Lighting for a 75G reef

Hi,
I'm new to this and I have a 75G tank, that I'm looking to make a reef tank. I would like to be able to put anything into it and not worry about too much or not enough lighting. I would like to keep it around $800.00 if possible. I hear people talking about MH, PC, ect. I'm currently building a new stand and hood so I guess I will be able to put a retro kit in but I have'nt the foggiest idea what to buy. I have been looking at the corallife 48'' aqualife pro with 2-150w HQI MH, 2-96w compact fluorescent atinics-3. Thanks Jeff

 

Welcome! There is a ton of information on this site that will be very useful to you starting out. Don't be afraid to ask questions and remember to take things slow. If you try to rush anything in saltwater you will end up with problems. The light you mentioned would be an excellent choice and you could easily mount it inside your canopy. It will also save you the trouble of trying to put a retrofit together and it will allow you to keep about anything you want. Good luck and keep us posted!

 

MH's are the way to go hands down. If you are a good DIY'r then you can get stuff pretty cheep. 250 Watt Metal Halide Ballast DIY (Do It Yourself). The light fixture you have listed would be a great all in one light if you are wanting to go that way. I prefer MH's and VHO Actinics myself.

 

My suggestion would be 2 250w 14K MH retros. You'll get plenty of light and not have to supplement actinic at all.

 

Definitely halides! 250watt DE HQI bulbs are best IMO. Just remember the heat issue and make sure you have appropriate fan supprot to rid the excess heat released to your tank water and inside of canopy!
14000K-20000K bulbs are very nice!

 

So 2-250 MH 14K or 20K.. Not the 10K. And I dont need atinics or PC? Why would'nt I need something other than MH, to simulate sun up and sun down.

 

I like bulbs towards the bluer end of the spectrum! I don't think 10000k brings out the colors of corals and fish as well, but it is only my opinion! Moreover, I think the sunrise, sunset time is alittle too blown out of proportion. I'm not saying that it shouldn't be done or can't be done, I am just saying that it isn't necessary! I don't have that light pattern for my 125 gallon tank, and I have Tridacna clams, Stonies and soft corals with no ill effects, personally. Now, I have a strip light with actinics, so as to be able to view my corals under actinic to capture the full effects of the blue light and fluorescing associated with the actinics!

 

You need the actinics not so much to simulate sun up and sun down but to benefit the zooxanthellae algae in your corals. They need it in order to photosynthesize. We run our blue actinics for 16 hours a day and only run our M/H for 6-7 hours a day. White lighting is mostly for aesthetic value. I'm not saying that white lighting is not necessary but blue actinic lighting absolutely is.

 

Ok, thanks. Then I think I will get 2-250w 14k MH with 2-96w CF 03 Atinics. Sound good.

 

Not sure what you mean by the 96 w C.F is But if you Use VHO actanics and only use URI super actainc bulbs no other can touch them and you'll be way better off. As for the sun up and down thats all Bull most aquariums are exposed to diffused room light all the time and unless you are setting the tank up in a Cave then the room will lighten as the real sun come up anyways.. You'll find most people who write the crap for others to read lack all commonsense LOL unlike education common sense can't be brought and paid for..