40g breeder reef... how to light it?

[Thinslis]

I'm looking to put a 40g breeder reef together. My question is what is the best lighting setup, reef will be LPS.

[Mikeeal]

Wondering the same. I like halides but would you do two or one? 150's or 250's? These questions have got me thinking about T-5's. Maybe 6 X 39W?

[roushracer]

This is mine, it's a single 150w halide with dual 65w PC actinics

http://www.thescmas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2981

[Thinslis]

Nice tank, any pics of the lighting?

[roushracer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13938735#post13938735 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Thinslis
Nice tank, any pics of the lighting?

It's a Coralife Aqualight Pro w/ a Radium MH bulb and 2 SunPaq Dual Actinic 420/460 combo PCs

[mg426]

Sounds like a 3 ft tank to me. A single MH would do OK . T - 5s may be a better fit though.

[jimpierce7]

I have a 40g breeder using one 150w MH pendant and it isn't enough. Mine doesn't cover enough on the tank. The side are left a bit dark.
I've thought of adding another pendant like the one I already have. One of the guys at my LFS uses two 150w MH for his 40g breeder but he has a lot of SPS in his. So I'm still lost. lol

I was shown these really inexpensive T5 lights http://fishneedit.com/3ft4bulbs-with-l34.html
I was thinking at the price I could get two fixtures even.

[roushracer]

I have SPS and they grow like crazy, even the ones not in the middle of the tank. That birdsnest is about the size of a grapefruit, and it started a a single small 2" frag maybe 4-5 months ago. 150w is fine for this shallow of a tank and the spread is fine as well.

If your worried, just keep the SPS in the middle, and LPS and softies along the outer regions of the tank.

[jimpierce7]

I think I just need to get a different fixture. The bulb is recessed up in the fixture so the light is not as spread out. This is the fixture I have now. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+17624&pcatid=17624 It was great when I had my 30g hex though!!

[tripinpn01]

if i were to light a 40 breeder i would get a 250w MH supplement it with t5's on a munarc reflector. or better yet, a lumenbright at 16" off the water.

[SnookSlayer08]

I'm hopefully up grading to a 40brd for x-mas, using my 150w halide pendant with pc actinics. Once I have the money getting 2 250w halides.

[GatorWPB]

I use 2x150w sunpod over my 65g, which is like the 40 just a bit taller and keep mostly sps.
any of these suggestions are fine, you just have to figure out what you want in your tank and do you want fixture, retrofit or pendant/reflector.

[sleeperls]

I use a 250w pendent with two 39wt5's. The mh is adjustable in this pic it is up all the way for tank access.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i102/sleeperls/newtank006.jpg

I have since got the sump set up

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i102/sleeperls/newtank005.jpg

[Thinslis]

I like that setup. A local reefer is selling a 150w pendant with 2 bulbs for $100. A small T5 setup and I think that would be good.

[jimpierce7]

how do you think this light would do? Is this the light you have Sleeperls?

http://www.current-usa.com/sundialhqipendant.html

[Jester]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13939119#post13939119 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jimpierce7

I was shown these really inexpensive T5 lights http://fishneedit.com/3ft4bulbs-with-l34.html
I was thinking at the price I could get two fixtures even.

Awesome looking system... Has anyone seen these in action..??

[ghostshadow]

this is what a 250w reefoptix/icecap/20k radium looks like

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e384/danc516/DSC_0215.jpg

like others have said, single pendant makes it a little darker on the ends but i'm mostly sps.. for lps it would be totally fine IMO

dan

[sleeperls]

Lumen Max 3 HQI Reflector (250W) is what i use. WIth a current usa t5 retro kit. The reflectors for the t5 i left off simply because of space issues.

I'm using the t5's for a little color. With the mh i feel i have anuf light for anything i ever plan on keeping.

I use a icecap mh ballast and the pheonix 14k mh bulb.

I love the size of these 40gbr. I downsized from a 125 gallon and its a perfect size for me.

[nwpschris]

I've got a Tek T-5 setup over mine, and it's shocking how bright it is. My SPS would close up when my daylights came on. it took 2 weeks to adjust to the light, with it 24" off the tank. Now I'm gonna start lowering the light.