# Need ideas for lighting a 180g tank.



## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

I'll be getting a 180g tank in the next couple of weeks and have been debating the best lighting options for quite a while. The tank will be an All-Glass 72-1/2 x 24-1/2 x 25-5/8" with cross-braces every 2 feet. Despite my best efforts I couldn't find a 180g Oceanic - sob, sob, whimper, sob. It will be arriving with a very tall enclosed custom canopy that was originally designed to house MH lighting to go over a reef setup.

As I see it, there are 2 good options available to me:

1) AH-Supply CF lighting, probably three 55W bulbs per 2' section. This would result in 9 bulbs total. I'd probably only run all three for about 3 or 4 hours a day.

2) 150W Metal halide lighting, one bulb per 2' section, supplemented with regular T8 or T12 lighting. I'd probably run the MHs for 8 hours a day and use the regular fluorescents just for tank viewing (per Dennis' suggestions).

Arguments against 9x55W bulbs: Lots of messy wiring with 9 separate bulbs. Questionable penetration of CF lighting to a depth of 24". Maybe I'm making this a bigger issue than it is, but I want good light all the way to the bottom of the stemmies & for the foreground plants.

Arguments in favor of 9x55W setup: Very modular - easily able to mix & match bulbs and hours per day at a given light setting. Familiarity with AH supply stuff. Availability and variety of 55W CF bulbs.

Arguments against MH setup: I have absolutely zero experience with this. This project is big enough that I want to get the right stuff the first time. I don't know what brands to look for, what type of bulb/ballast combination is best, what type of reflector to get, or what the availability of appropriate bulbs is. Mogul base? Double-ended? Medium base? What's the difference????? Also, heat is more of an issue, I'd probably need some serious cooling fans in the canopy.

Arguments in favor of MH: Fewer wires, fewer bulbs to monkey with, good light penetration to 24", most people with big tanks tend to go this route.

Anyone out there a former reefer with experience in the MH stuff?

Any input will be greatly appreciated.


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## erik Loza (Feb 6, 2006)

I run both PC and MH-illuminated plant tanks presently and maybe my experiences could help. I personally prefer PC's on smaller tanks but would always go for MH's on anything bigger than a 20" cube. Less wiring, a cleaner look, and far better light penetration on the big tanks. 

MH, I find, is actually simpler than PC lighting. Especially the pendants, because they are mounted independently of the tank and won't require any extra cooling accesories. Also, the farther the light source is from the water's surface, the more dramatic the beautiful "shimmering" effect the MH's produce. 

Are you set on having a dedicated canopy? If so, then cooling fans would be required, but these are easy to wire in. I have used Hamilton Lighting (should be easy to Google) for custom hoods during my fish store days and they can provide pretty much turn-key kits of MH, MH +PC, or just PC for your existing canopy. I would imagine that Champion Lighting could do the same thing. 

A few quick thoughts that may/ may not be germane to you. If you opt for MH, get an ELECTRONIC BALLAST option on any kit. They will run cooler, be quieter (no annoying hum), and be more energy efficient. Also, I would skip Mogul-based bulbs and go for HQI's. Smaller, more flexible in terms of application, and better range of quality bulbs. One last thing: I own and think highly of Coralife's stylish aluminum PC fixtures but think that theri new, pendant black 150 HQI lamps suck. Cheapie Chinese magnetic ballast driving a cheapie Chinese bulb, inside a poor copy of a commercial reflector. The light output on those I have seen is less than half that of my Giesemann Nova's. Just a few thoughts that might help you out. Good luck, however you go.


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

Thanks for the input. As much as I'd like to try an open top, I'm pretty much stuck with an enclosed canopy due to children in the house. The MH option is definately looking like the better choice. Does anyone have any input/experience with this reflector:

http://www.hellolights.com/15hlmhrekith.html

With this bulb:

http://www.hellolights.com/156dhqiiw.html

The installation looks pretty straightforward. I'm thinking of using the MH's for maybe 6-8 hrs per day with two additional 85W 6,500K 72" T-12 HO flourescent lights (or maybe four 36" tubes) to round out a 12 hour viewing cycle.

I'm assuming I'd need to find some glass pieces to fit the MH reflectors (or maybe it's included - I can't tell for sure). Fans for the canopy are no big deal. I think I have a pretty good source for some quiet, but strong fans.

Ah, I can just see the $$$$$ adding up now........ Oh well. That's what I get for being stupid enough to order a 180g tank.


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

Anyone???? I'd appreciate any input / experience that's out there......
(thinly veiled bump)


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## erik Loza (Feb 6, 2006)

guaiac_boy said:


> Anyone???? I'd appreciate any input / experience that's out there......
> (thinly veiled bump)


That looks fine to me. You would want to get some fans, of course. Re. the bulb, 6,500K is a bit yellow for my taste and 10,000K is a bit too blue (NOTE: I like 6,500K and 10,000K in PC flourescent, so there is obviously some disparity between color rendition between identically-labeled MH and PC lamps). I am sold on the ADA 8,000K lamps. It really is the closest thing to daylight that I have seen in an MH lamp. They shouldn't be too hard to find and I paid about $80 for my last one. Good luck.


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

I'm assuming the ADA 8,000K bulb will fit into any double-ended HQI fixture....?..... I'll look around. I've certainly heard good things about the bulb.

I'm using spiral flourescents now with a 5,000K rating. They seem to work well enough , but I'm assuming anything higher than this would be quite an improvement.

Any thoughts about what to supplement this with? T-5's maybe? I want something that will contribute to a good overall effect without running up the power bill or taking me into ridiculous lighting levels. I think VHO's would be overkill for what I'm trying to do. I mostly want something that would extend the effective viewing time of the tank for a few hours without contributing to algae problems.


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

Any flourescent tube will suit that purpose, IMO. From my experience, T5 are only worth it if you buy the real good/expensive reflectors. Only the IceCap and Tek brand are worth it. T5 are more energy efficient, but they are also more expensive and the wattage is higher when compared to a T8 of the same lenght. If energy and replacement costs are a factor for the extended viewing time, T8 is probably your best choice. A single 20-30$ ballast will power all the tubes you would need, ie 4x3' or 4x4' and 3/4' daylight tubes would be perfect for viewing in the evening, pretty inexpensive also if you stay away from the "aquarium" marketed tubes. Running them for 4-5 5hours a day and they will last a few years. If you overlapped 4' tubes (T8) you would have 1.3wpg during the evening viewing period. Enough for a little growth and descent viewing but no algae worries.

The ADA bulb should fit any double ended HQI type fixture that is 150watt (thought HQI is always 150 I believe)


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