[marciemp]

I haven't been here in quite a while but I have a question and I hope a few people will help. I do my best at research and reading up but I have a 4 year old little girl and 2 year old twins who are getting very very busy and don't have much time for research now.

I have a 92 gallon corner tank with live rock and sand, blue tang, yellow tang, 2 clowns, yellow tail damsel, 4 stripe damsel, some hermit crabs, snails, 2 shrimp and a red starfish, and a few groups of button polyps and a few yellow star polyps.

We have a 36" power compact light that is not doing much. We only have a few polyp corals, but it would be nice to have more options. The tank is very deep (24") and it is an odd shape (like 1/4 of a circle, fits into the corner). It also has a wooden canopy, the stand and canopy were custom built and the canopy is basically just a big wooden lid that fits down over the top, and the front 13" or so lifts right off for maintenance and feeding. Right now the light sits on top of 2 small pieces of glass which prop it up on each end. The tank did have a full glass lid too that the light sat on but in the summer the tank got really hot so i took it off and it has been better.

The tank already has had problems with heat from the light in there so I really need to go with something that will not be any hotter than the PC light. I am thinking T5 VHO.

As for size of the lights with such a strange shaped tank, there could be a 36" light across the middle and then a 24" light behind it, or I could put three 24" lights in a triangle around the edge, with possible something really small right in the middle. Not sure if I should prop the lights up from the water like I am now or if I should get something that could be attached to the wooden canopy (this might make it hard to take the canopy off if we need to). I had been looking at retrofit lights, but I don't really have the time to figure out how to put together something really complicated, and all of the ones I read about wanted the ballast away from the water, which would be hard. If a retrofit wouldn't be too complicated or time consuming I would be all for it (I am pretty handy).

So what I am asking is for someone to give me a few opinions and options on what to buy, I mean the exact website and light they would buy and how it would work. Lazy way out I know but what can I say, 3 non stop preschoolers, and me, mommy trying to have a hobby!
Thanks,
Marcie

[marciemp]

Anyone? Would really arriciate the help as I have been looking for over 6 months but can't decide on what is best

[gmcmdc]

I enjoyed your post, and posted something pretty similar this morning! I've had 3 in less than 3 years as well and the youngest is only 8 months and I have no time!!! But my lights are in bad shape and I have to do something. So, the best advice i've gotten so far is to buy these:

Nova Extreme HO Light Fixture - 2 x 54W - T5 - 10,000K/460nm - 48 in. | T5 Lighting | Lighting Systems | Aquarium - ThatPetPlace.com.

Other people recommended other products from other sites but they were 600 plus dollars and that won't work for me. Hope this helps!

Fishlovinmama

[jtravapd]

dude, me and my dad set up his reef tank which is the same one you have...92 gallon corner tank...we got him the outer orbit mh/t-5 lighting unit.....it has a 250 watt mh, and 4 t-5's...the growth he has had under that light in that tank is absolutely insane...everything from clams, to corals to everything has spread like wildfire....i have a 180 gallon tank with an aqualight mh unit and i dont have anywhere near the growth he has...trust me, you will not be dissapointed...you get the beauty of the mh, with t-5's, and also blue and white moon lights....it fits perfect on the 92 gallon corner tank...(well you have to hang it from the celeing which the was included with the light)

[jtravapd]

oh yeah, the light size was the 24inch 250 watt mh/t5...believe me all the corals in the 92 corner tank get enough light with that unit

[tomc1980]

Im running a Current 4 bulb T-5 HO with 2 10k day time bulbs and 2 420nm blue actinics. Has cooling fans built into the lights. Seems to be working really well for me. Cost wasnt too bad either got mine for 220 dollars brand new.

[Taras1]

T-5's are the way to go. Very efficient and much lower heat production than the MH's. MH's have a bit deeper penetration (or so they say), but I have a 90 gal with the Current USA Nova Extreme 8 X 54 watt unit and all my corals including SPS love it.

[STEVE DE]

i have been going to marineandreef.com/ Reef Aquarium Supply (Aquarium Lighting, Coralife light, Aquarium Light, Power Compact, Compact Fluorescent, Metal Halide Lights, Aquarium Chillers, Aquarium Pumps, Coralife lighting, UV Sterilizer, Reef Aquarium, Current USA AquaP they have apretty good lighting chart and free shipping over $175 thy have about the best prices i have found