Light Question

Jiddy

Active Member
If you were me and wanted to upgrade your tank lighting (220gal which is 30" Deep) from the 4 VHO's you had in there, what would you get and where would you get it. I have gotten all the links that lead me to funny PAR and LUX equations and graphs, i just want to know what you would do. I was thinking about getting 3 400w, but i dont know what kind....

TIA
Jiddy
 

Witfull

Well-Known Member
i would add 3-250s 10k XMs, keep the VHOs, replacing 2 with 10k day bulbs and 2 with 03 actinics (URI Brand). this will give you punch and lessen heat issues that 400s can cause.
 

BoomerD

Well-Known Member
250's will do ok, but at 30' deep, they won't have the penetration for clams on the bottom. MOST SPS will do fine, and most anemones will also do well, but to REALLY do a 30" deep tank, you should go with the 400's. The normal recommendations are;
175 watts up to 18" deep
250 watts up to 24" deep
400 watts over 24" deep

NOTE; those depths are to the substrate, NOT tank depth.
 

matronga

New Member
I have a 180 gal tank with all kinds of corals except sps. I have 3 175 mh and everything in the tank is growing wonderful. The tank depth is 30 inches. I have also thought of upgrading, but my concern with 400 mh would be temp control. Now my water temp is easy to contol without a chiller.
 

Jiddy

Active Member
I have to agree that i with Boomer, that i would like to keep clams and pretty much anything with my lighting, this will be my lighting upgrade, and i only want to do it once

I suppose since im waiting anyways ill have to wait until i can afford a chiller as well. How big of a chiller will i need?

What type of ballast are recommended?

And i do agree with you MatRonga, my friend has a beautiful tank with 175w, but this will be the lighting i will be using when im ready for SPS and Clams.
 

Shells

Active Member
I'd go 400 watts and either 10k or 14k. if you dont
mind the yellow, 65k, (you could add vho super atenics
too offset the yellow some)

I've got a 400 watt (10K) and two 250 watts, (65k for now) but my tank
is less than 24" to the substrate. I also have two super blue T-5's,
but they dont supply enough blue for my taste with
the 65k. i'm not sure if the bigger VHO bulbs would.
My ballast are all Ice Cap. (Just love them) I am
also running 3 Ice Cap fans, which right now are
keeping my tank at 82-83. if it goes about 83 this
summer, i will add another fan. :)

I purchased my set up at www.reefgeek.com (just love
those guys) !!! :thumbup: :bigbounce
my middle light the 400 watt, came from www.premiumaquatics.com
i hope i spelled that right!

hope this helps! Oh i should have posted some pics with my new
center bulb....i'll have to do that this weekend!!!!:)
 

Woodstock

The Wand Geek was here. ;)
RS STAFF
:hallo: Hi Jiddy!

30" ehhh.... Since clams on the bottom are the only concern with 250 watters, plan on placing them a bit higher in the tank... I think you would be fine with 250 MH as long as you mounted the bulbs close to the water's surface (4-6"). You could use a 65k bulb for super high intensity! and use the VHOs for actinics. Some reefers do not mind the yellow color and do not supplement. Also remember that 30" is with a barebottom so if you plan on using a substrate, it will not be that deep...

But... If electricity co$t is not an issue nor heat, go with the 400 watt MH; then you could use any kelvin you wanted and not worry about it ;)

I would go with electronic ballasts. The intial cost is more but they will burn a wide range of bulbs and cost less to operate.
 

Warnberg

Well-Known Member
Personally I would go against everyone here, specially if you have an acrylic tank. I personally would go with a T5 setup... but thats just me cause I don't care about shimmer lines....
 

Jiddy

Active Member
Thanks for the replies guys, and Shells thank you for the links.

And Doni i dont have to worry about paying my elec. bill, i live on base, so its FREE!

Thank you guys for the help, now i have some research to do
 

Shells

Active Member
Warnberg said:
Personally I would go against everyone here, specially if you have an acrylic tank. I personally would go with a T5 setup... but thats just me cause I don't care about shimmer lines....
Hi Warnberg:hallo: I was curious why you would go with T-5's?? What do
you keep in your tank?? I ask that because I'm supplementing my tank
with T-5's , , , The upfront stars sort of speak are Metal halides.....:)
 

Warnberg

Well-Known Member
Well Shells I have just about every light loving thing you can imagine.... SPS's(acro's, digi's and a maxima clam on the sand bed) I have found that any LPS has issues with the light intensity and I have to move them to the shaded area's, even in a 30 inch deep tank.....

I like the color as well, very bright...

I do have idividual reflectors (SLR's) and I am over driving them with 2 IceCap 660's.....
 

Jiddy

Active Member
Okays, heres the shabby, you tell me what you would do. I have a 72"L thats 30"D. I currently run 4 VHO's and keep all my softCorals at the tippy-top of the tank. Well i want some MH's and needed some advice. Here's the factors....

1) I could have a canopy built by my wife's godfather who is a master carpenter.
2) I live on a military base and dont have to pay for electricity.
3) I plan on using the existing VHO's for supplements.
4) I want to be able to keep anything from SPS to clams.

Now ive been surfing around and have heard people say go with the setup of 3 400W MH's. So then i go searching the website to get a price check and i try to stay UNDER $1000, can you help me and give me some advice, maybe a link to a nice setup thats affordable. Thanks In Advance
-Jiddy
 

cheeks69

Wannabe Guru
RS STAFF
I would NOT go with 400watters unless your going to use 20k's. IME people really get carried away with how much light you need. Any of the light demanding Clams like Croceas and Maximas are rock boring and shouldn't be placed in the substrate anyway. IMO/E 250w setup will be more than sufficient to take care of anything light demanding especially if you have a substrate.

Check some photos of this tank, which uses T'5 exclusively albeit 720 watts, it has some of the best colors I have seen for SPS Tridacnid Clams etc.

http://www.reefforum.net/showthread.php?t=2159
 
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