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Advise On Lights For New Marine Tank


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#1 Jabba

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Posted 26 March 2014 - 12:10 PM

Hi, Ive been a member for ages but am more of a reader than a poster. 
Im setting up a new tank, 6x2x2, as a distraction for my office. It's going to be live rock, corals, and maybe some clowns.

I need some advise on lighting as I have found some metal halides that seem a little cheap? They are the Aqua One brand in the 1500 model. They have 3 x 150w halides with 6 blue pl lamps. They are on Gumtree, brand new with warranty etc (being sold by a local shop) for $950 negotiable. Has anyone had any experience with these lights? What are they like? How reliable are they? The only Aqua One gear ive used before is the canister filters which ive had no issues with. 

 



#2 Jules

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Posted 26 March 2014 - 01:09 PM

I don't understand much about halide but used to use them, high pressure sodium ballasts are the the halides to gor for and buy quality bulbs if you choose to do so.

I had the aqua one mg600 (single 150wt halide with 2 Power compact fluros) was alright, wouldn't go back to it, id rather get 2-3 250wt halide units with the HPS Ballasts and go from there, or go LEDs if I where to do a 6x2 marine. Lighting is very technical, ppl who don't under stand wave lengths and luminex stuff will say yes its fine, but it may limit what you can keep as well as lighting colours (might be too blue, to yellow, too white)


Edited by Jules, 26 March 2014 - 01:11 PM.


#3 Jabba

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Posted 26 March 2014 - 01:55 PM

Yeah LED's is what I was originally looking to use but they are considerably more expensive....



#4 Jules

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Posted 26 March 2014 - 02:24 PM

With marine tanks, deep pockets I think, for long term life of reef tanks, invest the $$$ now, most important thing I learnt over the years with marines.



#5 Michael the fish fanatic

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Posted 26 March 2014 - 03:48 PM

Sometimes it's just better to spend the money and get the right thing.

#6 Bermont

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Posted 26 March 2014 - 04:25 PM

if you go on ebay you can buy a LED unit for $160 each 3 of them will do the tank



#7 Morley Aquariums

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Posted 26 March 2014 - 09:36 PM

Look seriously at a decent LED. They are the future & there is a fantastic range of choices out there. One of my staff just swapped from halides to a dalua SS mantra & the result is fantastic, better colours, rippling water effects & improved coral growth.
Halides are good, but generate a lot of heat, are expensive to replace bulbs & chew up the power at a rate that quickly makes them more expensive. I am certain all lighting will be LED in the near future.
As a start point check out the Dalua range on their website, start around $500. This is a good guide, but there are many more brands & models out there, including a newly released aqua one range which is replacing their halide range. Probably the best i have seen is the maxspect units, but really top dollar. No doubt good ones on ebay too, but research requirements before committing.

#8 Jules

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Posted 27 March 2014 - 10:35 AM

$160 LED wont be that good.

the small 10cm SQ LED that sicce make is really good and about $300 dollars, designed only for small nanos.

Ecotech are high quality but again , for a 6ft your talking thousands.



#9 MrLeifBeaver

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Posted 27 March 2014 - 12:34 PM

LEDs mate. Well worth the outlay when you work out the savings you make for the power consumption.

I have LEDs in my Freshwater tank and I reduced my power bill by $150 for the year.

 

They are the way of the future. I have Solar power at the house and am considering changing all my lights the LED to reduce my power consumption even more.


Edited by MrLeifBeaver, 27 March 2014 - 12:35 PM.


#10 jasonm

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Posted 28 March 2014 - 02:43 PM

ive just gave up my tank due to heavy costs involved.

 

See pic J L

 

$_20.JPG

 

 

regarding led or halides, before purchasing your lights, you have to decide what you would like to stock inside the tank. This I believe will be the main factor in choosing your lights

 

if you are planning to look at acros/ macroporas or other hard plating coral, these require a higher par rating and if your light is inadequate, you will only be able to place in the upper of the tank

 

then you will have to look at what kelvin rating, 20k will effectively give you the deep blue sea look, but also will make the coral pigments shine.

 

Only down side from the halides is, moonlight/ blue light, this can also be obtained from a separate unit but normally has this feature in a led system.

Also costs of running is a huge factor

 

At night the moonlight makes the corals look fluorescent (My favourite part!!!)

 

FYI, on my tank due to being 2.5ft I had to obtain 150W LED as this gave the same par rating as 400W halides, thus allowing me to place any coral throughout the tank and running at a cheaper price.



#11 malawiman85

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Posted 28 March 2014 - 10:24 PM

Spot on Jasonm.
Work out what you want to do exactly, research requirements to pull it off then look at what options are available in your price range.
its easy just to say "spend the money now on flash leds" theoretically thats right but it is a gimonga amount of money just for the lights.
The improvement in leds in the last few years is pretty amazing and will probably save you money and effort in the long term.

#12 oceanarium

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Posted 29 March 2014 - 07:51 AM

Don't forget to consider the costs of replacing MH globes annually. A good MH globe price is not much less than an equivalent LED that can burn for 50,000 hours. 

 

You can get good lights for around the 200-250 mark, three around 120w will allow you to keep acro all the way to the bottom. The cheap units don't have the gizmos and control-ability but light is light provide the right spectrum and corals will grow. 

 

Don't buy 50 / 50 white blue, some UV, green and red will give much better results for growth and pigments the corals produce. Many of the lights are providing these option now for the same cost.

 

Pete






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