Lighting advide please

[ttt64]

I am running 2 96w compact fl. on my 46g bowfront (36" wide), but would like to add a small MH light for the MH effect.
Would a 150w k2 Viper do the trick, or would I better off with something like a small reefstar pendant? I just dont want a "spot light" in the center of the tank and the sides to look obviously dimmer. Does anyone think this would be the case with a k2 viper?

[tripstank]

It would seem that the K2 Viper is being sold as a "clip on" type pendant for nano (small) aquariums. I surely don't think that it would be enough light for a 46 gal bow. I would run at the least a 250 DE MH. Or perhaps a Aqualight Pro which include not only the MH in the middle, but two PCs as well. I surely don't think the K2 is the way to go.

[ttt64]

I am keeping the two 96w cf's, I just want to add a little MH for the ripple effect. The few corals I keep are thriving with just the cf's, I am more worried that the Viper would give me a spotlight effect in the center of the tank, or if it would dispurse. The new Outer orbit lights have two 96w cf's and one 150w MH for a 36' tank. I wonder if they give a spotlight effect in the center?

[tripstank]

Well the edges are certainly going to be dimmer not matter what lighting option you go with, but I would imagine with the Current Orbits, you would have less of a chance for dim areas because the PCs will fill in where the MH doesn't. Plus, it is all in one fixture. If I were going to add MH to my system and I had your tank, that would most likely be what I would do with. I would so see if I could get it in 250 watt.

[ttt64]

Thanks, maybe I will start considering a larger MH. I am custom bulding the canopy anyway. I just dont want to go overkill on the lighting since everything is doing well already.

[tripstank]

For that deep of a tank it would take quite a bit of light to go completely nuts. If you photo-acclimate your tank inhabitants properly there won't be any problems. I started with 80 watts PC over my 10 gal and then upgraded to 250 watts HQI MH. No problems! Just gotta take it slow, this is a hobby that requires extreme patience. Keep us all updated on what you intend on doing. If you are going to build the canopy yourself, you should be able to pick up a MH retro kit for relatively cheap. Or you could even do what I did, check out the selling forum on RC. Good luck!