!!!!

[slingham64]

I'm getting so frustrated with the Saltwater Forum I'm also a part of. I've posted two threads in the past two days about lighting for my tank and I'm getting NO responses. Some threads will have over 500 responses in this forum and I can't get a single one!!!! It's frustrating.

[Drumachine09]

Just ask chrona. Hes a lighting genious. Or reptile guy, or demon shark.

[Chrona]

I'm good with lighting for plants. For saltwater stuff, I still mostly defer to the almighty [Only Registered Users Can See Links.] :thumb:

[slingham64]

I've looked all over there. I just don't know enough about what I have is the problem. All I know is I have live rock, whether it's soft hard coral friendly nice caring, lol, I've got no clue. I emailed Marinedepot.com to see if a customer service rep would help me if I bought the stuff through them. see if that works haha!

[Rue]

I'm getting so frustrated with the Saltwater Forum I'm also a part of. I've posted two threads in the past two days about lighting for my tank and I'm getting NO responses. Some threads will have over 500 responses in this forum and I can't get a single one!!!! It's frustrating.

...but if no one knows the answer? What should we do?

[Drumachine09]

...but if no one knows the answer? What should we do?


[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[slingham64]

...but if no one knows the answer? What should we do?

I'm not talkin about this forum, everyone is super helpful here. It's another one that I'm on that has a whole thing dedicated to lighting, I was thinking at least one person would know.

Maybe it's my fault though for not knowing enough about what I have. Blah... with every fantastic deal on a tank, there's still confusion to go along with that deal.

[Chrona]

Well I can help you with the basics. First off, I suggest setting a budget. We'll work from there, since salt water gets expensive REAL fast, especially for a student.

[slingham64]

Well I can help you with the basics. First off, I suggest setting a budget. We'll work from there, since salt water gets expensive REAL fast, especially for a student.

Alright, let's put the budget at $200 with a $50+/- leeway

[Chrona]

And what equipment do you have already? Salt, hygrometer (or was it hydrometer - the thing that measures specific gravity), powerhead(s), saltwater test kit?

[Drumachine09]

And what equipment do you have already? Salt, hygrometer (or was it hydrometer - the thing that measures specific gravity), powerhead(s), saltwater test kit?

Its hydrometer

[Chrona]

Its hydrometer

Oh right, hygrometer is humidity lol.

[slingham64]

And what equipment do you have already? Salt, hygrometer (or was it hydrometer - the thing that measures specific gravity), powerhead(s), saltwater test kit?

Protein Skimmer
6 Powerheads (2 running in the tank)
6 Heaters (1 Runnings in the tank)
3 HOB Filters (1 Running in the tank)
UV Sterilizer (working on the plumbing, should be in tomorrow)
2 Hydrometers
Master Test Kit
2 Dry Air Pumps
Canister Filter (not using)
Trickle Sump Filter (not using)
Siphon w/ Vacuum

Equipment isn't a problem, just the lighting is about the only thing left. I have a ballast, that info is as follows:
Jalli CFR55W24
120 Volts, 60 Hz
PL55W x 1 Lamp x 2 PCS
BIAX Rapid Start

[Chrona]

How wide is your tank btw?

[Chrona]

Jalli CFR55W24
120 Volts, 60 Hz
PL55W x 1 Lamp x 2 PCS
BIAX Rapid Start

Upon further inspection and some deduction, I guess it's fairly safe to say it's a standard ballast for a 55 watt 24 inch fluorescent tube. Good for supplementary light, but a 24 inch fixture is gonna be pretty hard to keep over a 60g tank.

[slingham64]

How wide is your tank btw?

4' wide, about 15" deep and about 17" high, acrylic

[Chrona]

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

48" 260 watt fixture with actinic/10000k bulbs included - 203 (this is pretty damn cheap)

That will give you 4 and a third watts/gallon, which is pretty decent lighting, - you'll be able to grow mushroom corals without a problem.

If you meant 250 max budget for everything you still need, then I'd recommend just spending the money on some nice fauna for now, since, for corals, you still need to buy all of the supplements and all the fish with only 50 bucks. See if you can sell the corals you have now back to the LFS. and save up to buy a nice fixture. Imo it's always better to save up for a quality piece of equipment that you know you can get a lot of use out of than to get a bunch of half-asses ones and end up spending more.

[Rue]

4' wide, about 15" deep and about 17" high, acrylic

...okay...I'm gonna be naggy and picky here...:14:

Let's stick with length X width X height...

I was half-asleep and thought you had some bizzare custom tank for a moment...

[Chrona]

...okay...I'm gonna be naggy and picky here...:14:

Let's stick with length X width X height...

I was half-asleep and thought you had some bizzare custom tank for a moment...

Actually he posted the specs in the standard order. He justed called them different names ;)

[slingham64]

Actually he posted the specs in the standard order. He justed called them different names ;)

Yeah I just go by different things, but I put them in the correct order.

Chrona I meant that was my budget for lighting, and it looks like those lights fall right into it which is great! I'm gonna go take a look at them and hopefully get them ordered pretty soon here. THANK YOU!!

[slingham64]

I just checked out that lighting setup.... we have a canopy. So I think that that set up has to be outside without a canopy right? But I did find something promising. If I went with my ballast I have now and had 2 65watt bulbs, 1 Actinic, an the other 10000 Natural Light, AND then got this retrofit kit

"] ("[Only Registered Users Can See Links.)

I think I'll be right there as far as cost, cause to get the bulbs plugs an reflector for the ballast I have now it's right around $90, an then this kit is about $130 when you get the bulbs. So that should be enough light right? (oh please oh please oh please lol)

[Chrona]

I just checked out that lighting setup.... we have a canopy. So I think that that set up has to be outside without a canopy right? But I did find something promising. If I went with my ballast I have now and had 2 65watt bulbs, 1 Actinic, an the other 10000 Natural Light, AND then got this retrofit kit

[/URL]

I think I'll be right there as far as cost, cause to get the bulbs plugs an reflector for the ballast I have now it's right around $90, an then this kit is about $130 when you get the bulbs. So that should be enough light right? (oh please oh please oh please lol)

Oof, that's awfull expensive for 108 watts. Hellolights apparently has the best bulbs hands down, but AH lighting has the best fixtures if you have a canopy.

[url][Only Registered Users Can See Links.] (][Only Registered Users Can See Links.)

4x 55 watt fixture - 125 - Approx 19 bucks each for bulbs, so figure about 200 bucks. AH lighting has some amazing reflectors, so this would be the equivalent of like 300 watts with any other light fixture, giving you plenty of light. Since you have a canopy, this would fit perfectly and you can attach the additional 55 watter for actinic supplementation, giving you 6 watts per gallon.

Btw, currently you only have the 55 watt ballast right? Or do you also have 2x 65 watters?

[slingham64]

So if I get the reflector from AH, would I save myself any money by getting the bulbs through Hellolights? Or do there bulbs not match up?

On my other forum I finally got a response, an the few people that did said my ballast will do 2-55 watt bulbs or 2- 65 watt bulbs, whether there's any truth in that who knows. But I won't even need it with this last set up you found.

[Chrona]

So if I get the reflector from AH, would I save myself any money by getting the bulbs through Hellolights? Or do there bulbs not match up?

On my other forum I finally got a response, an the few people that did said my ballast will do 2-55 watt bulbs or 2- 65 watt bulbs, whether there's any truth in that who knows. But I won't even need it with this last set up you found.

They may be right about the ballast, I was only guessing. It's make a great additional fixture though.

You can get the bulbs through Hellolights, but I'm not sure if the difference in bulb quality is worth the additional shipping cost to you. 55/65 watt compact fluorescent bulbs are pretty standard, but it seems Hellolights has 21 inch or 22 inch. It won't matter though, since there is leeway in the AH lighting bulbs too and compact flourescent fixtures are open ended on one side.

[slingham64]

They may be right about the ballast, I was only guessing. It's make a great additional fixture though.

You can get the bulbs through Hellolights, but I'm not sure if the difference in bulb quality is worth the additional shipping cost to you. 55/65 watt compact fluorescent bulbs are pretty standard, but it seems Hellolights has 21 inch or 22 inch. It won't matter though, since there is leeway in the AH lighting bulbs too and compact flourescent fixtures are open ended on one side.

Sounds like we got somethin goin here. Well I will consult the roommate, then consult the upcoming paycheck, which probably won't be happy and we should hopefully be up an running with this order soon. I don't think I can thank you enough Chrona.

[Chrona]

Sounds like we got somethin goin here. Well I will consult the roommate, then consult the upcoming paycheck, which probably won't be happy and we should hopefully be up an running with this order soon. I don't think I can thank you enough Chrona.

No problem, glad to be of help. Make sure you have a 50/50 mix of 10000k and actinic bulbs though, or better yet, ask around for the ideal mix for a reef tank on that other forum. More specialized questions will probably have to go there, since there aren't many (if any) people here with actual reef tank experience.

[cocoa_pleco]

Hydrometer is a must for salt gravity, and powerheads clean corals and anenomes and bring them food

[slingham64]

Hydrometer is a must for salt gravity, and powerheads clean corals and anenomes and bring them food

I've got em both up an running. Well the Hydrometer isn't exactly "running" but I do check it daily. Last night me an my roommate were watching the tank and were hunting for the eel, an for about 20 minutes we couldn't find it. I said something like, "how funny would it be if he got out!" roommate looks down on the floor "OH %$&*!!! IT'S ON THE FLOOR!!". he got out the small opening for the filters an stuff. We threw him back in though an he's doing just fine. Thought that was pretty funny though.

[cocoa_pleco]

That sucks. ive done that with a betta and tetra