod (14K). They all sell a 250w dual HQI but is 2 HQI's really neccessary?

Your input please!!! Thanks.
 
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amf82380

New Member
being that you dont want sps MH isnt nessacery but asteicly i think it would give it a nicer look and allow you the opition of sps down the road but either of the light choices you have listed would be fine and with your stocking list you could even get away with just pcs but growth growth wouldnt be as good as the first two so i think your looking as the most cost effective way to go now and since I dont know how much the VHO for that tank would run you (maybe someone else would be able to help you here) I would comapre prices and then make your desicn.

Hope this helps

Aaron
 
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amf82380

New Member
oh no reason jesse i was just refering to the choices that he mentioned T5's would work great on that tank also i just saw a prop tank with T5's on it and it looked really good and nicly set up and the frags were looking great so that would be another option.

Aaron
 
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reefman23

New Member
I would go for T5Hos. I had the 150 watt on my 20L and it is super intense in the center and the intensity drops drastically towards the ends. The T5's will distribute thier intensity very well over the whole length of the tank.

Try to keep an eye out. People occasionally sell their uised Tek fixtures for good prices.

BTW, I read through a *certain thread* ;-) ;-) on *another site* ;-) ;-) .... sometimes people really tick me off!!

Jesse
 
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aquemeni5110

New Member
I might be able to get a hold of a 30" 150w HQI Sunpod for $180 which isn't bad since I've seen them start at $230 and up.

However if I do the T5 HO's, I would like them to be like the Sunpod. That is fully assembled. I have plans on building a canopy. Here's a 24" Nova Extreme that is also $180. It has 2 sets of a actinics daylights for total of 96 watts.

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_lig ... sp?CartId=
 
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amf82380

New Member
if you plan on using a canopey then i would definitly go with what jesse suggested withthe T5's lot less heat and putting a 150 HQI in a canopey might not be the best idea i know my currebt fixture with the 150HQI gets pretty how and made by the same company its a goo design but not to be enclosed and the T5's will be more then enough for what you plan on keeping

Aaron
 
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reefman23

New Member
amf82380 said:
jesse you talking about the thread on nano-reef? :roll:
Click to expand...
Yep.


aquemeni5110 said:
I might be able to get a hold of a 30" 150w HQI Sunpod for $180 which isn't bad since I've seen them start at $230 and up.

However if I do the T5 HO's, I would like them to be like the Sunpod. That is fully assembled. I have plans on building a canopy. Here's a 24" Nova Extreme that is also $180. It has 2 sets of a actinics daylights for total of 96 watts.

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_lig ... sp?CartId=
Click to expand...
The only thing with the Nova is the lack of individual reflectors... without those, T5s are less effective. Sunlight Supply makes a Tek fixture that is a fully assembled and ready to hang or you can get legs that allow you to sit it on top of the tank. You will save monye of replacing lamps because you will only need to change them out every 18 months or so with T5S, whereas a MH will need to be replaced every 10 months or so. Also you will be using less electricity and there is a little bit less heat.

The 150 watt MH would work though.

Jesse
 
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amf82380

New Member
Im sorry jesse never ment to offend you or anyone else for that matter just dont like people shooting ideas down like some did before they even get started critisim is fine but when you say things like what were said then it goes a little far and tempers begin to flare (but you must admit I was a bigger man I was the first to apoligize for my behavior:) ) anyway sorry I know this isnt the place just thought I would make that known.

Aaron
 
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aquemeni5110

New Member
A 20L tank is 30" long. Why is that I can only find T5 fixtures that are either 24" and 36"????


Also, would I have acclimate corals from T5 HO to MH lighting and vice versa?
 
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reefman23

New Member
aquemeni5110 said:
A 20L tank is 30" long. Why is that I can only find T5 fixtures that are either 24" and 36"????


Also, would I have acclimate corals from T5 HO to MH lighting and vice versa?
Click to expand...
Becuase unfortunatly those are the sizes they make them it. A 24" Fixture works great on a 20L though. Thats what I have on mine.

Jesse
 
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aquemeni5110

New Member
Okay so I did purchase the 30" Sunpod for $180 shipped. Sound good? Well, it arrived yesterday almost in pieces. The bulb was left in the sockets and popped out during shipping and busted. The 2 ends of the fixture were cracked on both sides. I already filed a claim and the shipper was generous enough refund my money. He's also willing to split $150 of the insurance money with me. If DHL does not pick up the damaged goods, I might just buy another bulb with the insurance money.







 
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aquemeni5110

New Member
I'm still looking into the T5's and I'm curious on how they'll perform. I've got plenty of time to think it over so we'll see what happens. :)
 
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