(2) 110W VHO's enough for softies?

[falconut]

I've had my current 90 gallon system up and running for about 4-1/2 years. I run (2) 110W VHO URI Actinics for about 1 hour a day (dusk & dawn) plus (2) 250W 10K - 14K MH's for 9 hours a day.

It always gets hot in the summer, since I don't have a chiller. Plus the electric bill is a decent amount. I have been tryingto decide if I should get a whiter VHO and just use the (2) VHO bulbs. This way the usage would only be 220W for 9 hours/day, instead of 500W for 9 hours/day and 220W for 1 hour/day.

I was wondering if just using the (2) VHO's would be enough light. If so, I still have a brand new URI Actinic VHO Bulb, so would adding an Aquasun with it, give me a 50/50 look? I prefer the color of about 14K. The look I had with my Hamilton 14K's.

My tank has softies (zoas, ricordeas, mushrooms, leathers and kenya trees) plus a green bubble (LPS).

Can anybody tell me if this would work for the corals? I wish my LFS sold VHO's, but it appears that I'll have to mail order them.

[flame goby]

I think you should be fine. You may actually, if heat is a concern, go with T5's.

[nick18tjetta]

Try cutting your MH usage down to just a few hours a day in the evenings.

[jjk_reef00]

+1 for nick18tjetta, 3 hours of mh will provide better growth and you can turn it on when you are home to enjoy the shimmer

[falconut]

Are you saying that MH's are actually too much light for these corals at 9 hours a day?

I could get an Aquasun VHO bulb and combine it with the new Actinic Blue. How does VHO's from 2pm - 5:30pm & 7:30pm - 10pm & the MH's from 6pm - 8pm sound?

[falconut]

Update: I went with (1) Actinic Blue and (1) Aquasun. It took a week for the bulb (Aquasun) to come, so I've been running (2) Actinic Blues. That is definitely too dark for me, but the corals have all been opening up fine without any MH's.

I got the Aquasun yesterday and it is quite pink in color. But I think it looks really nice with these two bulbs. So, I'm happy and my heat issues should be a thing of the past.

[anbosu]

For softies that combo should be plenty. I'd keep an eye on your LPS, but as long as it is close to the top of the tank you should be good.