lighting suggestion

P

paige

I'm in the planning stages for a 46g bowfront. Eventually I'd like to keep a BTA in it. What lighting would be best? The tank is about 20" deep and 36" wide. It has a black plastic brace in the center...so I'm worried about shadows and possible the plastic melting with MH...but I do like the 'glitter lines'.

I'd prefer a strip light for simplicity, and if possible I'd also like to keep the black plastic cap/canopy thing on top of the tank. Would this one be good or too much? I'm just looking for good suggestions so hopefully I get it right the first time.

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~action~view~idProduct~CU01063~idCategory~FILTFIMHMMMDMLM5~category~36in~vendor~.html
 
that unit would be just fine, you should have no issues with the blackk plastic either as alot of tanks have that which use metal halides every day, mine included. almost all aqueon products have the plastic center brace (all-glass). as far as lighting goes specifically for the nem, halides will be great but T5's will work as well but you dont get the shimmer you say you like. one thing i would consider though when you get a fixture is one with some t5's in it for supplimental lighting and morning/evening light. halides dont have to be on all day, you could do 12-6 halides and 10-8 T5's or something similar.
 
That's a real good choice with the sunpod. You'll want the legs for it or build a 4-5" standoff. I like the 14k bulb's color however that fixture is narrow enough so that if you want to add a T-5 strip for some additional color it would accomodate that.
 
When you say add T5's, are talking about adding actinic bulbs or one of those 50/50 bulbs? I'm very new to all this. I have a single strip coralife PC fixture...would that be enough?

They have this fixture that includes T5's, but it's getting a wee bit out of my price range...and it seems a bit like overkill. I also don't know that it would squeeze into my canopy.

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~SearchStr~~action~view~idProduct~CU01071~idCategory~FILTFIMHMTMDMLM5~category~Current_USA_36_inch_Outer_Orbit_2x150w_10K_HQI_MH_w__4x39W_T5_HO___18_Lunar_Lights_36in~vendor~.html
 
If you're going to do any addition, it would be actinic bulbs only. The metal halides in the Sunpod fixture will provide all the white light you need. The 50/50 bulb is a power compact creation that is half white light and half blue light. You wouldn't need anything like that.

If you have a power compact hood already, I'd say go for the Sunpod fixture and just get some actinic only bulbs for your existing power compact fixture - that would look pretty cool.

To tell you the truth, with the Sunpod, you don't even need any supplimention - the lunar lights would supply some bluer color and the 14,000k bulbs in the fixture are fairly blue already.
 
i would add some actinic bulbs to your current PC fixture and go with the sunpod halide only if they both will fit. would be a nice combo
 
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