Sps lighting

sirclintler · 09/12/2017, 07:40 AM

125 gal long
Lighting 3 250w mh

My lights are about 16 inches from the surface of the water and the tank is around 20 inches deep.
My question. Are the lights I am using strong enough to have sps in the lower half of the tank? I am trying to judge my light for coral placement with out a par meter.

Radioheadx14 · 09/12/2017, 08:04 AM

I would think so, depending on your rock-work. You might even want to lower the lights depending on your reflectors.

I have a single 250 radium over a 40g (36") with 4 t5, but even with the T5s off, I get ~200 or more on the bottom tank. Your coverage will be better than mine, so you should be good to go with SPS anywhere as long as it is direct light.

Some say more more more, but IME and others as well, most acros do quite well in the 250-350par range, which some consider on the low end.

mcgyvr · 09/12/2017, 08:15 AM

yes that should be sufficient to grow SPS anywhere in the tank..

m3lacoste · 09/12/2017, 08:53 AM

I had the same lighting on my old 125. Hamilton Cebu Sun (3) 250 Radium with (4) T5 and this grew SPS like weeds but I had the fixture sitting right on top of the tank with no legs.

sirclintler · 09/12/2017, 10:18 AM

Awesome thanks for the info, so is it safe to say this setup is is too much light for lps?

Lsufan · 09/12/2017, 06:29 PM

U have to be careful not to bleach lps with to much light to soon, but once acclimated they can handle a good bit of light. U should be able to place them lower in the tank.

jda · 09/12/2017, 09:59 PM

Don't worry about bleaching stuff. I keep a 250W Halide in my frag tank and all of the frags are under 8" of water... chalice, a few acans, acros, bounce mushrooms, jawbreakers and a few zoas. Everything thrives. Par is about 550 pretty evenly with a few spots at 700 directly in the center.

I would lower those down until you take away the light spill. I have the bottoms of my fixtures 5-6 " off of the surface.

sirclintler · 09/13/2017, 07:38 AM

OK, I turned one mh off 2 days ago and placed my frog spawn under it and it has already colored up from a dull green/tan to a more a tractive green. I would like to get more into sps all I have now is a digi and a plating Monti both growing like weeds. but I don't want to sack my lps eather. Thanks again for all the info everyone

sirclintler · 09/13/2017, 07:40 AM

Light spill?

manfrog · 09/13/2017, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirclintler

Light spill?

Any light, from your fixtures, that makes it to areas outside of your tank.

sirclintler · 09/13/2017, 10:08 AM

Ha yeah I have a lot of that, thanks

09/12/2017, 07:40 AM	#1
sirclintler Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Indiana Posts: 267	Sps lighting 125 gal long Lighting 3 250w mh My lights are about 16 inches from the surface of the water and the tank is around 20 inches deep. My question. Are the lights I am using strong enough to have sps in the lower half of the tank? I am trying to judge my light for coral placement with out a par meter.

09/12/2017, 08:15 AM	#3
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	yes that should be sufficient to grow SPS anywhere in the tank.. __________________ Who me?

09/12/2017, 08:04 AM	#2
Radioheadx14 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 1,601	I would think so, depending on your rock-work. You might even want to lower the lights depending on your reflectors. I have a single 250 radium over a 40g (36") with 4 t5, but even with the T5s off, I get ~200 or more on the bottom tank. Your coverage will be better than mine, so you should be good to go with SPS anywhere as long as it is direct light. Some say more more more, but IME and others as well, most acros do quite well in the 250-350par range, which some consider on the low end.

09/12/2017, 08:53 AM	#4
m3lacoste Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: San Diego, California Posts: 99	I had the same lighting on my old 125. Hamilton Cebu Sun (3) 250 Radium with (4) T5 and this grew SPS like weeds but I had the fixture sitting right on top of the tank with no legs.

09/12/2017, 10:18 AM	#5
sirclintler Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Indiana Posts: 267	Awesome thanks for the info, so is it safe to say this setup is is too much light for lps?

09/12/2017, 06:29 PM	#6
Lsufan Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Baton Rouge Posts: 1,410	U have to be careful not to bleach lps with to much light to soon, but once acclimated they can handle a good bit of light. U should be able to place them lower in the tank.

09/12/2017, 09:59 PM	#7
jda Dogmatic Dinosaur Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 6,256	Don't worry about bleaching stuff. I keep a 250W Halide in my frag tank and all of the frags are under 8" of water... chalice, a few acans, acros, bounce mushrooms, jawbreakers and a few zoas. Everything thrives. Par is about 550 pretty evenly with a few spots at 700 directly in the center. I would lower those down until you take away the light spill. I have the bottoms of my fixtures 5-6 " off of the surface.

09/13/2017, 07:38 AM	#8
sirclintler Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Indiana Posts: 267	OK, I turned one mh off 2 days ago and placed my frog spawn under it and it has already colored up from a dull green/tan to a more a tractive green. I would like to get more into sps all I have now is a digi and a plating Monti both growing like weeds. but I don't want to sack my lps eather. Thanks again for all the info everyone

09/13/2017, 07:40 AM	#9
sirclintler Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Indiana Posts: 267	Light spill?

09/13/2017, 10:08 AM	#11
sirclintler Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Indiana Posts: 267	Ha yeah I have a lot of that, thanks