Lighting: Too much?

vmaxxt · 07-25-2003, 01:31 PM

I'm setting up my first tank. 75g FOWLR and I hope to add inverts and corals as I gain experience. I've done some research on lighting and want a system I can "grow into". I'm considering 2x250 MH 6500k Iwasaki's plus normal output actinics. (Found DIY instruction for much less $$ than retail.)
So.... does that sound alright? I posted this same message on Reef Central and got the thumbs up, but I was just on wetmedia and saw a post that said that was too much. (What's a noob to do?) I wanted to ask you guys cuz your my local experts. I live out by Monticello. I actually came to a meeting a couple years ago and was very impressed. I'm just now getting all my equipment together. (Trying to keep the $ under the spousal radar.)
Anyway, how does the lighting plan sound?
Thanks, for any help, and I hope to rejoin you at a meeting again soon.

latazyo · 07-25-2003, 01:34 PM

I think it sounds excellent, how many NO actinics do you plan to use?

jg24 · 07-25-2003, 01:37 PM

Your lighting choice sounds pretty good. I am running the same set up on my 75. I also did the DIY Metal Halide setup. My setup has been running for about 1 1/2 yrs. It was previously on a 55gal. Your can see pictures of my tank from our last meeting. Look under the thread by Ben Nichols titled pics from July meeting.

Good luck with your setup.

jg24 · 07-25-2003, 01:38 PM

I should correct myself a bit. I am running VHO Actinic along with the halides. You can find very reasonable priced VHO set ups thru www.hellolights.com

Crevalle · 07-25-2003, 02:34 PM

I have a 75g reef, and I use dual 175w 10,000k Ushio MHs. The reason I went with this setup instead of the dual 250 setup is because two people I trust (Anthony Calfo and Eric Borneman) told me that 175w would be ideal. Actually, Anthony said I'd be creating "lava" if I used a dual 250w setup. Who knows. Anthony had a coral propogating business for a very long time, so he knows his stuff.

I'm sure a dual 250w would work too. Reef Central is primarily comprised of "more light = better" reefers. Although, the Tim Allen route is not always the best. I'm not trying to start a debate--personally it makes no difference to me either way because my sps are doing wonderfully. I may someday try dual 250w MHs to see if I notice a difference--an experiment of sorts.

I posted just because I wanted you to know that you don't need dual 250w MHs. If you want them, get them. Ask a few "professionals" too. Too many people like me think they know what they are talking about!

BTW, using dual VHO actinics w/ dual 10,000k MHs may be too blue for your tastes. There is more than enough "blue" in 10,000k MHs to keep corals happy. Beyond that, it's basically what you find pleasing to the eye.

P.S. Just watch....someone on this forum will get defensive, and I'll get flamed.

vmaxxt · 07-25-2003, 02:42 PM

WOW! Nice tank, Bob! Glad to hear someone else is successful with the same setup. Hope you don't mind, I downloaded the pictures for future reference. (aquascape, powerhead placement, etc.) So you don't think that amount of light is causing excess growth? (that seems to be Bob Fenners issue on wetwebmedia.com)

To answer your question, latazyo, I was planning to just use two 48" NO's for now. (recycle the cheap striplight I already have). Upgrade to VHO's later when I start adding the inverts. Or switch to 10000k bulbs. ???? If you can't tell, I'm winging this lighting thing.

The other suggestion I found was to light half of the tank with a single 250 MH and the other half with 2x55 PC's (one actinic, one daylight). Best of both worlds maybe - clams and sps on the left and softs and lps on the right.

geshields · 07-25-2003, 02:47 PM

Flame mode on.....

J/K

It is all about preferences. I like my 400W bulb over my 58G with dual VHO's.

I have a 400W Ushio 10K bulb that I run with 2 VHO actinics and the tank looks too "washed out" for my liking. My 400W XM 20K bulb is just about perfect but not quite there. I am going to add the 2 together and it should be perfect. That will be 800W of MH over a 58G. Some may say too much, too white, too blue...It could go on all day long.

Make your own decision based on what you see on other people's tanks. And then you can make an educated decision. It is real hard to decide unless you see the different bulbs in person. Even via digital camera it is often hard to capture what the human eye sees.

Flame mode off..

HTH,
Greg

Crevalle · 07-25-2003, 03:01 PM

Must...............escape..............intense.... ...........burning.

Please refrain from entering the flame mode.

j/k

David Grigor · 07-25-2003, 03:40 PM

It all depends on exactly what SPS you have. SPS covers a VERY large range of corals all with different lighting requirements. There is no perfect wattage or spectrum bulb for all SPS corals. Some do better under 175W while others higher wattage. Some respond better to lower spectrum while others to higher. It's all balancing act to stock corals that are best suited for your particular lighting.

Just about the only what to know this is by trial and error or to trade/buy frags from others that grown them under various lighting conditions and know lighting it does best under.

To say it can't be done with 175W is certainly not true but on the flip side there are lots of corals that may survive under 175W but same coral would look entirely different under higher wattage bulbs ( and/or spectrum ). Some may respond better to higher wattage while others don't.

I know I've been there and have ACTUAL experience with 150W ( single and double ended ) 175W, 250W ( single and double ended ), 400W. In a variety of spectrums from 5500K throught 20K.

SawCJack00 · 07-25-2003, 04:16 PM

What Dave said...

Crevalle · 07-25-2003, 05:01 PM

Well, color me impressed. It is refreshing to hear people who understand that "more power" isn't always the best thing for coral. I spend most of my forum time on Reef Central, and it's amazing how dogmatic most of them are about having 25,000 watts per gallon.

Best of luck, with whatever setup you utilize!

otolith · 07-25-2003, 06:10 PM

If you're going to start with FOWLR, you may find 2 VHO (or the T5 bulbs) enough,--1 daylight and 1 actinic. Then when you decide to start with corals, you can add MH's to your system, or start with some of the lower light corals. And, most importantly, you may be able to fly this in under the radar a little more easily.

HTH,
Derek

vmaxxt · 07-25-2003, 08:30 PM

Hmm... interesting... start with the VHO's. Why didn't I think of that? Might be the best route overall as I learn more about what corals I want and more importantly what coral I can responsibly keep.
Thanks everyone for your practical words of wisdom. I will miss that MH sparkle though.

Stoney Reef · 07-25-2003, 09:55 PM

Perhaps I should not say anything running 800watts over a 36, but then again, I am doing it purely for scientific purposes. A lot of the corals I have, I have had for a very long time, growing from pencil eraser size. So I pretty much know thier growth rates. Well seeing I have the dual 400w halide system anyhow, I guess we will crank the tank to optimal pH, CA, ALk etc etc with all my gizmos and see just what the extra light does to these corals! BTW, I have about worn out my patience with the southdown milk shake!