# Lighting



## ronmarsh99 (Feb 18, 2011)

I'm thinking about picking this light up what do you guys think, I want to have any coral in my tank that I wish to have would this light be a good choice ?


48 inch metal halide + power compact light

This fixture comes with the following bulbs.
2x 250 watt 20,000k metal halides
4x 96 watt 14,000k power compacts


----------



## kay-bee (Dec 6, 2006)

Seems to be a decent fixture, find out the age of the bulbs though. 

What size tank will you be illuminating it with?


----------



## ronmarsh99 (Feb 18, 2011)

it's going on my 90 gallon tank.


----------



## cklskypilot (Mar 17, 2011)

Its a good light. I use one like this in my frag tank and the sps looks great. you may find that the 14k bulbs are to white and can be replaced with 454 T5 bulbs. your corals will still grow good and the color of the corals will look great.


----------



## ronmarsh99 (Feb 18, 2011)

ya I found them to be to white , was hoping for a more of a blue look with them, I think I will change them, will the 454 T5 give me that look I'm after?


----------



## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

It depends on the ºK they are. I think I run 12K. I'll double check later. Great light though!!! Now you're ahead of me! (Lighting wise that is...)

Dare I ask how much that ran you?


----------



## ronmarsh99 (Feb 18, 2011)

Hey Funlad3 I like the lights but I would like to change the 14k bulbs there to much white for me, I like the blue look, I have that looks with only the 250k running only. I paid $300 used for this light , it's $1500 new , the bulbs they came with it are a few months old from what I was told anyways, he also gave me 4 250 bulbs that are also been used, good for back ups. one of the packs have a price of $149 a bulb on it , just crazy stuff. anyways I'm loving the light can't wait to see how the corals will do with it.


----------



## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

Now I'm confused; what do you have for the setup as of now?


----------



## ronmarsh99 (Feb 18, 2011)

fresh water fish, I'm getting everything I will need to start up SW, then theys fish I have now r gone to some good home, I still need alot of things yet. as you know it cost alot for this stuff so I'm getting a little at a time, I'm getting there, can't wait for the start up day.


----------



## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

So what do you have now other than the light?


----------



## ronmarsh99 (Feb 18, 2011)

well right now I have the light, a large skimmer I paid another $300 for worth $750 new at big al's , one wave maker, need 3 more of them, the refugium I will be making my self, easy done, the plumbing I still need to do, Live rock I need, sand I need, I need 2 drill to holes in the back of my tank and 2 holes in the refugium setup I have in mind.


----------



## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

Awesome! Now I feel that I need to ad more flow into my tank. I just love the natural look of there being nothing in there... I'll figure something out. Keep looking for gear!


----------



## ronmarsh99 (Feb 18, 2011)

ya more flow blowing on your live rock keep the junk off it. I'm going to have 2 on the sides of my tank to move water and the other 2 smaller one on the back of the tank to blow on the live rock, I'm going with smaller ones on the back because there is less space as my tank is only 18" wide. the 2 stronger ones will be on the side , my tank is 48" long.
but ya I know what you mean by having the natural look , thats all I will have in the tank is the 4 blowers and one PVC pipe for the water coming back into the tank. and the 2 drains.


----------



## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

With or without the overflow box?


----------



## ronmarsh99 (Feb 18, 2011)

I'm not going with a overflow , I'm going to drill the back of the tank, 2 holes . E-Bay sales the cutters on there and there cheap. theres lots of videos on YouTube how it's done, should be easy for me to do. I will cut my first hole on the refugium first !!!


----------



## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

Just remember that in a power outage, the water will drain to the bottom of the holes. Point being, get a large sump!!!


----------



## ronmarsh99 (Feb 18, 2011)

ya I've thought about that, my refugium will be about a 30 gallon, all I can fit under the tank. the PVC will be pointing up about half inch from the water line , due to a power outage the sump should hold the half inch of water , I think I will have around 15 gallons to play around with if there was a outage .


----------



## ronmarsh99 (Feb 18, 2011)

Hows that new fish of your doing? and do you have a video of your setup posted some where? Big Als has a sale on today so I think I may go do some shopping for some wave makers.


----------



## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

The wrasse is doing awesome as usual! I don't have any recent video, but I do have some on You-Tube.


http://www.youtube.com/user/funlad3?feature=mhum


I may be getting some new coral either today or tomorrow, but I guess that's for my thread. 



Good luck with the plumbing!


----------



## platies pwn (Nov 29, 2010)

your wrasse is awesome!


----------



## ronmarsh99 (Feb 18, 2011)

Nice video looks like he was doin a little dance to the music for ya haha


----------

