[ksreefbuilder]

Ok, I have read hours of information on what lighting should be used for different tanks, but I still have my main question unanswered, so here goes. I have a typical 75 all-glass tank and overflow with 30 gal fug and 120 lb fiji rock. I am wanting a good light at a good cost for fish, anemones, etc. I know the T5 is great, but my canopy is my real problem. My tank has a custom solid cherry canopy/stand and I dont want to alter it. I only have room for a max of 45 inches end to end in the canopy, and have been looking for weeks with no real luck on appropriate lighting. I really like the Aqualight Pro HQI with 442W my lfs has on sale for $250, but believe it or not he wont sell it to me because he says it is to much light for my tank with almost 6 wpg. My lfs has only given me one real option: to buy a SunPaq Retrofit kit that is 260w/3.5 wpg and wants $240 to order it in. Please let me know if you all have any suggestions, I want a nice bright tank and healthy anemones, but just cant find what I am looking for that is affordable. If it helps the canopy does have 4 cooling fans built in for heat. The last owner just had fish so low lighting was not a problem. I really want to stay under $300, but am at a dead end. THANKS

[NATIVEVAMAN]

First of all 6 wpg for metal halide is just about perfect.Although putting that much light under a canopy is going to cause some heat issues.If the canopy doesnt have fans in it now it will have to have them to run that mh light.

[CyberJester]

First off I would consider another LFS. I like a LFS that makes your tank the primary focus of concern. But, being a pet store, he should know that 6 WPG is not to much light. Sounds like he is trying to get you to order a different product one that he can put a better markup on. Though VAMAN is right you have to watch out for heat especially when you are going to be closing a lid and cutting off air supplies. However, you did say you have 4 fans in it, this may be enough to get you arround the heat problems produced by HQI's. I am actually is the same boat as you right now and have not ordered new lights yet because I am trying to wade through all the decisions, light output, heat, power consumption. Canopy issues, .....

[ksreefbuilder]

yea, I will be looking a little further, but my local LFS is the only saltwater dealer without driving over 2 hours to a large city. Out of the 442W only 250W is HQI's so my 4 fans should do fine. Now I just need to see that temp the HQI gets to after it is fully warmed up. I will be hooking up a digital thermostat to control the fans.

[Tonz of fun]

Originally Posted by parsonsc

yea, I will be looking a little further, but my local LFS is the only saltwater dealer without driving over 2 hours to a large city. Out of the 442W only 250W is HQI's so my 4 fans should do fine. Now I just need to see that temp the HQI gets to after it is fully warmed up. I will be hooking up a digital thermostat to control the fans.

Im sure they sell that same fixture with a 150 watt dont they? That would do fine as well...

[ksreefbuilder]

Originally Posted by Tonz of fun

Im sure they sell that same fixture with a 150 watt dont they? That would do fine as well...

No this is the only one they sell like this and the bulbs are all larger watts, none lower in watts that I can find.

[jvharding]

Originally Posted by parsonsc

Ok, I have read hours of information on what lighting should be used for different tanks, but I still have my main question unanswered, so here goes. I have a typical 75 all-glass tank and overflow with 30 gal fug and 120 lb fiji rock. I am wanting a good light at a good cost for fish, anemones, etc. I know the T5 is great, but my canopy is my real problem. My tank has a custom solid cherry canopy/stand and I dont want to alter it. I only have room for a max of 45 inches end to end in the canopy, and have been looking for weeks with no real luck on appropriate lighting. I really like the Aqualight Pro HQI with 442W my lfs has on sale for $250, but believe it or not he wont sell it to me because he says it is to much light for my tank with almost 6 wpg. My lfs has only given me one real option: to buy a SunPaq Retrofit kit that is 260w/3.5 wpg and wants $240 to order it in. Please let me know if you all have any suggestions, I want a nice bright tank and healthy anemones, but just cant find what I am looking for that is affordable. If it helps the canopy does have 4 cooling fans built in for heat. The last owner just had fish so low lighting was not a problem. I really want to stay under $300, but am at a dead end. THANKS

Send someone else into the Store to buy the unit you want. Sounds like LFS is JA and probably could not tell you where the bathroom is.

[ksreefbuilder]

Originally Posted by jvharding

Send someone else into the Store to buy the unit you want. Sounds like LFS is JA and probably could not tell you where the bathroom is.

Yea, I totally agree. It is a young know it all running the store and have an answer for everything even if he has to make it up. I found that out quick, so I always know what I want before I go in the place.

[Tonz of fun]

lol thats a good plan. You are going to need a chiller i bet. Is that in your budget?

[ksreefbuilder]

Originally Posted by Tonz of fun

lol thats a good plan. You are going to need a chiller i bet. Is that in your budget?

Well, I figured that the 3 fans on the light and the other 4 on the canopy set up to a thermostat would work. Do you think it will produce so much heat I can get it out fast enough?

[Tonz of fun]

I think you should plain on it and If you dont need it get some really nice corals...

[ksreefbuilder]

Originally Posted by Tonz of fun

I think you should plain on it and If you dont need it get some really nice corals...

What do you think is a max air temp is for the canopy? I am trying to figure out what air temp I want to set the fans to kick on at so it will not affect the water.

[Tonz of fun]

I would just have the fans kick on whenever the MHs do. That is how I do it with my tank...

[ksreefbuilder]

Originally Posted by Tonz of fun

I would just have the fans kick on whenever the MHs do. That is how I do it with my tank...

So have the fans on 12 hours a day? Will the one 250W bulb create that much heat? That will be moving a lot of air through the tank.

[NATIVEVAMAN]

If the temp inside the canopy is 1 warmer than the desired water temp it will put heat in the tank.I have a 10 inch glass light fixture in my kitchen with two 60 watt bulbs in it.After it has been on ten minutes its to hot to touch.I am not positive what the measurements of the hqi unit are but when it is running with all fans it will still be to hot to touch.

[NATIVEVAMAN]

Tank manufacturers have been smart for a long time and generally build tanks that fit modern lighting fixtures.24.30,36,48,60 and so on.The point I am making is,if your tank is 48 inch's so should the inside of the canopy be 48 inch's.If you buy a fixture designed to stand on legs there is a good chance it wont fit under the canopy.Some will some wont.Using the old carpenters addage"measure twice cut once"I think you need a remeasure lol.

[ksreefbuilder]

Originally Posted by NATIVEVAMAN

Tank manufacturers have been smart for a long time and generally build tanks that fit modern lighting fixtures.24.30,36,48,60 and so on.The point I am making is,if your tank is 48 inch's so should the inside of the canopy be 48 inch's.If you buy a fixture designed to stand on legs there is a good chance it wont fit under the canopy.Some will some wont.Using the old carpenters addage"measure twice cut once"I think you need a remeasure lol.

Well the stand and canopy were custom made by a local cabinet shop and they defiantly built it for strength. I am the second owner and the last had a saltwater fish only tank, so they just had really low light. They are made of solid cherry wood and I hate to go cutting on it, but the only area they left room for lighting is only 37 inches. The rest is all covered in support beams. The canopy alone weighs almost 150 lbs.

[SaveTheChupacabras]

what about a nice retrofit t-5 setup??

wouldnt have to worry bout heat...and with the right setup, you can keep anything you want...

i have a LTA, 2 clams, and a couple sps under my t-5's and they are all thriving.....

[NATIVEVAMAN]

A 36 inch 6 bulb t 5 vho retro kit would produce 360 watts or 4.8 watts per gallon.with that much light and single lamp reflectors you can have anything in the tank you want.You will have 6 inch's on either end that you may need to keep low lote critters in.Another point while I am thinking about it.MH lights are generally designed to cover a 24 inch square of surface area makes no difference wether its 150 or 400 watts.

[ksreefbuilder]

Thanks all. I ended up finding a 36 inch Aqualight Pro HQI with 430W and that gives me 5.7 wpg. I think it will work nice, and the 4 fans built into the canopy will hopefully keep things cool enough. I will have all 4 fans on an 8 hour cycle with the lights.