lighting question

[bairdimusprime]

I've got a 65 gallon: 36" x 18" x 24 aquarium and stand in my basement and i may need to set it up like yesterday...
my issue is my blue hippo is growing like lighting she's nearly 4" - 5" now and is dominating my aquarium which if you've seen the thread is a 30 gallon nano.

i dont mind taking the time and setting up the tank as the space will benefit the corals and fish alike... my fear is lighting

i've got 2 BTA's i dont wish to see any harm come to. the ONLY lighting i have is a 4 bulb t-5 set which is running an ati purple plus,ati blue special, coralife 10,000k daylight,and a coralife actinic blue....

anyone have any suggestions ?? thanks in advance

(my original plan was to get into our new home and buy a 250 gallon with my wife but its going to take longer to move and i wish to have the fish in as little stress as possible.)



thanks folks

Bill

 

[Edwardw771]

Leds seems to be what everyone is buying now a days

 

[bairdimusprime]

believe me i'd kill for 2 AI sol units for the 65 but my jobs been rained out for 3 weeks, with a wife two kids and other payments that are mandatory i cannot afford a new lighting system. so i must stick to what i have

thanks though for the reply

Bill

 

[howze01]

Is setting the 65 up as just a FOWLR for now an option? Someone's gotta have a spare 36" fixture laying around that would be OK for a FOWLR.

 

[bairdimusprime]

its either the 30 or the 65 im in a rough spot for the next few weeks.... i found out today my jobs cancelled through to next week. i was thinking if i set the live rock up in a way that would have it standing tall to the nems are only 12 inches from the surface may work

 

[Fish Brain]

Where are you located?

I have a 36" 6x39W Current fixture sitting with all new ATI bulbs I was going to use on my 65 but I picked up a MH & T-5 fixture I'm going to use instead.

If I can get a new switch for the NEP (should know by tomorrow) your welcome to borrow it until your situation improves some. The fixture has two blue+, aquablue special, purple+ and two geismann atinics. I have a bunch of other bulbs we could play with.

 

[taz_12777]

Where are you located?

I have a 36" 6x39W Current fixture sitting with all new ATI bulbs I was going to use on my 65 but I picked up a MH & T-5 fixture I'm going to use instead.

If I can get a new switch for the NEP (should know by tomorrow) your welcome to borrow it until your situation improves some. The fixture has two blue+, aquablue special, purple+ and two geismann atinics. I have a bunch of other bulbs we could play with.

If this does not pan out you could use the lights that you have now as a temp till you get new ones. Keep the lights lower to the water and try to keep them nems higher. Once in the new tank they will go to were the light is so be careful were other corals are until they settle. I had BTA in a 36 bow with PC lighting and they stayed high were the light was so you should be fine for a bit.

 

[JRWOHLER]

Even if you don't change fixtures buy couple better bulbs.
Go with 2 ATI blue plus, one Aquasun, and one actinic bulb.
The Aquasun and ATI blue pluses have great par and actinic is just for color more than anything...but get a good quality bulb in any case like ATI, UVL or Geissman that will allow you to max out par without changing fixtures. Or you could borrow Thermosts which is more then enough.

 

[bairdimusprime]

i appreciate all the responses, im not looking for anyone to donate a fixture although i greatly appreciate the offer.. but i can only run one tank. i would rather have hat 2 more ati blue plus bulbs but my lfs hasnt had any ati in a long while so i had to buy something.
my main issue is this blue hippo its a picture perfect fish it truly is and i thought i'd be moving into bigger quarters sooner than later but now it seems later is the case and its just growing and growing
i'm considering just keeping my 30 gallon nano as a clown/bta tank and trading/selling my blue hippo... which is a hard thing to do since i've had it since it was an inch or so
I also dont wish to disrupt the environment as there is plenty of coral growth and coraline take over NO cyano no hair algae and no diatom issues... its perfect

i'm at a tough crossroad in the hobby...
but just so the meaning of this post is clear the 4 t-5's will not suffice for my BTA's on the 65? correct? (without placement of the nems which could an will move when they please)

thanks everyone

Bill

 

[taz_12777]

What is the lenght of the fixture you have? I have not read all of the old posts yet.

 

[JRWOHLER]

The BTA may move up to the top of a rock closer to the lights. I don't think it is optimal but again with good bulbs it isn't that bad. It is not going to be a super problem overnight you might not get great growth but you can make it up by feeding it.