Lighting for 29 gal

[DeletedAccount]

I am trying to figure out the best way to go about lighting this 29 gal that I am setting up. My goal is to have this as a mostly coral tank. I am very limited with my 120 because of the lighting and do not want that problem here.

I want to do most corals and possibly a clam or two, eventually.

Hello lights has a $399 hood with 1 175 MH and 2 20 W actinic, with 1 fan. This is a 24" hood and my tank is 30" long. I do not know if this would be a prob or not.

The other option I was looking at was the PC at 4 X 55W retro. For a 29 this seems like enough lighting and is half the price.

Would the 4 55 watt PC limit me much? Would this totally rule out the clams (pretty blue ones, Maxima)? As for most corals I could want, hard or soft, would the PC be enough?

[Tim Marvin]

The PC's would do it.

[TexasState]

Since your 120 have PC. I would get 250W HQI Pendant for your 29. It's about $306 with Icecap Ballast.

[TexasState]

If you want to do PC like Tim said, wait next year and get T5 bulbs.

My old 29 with PC:
http://www.swt.edu/~xp42012/2002/june-02-29gallons.jpg
http://www.swt.edu/~xp42012/2002/june-02-29gallon.jpg

and my older 29 with 65K MH:
http://www.swt.edu/~xp42012/2001/29gallon-takendown.jpg

[matt]

I had a 29 with a hood I made from parts at ah supply; 2X55W. You couldn't cram 4 55W tubes in their hood, but you could get the light/reflector kit and build your own hood. I kept a mixed assortment of lps/sps corals in my tank with 2 tubes, so I'm sure you'd have the light. Actually, if it were me, I'd consider 3 tubes, 1 blue, 2 white. (You can get supposedly 03 actinic PC tubes from hellolights) 4 tubes under a 12" tank = 3"/tube space front to back. This leaves no room for reflectors.

Check out ah supply; you'll get some ideas at least.

Matt

[savoy6]

you'd probably save time and money just getting the lighting to put the livestock you wanted in your 120 instead of bringing up another tank.