Halide help- DO i have enough?

[luvzz2play]

Hello, I recently bought a 130g acrylic tank, stand and canopy. Underneath, I found there were 3 - 150w HQI metal halide ballasts and what look like 2 large 36" compact flourescents (they are like a double tube on one socket). Each of those has 2 - 96w actinics.

Currently I have a 75g with a T5x6 setup and know NOTHING about other types of lighting but I am planning on a DIY LED build eventually for the 130 but I have just moved this weekend and am finishing up my clinicals for nursing so I have lots of irons in the fire and building LED's right now is lower priority if I can get by with what I have.

My question is this.... would 3-150w halides be enough? I want to set up the 130 and transfer my fish, coral and rock to the larger tank.

If 3 halides are enough, what spectrum bulbs should I use and placement? Cost for a fixture? Bulbs?

Worst case scenario, I keep my 4' T5 light on my 6' tank and hurry my build of my LED.

Thank you for your input. I appreciate all comments

[shifty51008]

what are the dimentions of the 130 gal.?

either way you should be good with 3-150 watt MH's. I would go with radiums, 14k phoenix, or XM 10k. alot depends on what kind of look you want. a crisp white, blue, ect.

[jda]

14K Phoenix are the best 150W HQI bulb IMO. They are typically about $50 and you can use them for 2 years. You can likely keep whatever you want under those lights.

[luvzz2play]

the tank measures 72 long, 18 wide and 24 deep. So I could get 3 of the 14k phoenix and that would grow my corals? What do i want? I would like good growth and crisp white.

[jda]

Yes, you could grow anything, anywhere with 150W 14K Phoenix on that tank. No supplementation will be needed, either, unless you just want the look.