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View Full Version : Lighting required for 300 gallon reef?


150reef
10/06/2008, 09:24 PM
Currently looking at upgrading to a 300 gallong long tank. Tank is 10 feet long x 2 feet deep x 2 feet wide.

Would like to keep both SPS and LPS corals. Would 5 250 watt 10k halides do the trick? Trying not to break the bank and also keep the electric bill some what reasonable.

Thanks!

Arthur1
10/06/2008, 10:05 PM
The short answer is, yes. 2' of depth is not really out of the norm. Also it depends on how you plan your aquascaping if you plan on having certain areas with corals and then some "bare" areas, light the areas with coral and the areas without, let ambient light do the trick. If you want there to be 5 halides on there stagger them timer wise. There are a lot of things you could do thats just some sampling :)

Texastravis
10/06/2008, 11:19 PM
for a 10' tank save some money and go with 4 250 watt MH. I suggest going with an 8' tank with some depth though! GL!

RonMidtownStomp
10/07/2008, 02:09 AM
I have 4x175W MH's plus only 2 48" VHO super-actinics in the front of the tank on an 8x2x2. I'm quite happy with my VHO Super Actinic supplementation and probably going to add 2 more in the back. The light will be really yellow if you run 5 10K's. The actinics would help balance that a bit. It's supposed to be great for growth, though.

Ron

150reef
10/07/2008, 05:26 AM
Do the VHO actinics actually help growth or are they more to get the blue tint / color you like (personal prefrence)?

RonMidtownStomp
10/07/2008, 12:23 PM
It's not just blue tint, it actually makes the colors "pop" like they're under black light. Someone called it "midnight bowling" which seeems to fit. I'm pretty convinced that they're way cooler by themselves than when mixed with Metal Halides, but I'm still experimenting with blending them with different Metal Halide bulbs. I have a PFO 2x250W + 2 VHO fixture with DE 10k XM bulbs and Super Actinic VHO's. They blend the best in my opinion of the bulb combinations I've tried, but so far I think Hamilton 10k's can only be described as (annoyingly) yellow and the VHO's do nothing to temper that. I really like my XM 20K's, but have been told they'll do very little for growth.

Ron

areze
10/07/2008, 01:55 PM
8x2x2, I have 2 250w halides. and I have SPS in the tank...

not satisfied though, Ill be adding 2 more halides and 8x36" VHO. 6 actinic 03, and 2 50/50 white. give me dawn and dusk applications, and really make the tank glow. Id probably do the same setup with another 2 feet, save for I could more easily fit 48" flourscents. 48+48 somehow doesnt equal 96", endcaps and all that jazz I had to go with 36", 10' wouldnt have that problem though.