Lighting Suggestions

sorcerer · 02-22-2004, 06:48 PM

I bought my wife a 50G tank for her birthday and we have been getting together the equipment to set it up. I wanted to get suggestions on what lighting folks here would suggest.

The tank is 30.5" long and 20.5" deep. It will have a two inch sandbed. I will be building the canopy. It will be a reef with mostly LPS, maybe a few SPS and some clams. We will use metal halide lighting but I would like suggestions on the number of bulbs, kelvin rating, wattage, etc.

Let me hear your ideas for the lights for the new tank,
TIA.

Witfull · 02-22-2004, 06:50 PM

id say you could get away with a single 175. 10K or 15K just an opinion,,,check out the new frontiers section and the research section on lighting for ideas and further understanding.

Pro_builder · 02-22-2004, 07:41 PM

I would go with a single 175 MH 10K or you can go single 250 watt 10K MH. Then for actinics run a dual 55 watt PC Actinic 03.

Maxx · 02-22-2004, 07:43 PM

Hmmm... Id actually go w/ a dual 175 watt set up and run 10k bulbs...most likely xm or AB. If yu think you might sometime in the future go w/ SPS I'd spend the extra money and go w/ 250 w.
JMO
Nick

reefrunner · 02-22-2004, 08:41 PM

How tall is the tank? By deep...do you mean tall or do you mean wide? How tall it is would determine what wattage to go with, IMO. I do a 30" long tank with a single MH, I would go to the extra expense of anothe MH bulb unless you go with a 36-48" tank.

sorcerer · 02-22-2004, 08:46 PM

Kevin,
The tank is 20.5" tall.

reefrunner · 02-22-2004, 08:52 PM

At that height, I agree with Maxx, if you ever think you might want to do SPS and Clams, I'd go with a 250W.

Witfull · 02-22-2004, 08:58 PM

keep heat issues in mind.

i know i always say watch out so you dont over heat.

reefrunner · 02-22-2004, 09:04 PM

I'm using 175W with pcs on a 20g tank, I agree there may be heat issues, but they can be overcome. Also should have mentioned, I'd go with a pendant if possible, helps alot with heat issues and makes light acclimation easier.

BigReepher · 02-22-2004, 09:14 PM

Really depends on where you want to keep the SPS's and clams At 30.5in long and 20.5in deep tank I'd probably go with two 150W 10K DE HQI's if I wanted to keep SPS's and clams through out the tank. If you keep your SPS's and clams centrally located then you could get away with a single 250W 10K in a good reflector. That's just my recommendations.

reefrunner · 02-22-2004, 09:20 PM

Quote:

If you keep your SPS's and clams centrally located then you could get away with a single 250W 10K in a good reflector.

I agree. the center 22-24" of the tank

sorcerer · 02-22-2004, 09:48 PM

Clams are a definite, she's already in love with the ones in our 75G and planning on having one in the 37G at her office. I'm leaning towards a single 250W 10K centered. I could add two 55W PC actinics as I already have the ballast for that. She probably won't keep many if any SPS.

02-22-2004, 06:48 PM	#1 (permalink)
sorcerer Court Computer Wiz Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nashville,TN Posts: 252 View Gallery Karma Komment	Lighting Suggestions I bought my wife a 50G tank for her birthday and we have been getting together the equipment to set it up. I wanted to get suggestions on what lighting folks here would suggest. The tank is 30.5" long and 20.5" deep. It will have a two inch sandbed. I will be building the canopy. It will be a reef with mostly LPS, maybe a few SPS and some clams. We will use metal halide lighting but I would like suggestions on the number of bulbs, kelvin rating, wattage, etc. Let me hear your ideas for the lights for the new tank, TIA. __________________ ------------ walt --------------------- ...and I thought woodworking was an expensive hobby..... 75G Oceanic Reef Tank, 30G Acrylic sump, 12G fuge, AquaC EV-120 skimmer, AquaMedic Kalkwasser Reactor, Mag 12 return pump, FlexiFlow dosing pump. 2-250W AB 10,000K MH, 2 95W Actinic VHO Sorcerer's Home Office Reef - 12G JBJ Nanocube, Minijet 606 pump, 50W heater, 12lbs LR ----------- http://www.reefsanctuary.com/Banners/RS_banner4.gif

02-22-2004, 07:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
Pro_builder DIY Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Oxford, Iowa Posts: 1,746 View Gallery Karma Komment	I would go with a single 175 MH 10K or you can go single 250 watt 10K MH. Then for actinics run a dual 55 watt PC Actinic 03. __________________ -Troy 180 gallon Reef, 3- 250 XM 15K MH Electronic ballast, 380 watts VHO Actinics, 2- 5 watt LED Moon lights, 100 gal rubbermaid sump, 75 gallon Fuge, ETSS 600 Skimmer, 4700-5400 gph pump for return, Octopus 3000 controller, Iwaki 40 RL skimmer pump, 2- 65w PC 10K fuge lights, 2 55 gallon barrels, Custom light oak stand and hood, misc pumps, extra 600 gallon rated tank size protein skimmer. Purple tang, yellow tang, pacific blue tang, 2 green chromis, 1 Sand sifting star, snails, hermit crabs, 2 mated perculas, pulsing Xenia, Anenome, mushrooms, ricordia, zoanthids, kenya tree 1 1/2" tall, misc other hitchhiker stuff. DIY is my dream... ...well OK the only way I can afford this Addiction!! Just as the light goes on in my head... ... I break the bulb!!

02-22-2004, 07:43 PM	#4 (permalink)
Maxx Manta Ray Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: St Louis Mo Posts: 3,080 View Gallery Karma Komment	Hmmm... Id actually go w/ a dual 175 watt set up and run 10k bulbs...most likely xm or AB. If yu think you might sometime in the future go w/ SPS I'd spend the extra money and go w/ 250 w. JMO Nick __________________ "Chaos, confusion, despair...my work is done here." ...Some guy named Murphy.... A good friend will come and bail you out of jail...but, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn...that was fun!" Reef Sanctuary Knowledgebase (Answers to all your questions and then some!)

02-22-2004, 08:41 PM	#5 (permalink)
reefrunner Contributing Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Cedar Key, FL Posts: 1,069 View Gallery Karma Komment	How tall is the tank? By deep...do you mean tall or do you mean wide? How tall it is would determine what wattage to go with, IMO. I do a 30" long tank with a single MH, I would go to the extra expense of anothe MH bulb unless you go with a 36-48" tank. __________________ Kevin Check out my gallery!

02-22-2004, 08:46 PM	#6 (permalink)
sorcerer Court Computer Wiz Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nashville,TN Posts: 252 View Gallery Karma Komment	Kevin, The tank is 20.5" tall. __________________ ------------ walt --------------------- ...and I thought woodworking was an expensive hobby..... 75G Oceanic Reef Tank, 30G Acrylic sump, 12G fuge, AquaC EV-120 skimmer, AquaMedic Kalkwasser Reactor, Mag 12 return pump, FlexiFlow dosing pump. 2-250W AB 10,000K MH, 2 95W Actinic VHO Sorcerer's Home Office Reef - 12G JBJ Nanocube, Minijet 606 pump, 50W heater, 12lbs LR ----------- http://www.reefsanctuary.com/Banners/RS_banner4.gif

02-22-2004, 08:52 PM	#7 (permalink)
reefrunner Contributing Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Cedar Key, FL Posts: 1,069 View Gallery Karma Komment	At that height, I agree with Maxx, if you ever think you might want to do SPS and Clams, I'd go with a 250W. __________________ Kevin Check out my gallery!

02-22-2004, 09:04 PM	#9 (permalink)
reefrunner Contributing Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Cedar Key, FL Posts: 1,069 View Gallery Karma Komment	I'm using 175W with pcs on a 20g tank, I agree there may be heat issues, but they can be overcome. Also should have mentioned, I'd go with a pendant if possible, helps alot with heat issues and makes light acclimation easier. __________________ Kevin Check out my gallery!

02-22-2004, 09:14 PM	#10 (permalink)
BigReepher Scopas Tang Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 474 View Gallery Karma Komment	Really depends on where you want to keep the SPS's and clams At 30.5in long and 20.5in deep tank I'd probably go with two 150W 10K DE HQI's if I wanted to keep SPS's and clams through out the tank. If you keep your SPS's and clams centrally located then you could get away with a single 250W 10K in a good reflector. That's just my recommendations. __________________ I'm not a doctor but I'll take a look.

02-22-2004, 09:48 PM	#12 (permalink)
sorcerer Court Computer Wiz Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nashville,TN Posts: 252 View Gallery Karma Komment	Clams are a definite, she's already in love with the ones in our 75G and planning on having one in the 37G at her office. I'm leaning towards a single 250W 10K centered. I could add two 55W PC actinics as I already have the ballast for that. She probably won't keep many if any SPS. __________________ ------------ walt --------------------- ...and I thought woodworking was an expensive hobby..... 75G Oceanic Reef Tank, 30G Acrylic sump, 12G fuge, AquaC EV-120 skimmer, AquaMedic Kalkwasser Reactor, Mag 12 return pump, FlexiFlow dosing pump. 2-250W AB 10,000K MH, 2 95W Actinic VHO Sorcerer's Home Office Reef - 12G JBJ Nanocube, Minijet 606 pump, 50W heater, 12lbs LR ----------- http://www.reefsanctuary.com/Banners/RS_banner4.gif

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