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View Full Version : lighting questions, need opinions


muzz
09/25/2007, 12:25 PM
I posted this on another forum, and I am looking to get as much info as possible. First off, a little background info on tank. Display is 125g aga tank(72" long), with 75g aga sump. Both tanks are drilled. I have frag rack in sump, and system is mostly sps corals, (acros and montis), with a couple lps(brain, acans, blastos, and frogspawns x2) here is what I posted at other sight, I hope I can get some good opinions and options.

I have a few questions on my current lighting and was wondering what I should do. I do not want to waste money, and want to get the best results. Right now, I have a 72" outer orbit pro fixture, with 3 x 150w hqi halides 10k and 8 x 39w t-5's. they were all actinics, but I switched to of them to 10k daylight bulbs, as I am experimenting with adding a little more light. (as a sidenote, I use 1/2" eggcrate for alid, so it does difuse some light, and need to keep this in mind. Glass tops trp in too much heat.)

I am debating on what to do. I have a 75g sump with a frag rack in it, with a 400w pendant over it. Before I had the frag rack, everything was in the display tank, and I am having a problem with corals losing color or browning out. They just end up more drab looking, and do not "pop" the same as when they were purchased. When I added the frag rack, I found a used 400w pendant online, for 125 bucks, so I bought it. I put in a hamilton 10k new bulb SE. New frags and cuttings or frags taken form the display tank, have colored up amazingly under this pendant in the sump.

I thought maybe they were losing color due to high nutrient load or something, but they do awesome in the sump under the higher lighting. One of my problems is, when I move them from the sump to main tank, they will go under the 150w lighting and lose color again. So I am looking at a couple of options.

First option, get rid of original bulbs in fixture, and get new bulbs hoping that they are better and color things up nicely. I could also add another 2 10k bulbs to the t-5s and use just 4 actinic bulbs, with 4 10k or another color to help with usable light for the corals.

Second option is to sell the fixture and upgrade to another fixture, with 250w hqi's. If I do this, the only major drawback is the higher energy cost on a monthly basis. ( it is getting expensive with rates being raised and all)

Third option, and a question, would two luminarc reflectors with 400w SE bulbs cover most of the tank in enough light? As far as depth of the tank, it is only 22 inches deep, that is why I went with 150w hqi to start, as I was told nothing higher was needed. I just love the color I get from the pendant above the sump. Also, I would need no light acclimation period when moving corals between sump, or future frag tank, and display, as the light will be the same. If I use 2 400w pendants, it would be roughly the same power being used as I use now. I think using 3 would be too much, It would be complete overkill in my mind.

If I used 400w lights, I am guessing I would use 20k or 14k so there would be no actinic supplementation. I saw the display tank at sea schor, and he uses 400w 20k pendants, and it is beautiful! amazing colors!

The cheapest route would be either replacing bulbs on fixture I have now, and which ones would be best, or buying the 400w pendants/reflectors, as selling the current fixture should cover most of the cost of 2 400w lights.

If you read all this babbling, thank you. I could use some different opinions so I can make an informed decision.

muzz
09/25/2007, 02:31 PM
bump

nattydread
09/25/2007, 03:28 PM
go to 250w on the halides. 22 deep, shuold be fine.

bertoni
09/25/2007, 03:40 PM
An efficient 175 W setup might be enough, as well. This site has information on bulbs and their efficiency:

http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/

You might be able to find some 150 W bulbs that are good enough.

jdkackley
09/25/2007, 08:12 PM
I agree with natty. 250's and higher kelvin. I dont think the 400's would cover the whole tank.