Lighting hood help!

Yea it's like I always tell people, don't buy the tank,
and then try to decide what lighing you want. Make the
entire desision first. Got to have a game plan before you buy.

Look at the 36" lights at:
http://www.hamiltontechnology.com/sh...48b8865a59b302
and
http://www.esuweb.com/subcategory.as...lationID=10 1


Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



Pszemol wrote on 2/21/2006 10:39 PM:
"Jaime R-S" wrote in message
. ..

I bought a 75 gal tank very wide. The inseem measurements are 35"x17".
The aquarium isn't going to have much hard coral.


How high is this tank ? Are you sure it is 75 gallons not 65 gallons ?

Looks to me like a typical 36"x18" tank. I am guessing this is "All-Glass"
or "Perfecto" 65 gallons aquarium and you will have a center brace holding
front to back wall from falling apart. Check this out:
http://www.elmersaquarium.com/h100perfecto_tanks.htm
http://www.all-glass.com/products/aq...standard.shtml
If this is the case, the tank is pretty high - 24" (or more if this is
really 75g not 65g) and you'd better have HQI as your main light source.
Fluorescent light will simply not penetrate such a deep tank nicely...

BTW - Oceanic Systems 58 gallons aquariums with similar surface area
have a nice thing: no center brace - just slighly thicker glass and
an open top - this gives you more freedom with lights arrangement at 21".
Basically for a reef tank it is better to choose shorter&wider than
taller tank. Water circulation and gasses exchange is easier to do...

I was recently looking for a light fixture for my 58g Oceanic and
both Aqualight Pro HQI 36" and Orbit 36" have only one HQI lamp
in the center, right above your center brace... so you will have
an ugly shadow. You can check 3' long fixtures with 2 HQI lamps he
http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_....asp?CartId =

But these run for over $500 and I am not sure if bulbs are included
in this price.

You are left with a DIY project or stuck with power-compacts/VHO fixtures
unless you want to try new technology T5 like 36" 8 tube Sunlight Supply
Tek.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...fm?pcatid=9866

The center brace is easier to accomodate for in a longer, 48" tank.
In a 36" tank it is a real pain in the neck to deal with...
This was a major factor when I was choosing mine 36" setup.