# fresh to salt lighting



## Gibby (Mar 24, 2011)

I have had a my 150 planted tank(72" x 18" x 28") for a few years and am thinking of going to salt water. I have 8-36" T5-ho bulbs, is this going to be enough lighting? What will I be able to grow using this current light set up? Also I currently have 2 fluval 405 filters which I am planing on replacing with a wet/dry setup is there anything other equipment that I will need to replace?

I have read and read, I think I am ready to make the switch just a little confused on lighting. 

Thank you

Gibby


----------



## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

One 8 lamp 36" unit on a 150g 6' long tank? You can keep anything you want in there, directly under that one light. Won't be able to keep anything around the outside of those lights though. 1 unit just won't cut it.


#1-Dry Rock, there are a few hitchhikers on Live Rock that people want to stay away from, so they opt for using Dry Rock, or Dead Rock. Macro Rock is a good place to start looking for that. Either way you go you will need a minimum of 1lb per gallon.

#2-Replacement filter media like filter floss and activated carbon (if you get a filter) Which is really not necessary.

#3-Multiple Power heads (2 or 3) 10x your water volume for just a Fish Only With Live Rock, and at least 20x your water volume for a Reef Tank. So lets say your going reef, and you have a 100g tank, you would need flow in that tank at minimum of 2000gph, or 2 1000gph power heads.

#4-Protein Skimmer, rated at 2 times your water volume

#5-Saltwater Test Kits. Reef Test Kit. Test for Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates, PH, Phosphates, Calcium, ALK and Magnesium.

#6-Saltwater fish food. Mysis Shrimp, Squid, Cyclopease, Algae Sheets, Romaine . Flake food is not really a good food to feed your marine fish.

#7-Aquarium vacuum. This one is iffy. Most don't use one, if you have enough flow in the tank you won’t need one

#8-Rubber kitchen gloves

#9-Fish net

#10-Two, clean, never used before, 5-gallon buckets

#11-Aquarium thermometer, digital being the best.

#12-Brush with plastic bristles (old tooth brush) - needed for cleaning the live rock if you don't get Fully Cured Live Rock.

#13-Power Strip, possibly GFCI outlets by the tank.

#14-Optional but definitely recommend getting a Reverse Osmosis or RO/Deionization filter for the make-up water, and a barrel for storing the water.

#15-Possibly a Quarantine Tank for your new fish. They sit in here for a few weeks to kill off parasites and bacteria, to keep it from getting in your main tank

#16-Heater rated for your size tank.

#17-Saltwater Mix. Marine Salt. Instant Ocean is the cheap Salt that beginners and Advanced use alike.

#18-Saltwater Hydrometer or even better a Refractometer, which is more accurate. There is also a Digital Meter that is way advanced if you have the cash.

#19-Aquarium filter (not absolutely necessary if running with adequate amounts of live rock, but nice to have if you need to use a mechanical filter or activated carbon, or GFO and such)

#20-Aquarium substrate such as live sand or crushed coral. Some go bare Bottom, others choose the 2-3" bottom, others, more advanced will try the Deep Sand Bed, which is over 6" deep.


----------



## Gibby (Mar 24, 2011)

I have the lights mounted to my canopy. So I have 4-36" bulbs with reflectors on each 1/2 of the tank they are approx. 8" above the water. With the reflectors I might be able to add one more bulb per side but that would be very tight. I have a total of 320 watts right now evenly spread over the whole tank. My fresh water plants grow very well. Just wondering if I need to go metal halide or can I use what I have. I don't mind spending the money for the upgrade if needed but I don't want to buy them just to buy them if what I have will work.


----------



## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

It would all depend on what you want to keep in the tank as far as corals. As it stands now, you could only keep Softies, Zoas, Mushrooms, and corals of that sort. LPS and SPS, Clams would be out.


----------



## Gibby (Mar 24, 2011)

Thank you very much it sounds like new bulbs and I will have something to get started with and as I learn more about salt water I may want to upgrade.

Gibby


----------



## Nick1258 (Jul 5, 2012)

I agree with madness, t5 are good lights for saltwater tanks but when used for growing coral they work best when lights are directly above what you are growing, you will get away with growing some hardier coral on the outside but unless the lights are right above them they will grow very slow. IMO you can deffinetely start with those lights, growing some coral in the center under the lights then upgrade your lighting to either LED or 72" t5. Then when you are ready to upgrade you have coral to spread around. cant wait to see the tank. Try and keep us posted on setup. Good Luck


----------



## Gibby (Mar 24, 2011)

If I stick with my lighting what combo of bulbs do I want? Do I split them 4 bulbs 10k and 4 bulb 460? Again thank you.


----------



## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Yea. 10-12k and 420-460nm, 4 each.


----------



## Gibby (Mar 24, 2011)

Thank you very much for some reason I have a hard time getting a grasp on lighting. I understand pretty much everything else.


----------



## Nick1258 (Jul 5, 2012)

yes lighting is one of the bigger decisions you will make on aquarium setups because they usually are one of the more expensive peices, also you have to get the lighting precise for what you want in your tank and also how you want it to look. i had a hard time because there were so many choices and types of lights for saltwater and reef aquariums. To start of though you are in a good position with lighting, and by the time you are ready to upgrade you will most likely know what lights would work best for you in the future.


----------



## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Maybe this will help, or maybe confuse you even more, but heres some reading for ya.
Aquarium Lighting; Reef, Planted Light Information. PAR, Bulb, Watt, Kelvin, Nanometers, MH, LED.
samsreef.com - PAR readings - How much light?
What Your Coral Needs | Successful Reef Keeping


----------

