Small tank lighting on a budget.

Ok well after wiping off the spit from the spitting match...
:lol: You have to excuse Crispin, he does tend to get a bit cranky now and again, but then with hair like that I'm not surprised he acts the way he does, plus he's a really slow drinker :tt2:

So have you decided on lighting yet? Personally I would just hang a 150w MH over the tank with a 14k globe in.
 
If I may Wetty, as i have also done some research into the matter, and I have also learnt alot from this forum...

There are many many factors to consider. In the beginning, you mentioned the person has a tank +/- 100 litre... Thats about 3 foot right? If you throw a MH (even just a 150W) with two T5's on it - YOU WILL NEED A CHILLER!!! The amount of heat MH (and T5's) for that matter creates, will require you to chill the water. So there goes the budget you are trying to meet...

That is why one needs to research what you plan to keep first. Many softies will do fine under two or three T5's (either 24w or 39w.) Thus you eliminate the temperature issue and a chiller is not needed. In smaller tanks (and smaller budgets) I would rather suggest keeping mushrooms etc who does not require Ellis Parks lights to live from. But, if its SPS and Nennies you want, then you have to have a bit of a budget.

You also mentioned two anemone's in a small tank like this... please rethink and research this statement.

Depth is propable one of the most important issues to look at wetty. I am confidend that one can keep an sps under two 39w t5's, if the water column is only 5cm deep... But put that same coral 50cm down, then you will have a problem. thats why most people have mushrooms and sun coral at the bottom of deep tanks and SPS mainly at the top.

My advice is your friend needs to relook her stock if she is working on a budget...
 
If I may Wetty, as i have also done some research into the matter, and I have also learnt alot from this forum...

There are many many factors to consider. In the beginning, you mentioned the person has a tank +/- 100 litre... Thats about 3 foot right? If you throw a MH (even just a 150W) with two T5's on it - YOU WILL NEED A CHILLER!!! The amount of heat MH (and T5's) for that matter creates, will require you to chill the water. So there goes the budget you are trying to meet...

That is why one needs to research what you plan to keep first. Many softies will do fine under two or three T5's (either 24w or 39w.) Thus you eliminate the temperature issue and a chiller is not needed. In smaller tanks (and smaller budgets) I would rather suggest keeping mushrooms etc who does not require Ellis Parks lights to live from. But, if its SPS and Nennies you want, then you have to have a bit of a budget.

You also mentioned two anemone's in a small tank like this... please rethink and research this statement.

Depth is propable one of the most important issues to look at wetty. I am confidend that one can keep an sps under two 39w t5's, if the water column is only 5cm deep... But put that same coral 50cm down, then you will have a problem. thats why most people have mushrooms and sun coral at the bottom of deep tanks and SPS mainly at the top.

My advice is your friend needs to relook her stock if she is working on a budget...

Fanx to all the guys for their help and comments, this forum rocks and I learn everyday.

If u guys read correctly...and I spose I phrased it wrong aswell, lol....she hasnt got a nenny or two...but wants. So at this stage theirs only a few pieces of liverock in the tank.
Iv told her and she has agreed to save up for a light unit with what she needs.
 
just remember that if she is going the mh route, to also save up for a chiller ;)
 
just remember that if she is going the mh route, to also save up for a chiller ;)

If u keep the MH high enuff....will it really affect the water temp that much...and wots the std height to keep the MH from the water surface?
 
remember that you can keep a mh 6metres from the tank, but then you can rather keep a candle lit above the tank - ;):lol:

No, there is no set rule, but the further away the less effective. the closer however the more heat youve got... so its a bit of a catch 22...
 
So when I get my MH system....im planning on attaching it to my canopy. But what is the safest distance without touching the surface of the water.
 
:lol: You have to excuse Crispin, he does tend to get a bit cranky now and again, but then with hair like that I'm not surprised he acts the way he does, plus he's a really slow drinker :tt2:

So have you decided on lighting yet? Personally I would just hang a 150w MH over the tank with a 14k globe in.
hehe indeed viper, but then youve been drinking lots. :) you'll recall wetty's friend doesnt want fancy things like T5's of MH.

but does want a nennie or two.

i just dont see the to being possible. you need fancy lights to keep sps and nennies alive....
 
I got on a std 3 foot tank 90L DIY T5 setup
4 * 39W 10 000k
2 * 39W 20 000k
Over sump a 45W energy saver.

It works, but remember anything on the LR will only be about in max 15cm deep water. For me no need for a MH.

Another thing, a scrubber cools a tank down a lot!!! For Saturday night my tank dropped to below 18 degrees. What a freight I got when I fed the fish on Sunday morning, sticking my hand into cold water. Added extra heater last night, and this morning the temp at a lot better 24.

Anyway
Would love to see what a descend open scrubber will do under MH lights, I doubt if you need a chiller. Downside is that it uses a lot of RO topup.
 
So when I get my MH system....im planning on attaching it to my canopy. But what is the safest distance without touching the surface of the water.

Hey Wetty. Again, it all depends. You get light units that hang from the roof, others sits on the tank itself. Then canopy design comes in. Some tanks have canopies that close, other tanks are open top...

If you diy a metal halide and only hang it 30cm above your tank, you will have plenty of light shining into you (the viewers) eyes - which is very harmfull!!! Commercial units have reflector covers etc, but still you cant have it too high above the water level, otherwise it will still defeat the object...

Some of the other guys must correct me if I'm wrong, but I'd say the MH should be about 10cm above the CANOPY rim. The gap will help with the heat "a bit..." With T5's, I'd say the same distance, with reflectors.
 
Cool. This is all so very interesting.
 
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