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Aquarist Forums => Equipment / DIY => Topic started by: omarshabaz on April 19, 2010, 09:43:49 PM

Title: Lighting
Post by: omarshabaz on April 19, 2010, 09:43:49 PM
Hey everyone, I am getting a custom light built and I am not sure what to go with.

the tank is a 125 gallon, i was looking at a 12 by 39 watt t5 which the bulbs are all 36",
or a 6 by 80 watt t5, which all the bulbs are 60" so we will have to stagger the bulbs. Thinking the cost would be cheaper as I only need 2 icecap 660's and less reflectors and endcaps.

these will all be individual ballasts.

Which one do you think or if you have any other ideas...
Title: Re: Lighting
Post by: Hookup on April 19, 2010, 09:56:50 PM
If my math is right, which it might not be... 125 gallon is 72" long (6 feet)...

My 180g is 72" and I went with 10 bulbs at 60" each... It's not a DIY fixture, but this sized fixture seemed to be very common on that length of tank.

Hope that helps a little.
Title: Re: Lighting
Post by: omarshabaz on April 19, 2010, 10:01:41 PM
At 60 inch are those 80 watt bulbs or less, What can you keep with that lighting. Perhaps I will go with an 8 bulb 80 watt staggered fixture.
Title: Re: Lighting
Post by: Severum on April 20, 2010, 12:38:22 AM
With that kind of lighting the sun becomes irrelevant. You can keep ANYTHING.   ;D
Title: Re: Lighting
Post by: Hookup on April 20, 2010, 08:44:03 AM
Quote from: omarshabaz on April 19, 2010, 10:01:41 PM
At 60 inch are those 80 watt bulbs or less, What can you keep with that lighting. Perhaps I will go with an 8 bulb 80 watt staggered fixture.

I think they were 84 wats each, giving the 10bulb fixture 840 watts... but watts the deal with watts anyhow... it's all about the par and spectrum.  :)

With my fixture, which is an ATI Powermodule, I've seen many fully SPS tanks that are mind-blowing.  The lighting works...  you'll be growing sps in under the stand if you go with 8x60"...IMHO anyhow.