Bummer Noobs 125 reef build thread

[BummersReef]

Lighting Dilema/Huge Problem

Tank
5 ft (60") long
23" tall
18" wide

Canopy/Hood (oak, lovely!)
5ft (60") long
4.75" tall (head space .... room between top of tank and inside top of lid)

what in the world can I do about lights? using 2 40-watt flourescents plus cheap 4 ft ecoxotic led now but have to get a real lighting plan'

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Sigh........its all about the.....Budget?......... Live stock desires?
The new current orbits 2 would be fine for most any thing or 3 for high light. that would be plenty. They are 1/2 in thick. less I believe.
The V1 currents are cheap now(no lens ) 2 or three would work. The advantage of the no lens is you wont get as much spot lighting. so a 48 would be fine for 5'.

If you can find one, the V1 Photon 48 should work too. its narrow and thin.

 

[BummersReef]

Sigh........its all about the.....Budget?......... Live stock desires?
The new current orbits 2 would be fine for most any thing or 3 for high light. that would be plenty. They are 1/2 in thick. less I believe.
The V1 currents are cheap now(no lens ) 2 or three would work. The advantage of the no lens is you wont get as much spot lighting. so a 48 would be fine for 5'.

If you can find one, the V1 Photon 48 should work too. its narrow and thin.

It's about ... sigh ... budget I guess. We'd have to custom make a whole new canopy I fear to use Radions and well dang that would end up costing SOOOO much. We are willing to give up SPS dreams but want to grow LPS and softies. Our current system (HA... if you can call it that) are keeping things alive but nothing is gonna actually grow! lol
ok so you are talking about the Current USA Orbit Marine Pros? ..... maybe three of them? three of the 18" ones?
I don't know what you mean by V1 Currents with "no lens" ?? is that a model of the Current USA Orbit Marines?
But .. but ... lol .... are those just ..... too lame? I have it in my head that for a real reef tank I gotta get the "good stuff" .... Radions! but seriously, how can I possibly get Radions to work? I can't!
What the V1 Photon? ... off to hunt it up
Ok V1 are made by "Reef Breeders"
What about the V2 Photon ... 48. Any thoughts? Looks thin enough
3 Orbit Marines or one V2 (just want as much power as I can get in my cramped space. I wonder about depth penetration? I gotta get down there to 23"

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Sorry if I missed it but what lights are you currently using?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

It's about ... sigh ... budget I guess. We'd have to custom make a whole new canopy I fear to use Radions and well dang that would end up costing SOOOO much. We are willing to give up SPS dreams but want to grow LPS and softies. Our current system (HA... if you can call it that) are keeping things alive but nothing is gonna actually grow! lol
ok so you are talking about the Current USA Orbit Marine Pros? ..... maybe three of them? three of the 18" ones?
I don't know what you mean by V1 Currents with "no lens" ?? is that a model of the Current USA Orbit Marines?
But .. but ... lol .... are those just ..... too lame? I have it in my head that for a real reef tank I gotta get the "good stuff" .... Radions! but seriously, how can I possibly get Radions to work? I can't!
What the V1 Photon? ... off to hunt it up ....

look on ebay. it the non pro model. but the ads are mis leading. the new ones"pro" have little lenses over each led. the old model just has leds.
You would need two the same length 48 or longer. the new "pro" would be the same but will give more penetration because of the lenses.

and keep in mind not all SPS are high light. Acros mainly are. they need about 350par ore more(big debates there). a lepto is a low light one and many birdsnest too. FWIW I have some plays that would never open untill I blasted them.

before you rebuild you can also cut holes in the top like I did and use what ever. radion Sb reef ai or kessil. Like I did in my 55. I have 3 12in ai sol on a 48" Got them used too. check tis out and forgive my really poor carpenter skills and this is the working proto type.https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/upgrading-lighting.265541/#post-3173367

 

[BummersReef]

Sorry if I missed it but what lights are you currently using?

lol sorry Rev .. meant to add that info but Salty popped in before I remembered
(looking sheepish) ... I have two 40 watt flourescents that came with used tank (it was used as a freshwater tank) and then a skinny little 4 ft. Ecoxotic thing (with dimmable blue and white) that we got used with a different tank. It's a mess, no way to program anything, just switch them on or off or dim by a guess turn
Here's a photo of the top of the lid ... so embarrassed! lol
we knew it was just a temporary thing but now that we have corals (that just sit there looking sad) we gotta come up with a plan ...

 

[BummersReef]

look on ebay. it the non pro model. but the ads are mis leading. the new ones"pro" have little lenses over each led. the old model just has leds.
You would need two the same length 48 or longer. the new "pro" would be the same but will give more penetration because of the lenses.

and keep in mind not all SPS are high light. Acros mainly are. they need about 350par ore more(big debates there). a lepto is a low light one and many birdsnest too. FWIW I have some plays that would never open untill I blasted them.

before you rebuild you can also cut holes in the top like I did and use what ever. radion Sb reef ai or kessil. Like I did in my 55. I have 3 12in ai sol on a 48" Got them used too. check tis out and forgive my really poor carpenter skills and this is the working proto type.https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/upgrading-lighting.265541/#post-3173367

so two 48" side by side? hummm ... not sure if there is room. part of the lid doesn't open (hard to explain so I have maybe 10" to work with? I didn't measure that part)
highly doubt hubby will go for the cutting open top of top .... this tank sits in the middle of our kitchen/family room and well, he wants it to look totally contained, no wire stuff hanging anywhere (sumped a monster thing in the basement)
gotta find out how much width I have in the top part that actually opens up ....

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

he wants it to look totally contained

me too.
Im working on the wires. The current's are four in wide or less and less than 1/4 in thick and need a lil air space. Im honestly not familiar w the other strip manufactures products. It might be worth measuring out and starting another thread for those suggestions.

 

[BummersReef]

does surely feel like I need a lot thread room for this dilemma!
I have 12" on the hood to work with but that includes the hinges ......

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

does surely feel like I need a lot thread room for this dilemma!
I have 12" on the hood to work with but that includes the hinges ......

my hood is less than 6 from the tank to the wood inside. mine looked just like your w 4 vho t5 and the orbit strip.