55g tank with 550watt lighting system good or bad????

jok3rqnk · 11/01/2010, 09:47 AM

i have a 55g tank that i have set up. it was a mature tank before. i had it running for 8 months. now i moved so i reseted it. i came across a douldble 250watt lighting system so i bougth it. now do you guys think that the lighting is going to be an overkill for my tank. i am trying to set up a all sps tank.(500watt is the total lighting not 550watt)
tanks in advance to all those who would help!!

agsansoo · 11/01/2010, 10:57 AM

Not overkill. I run 500w over my 65 gallon. My tank has done fine !

jok3rqnk · 11/01/2010, 11:20 AM

oh ok that makes my feel better i was worry how high above the water surface you have yours on???

agsansoo · 11/01/2010, 12:17 PM

Mine are 8" above the water. If you run a higher par bulb, I would raise it up a little. What bulb and ballast will you be running ?

jok3rqnk · 11/01/2010, 12:48 PM

i have electronic ballast that are unkonw and i have 1500k bulbs should i raise my lights?? mine are 4 inches avobe the water surface... i

agsansoo · 11/01/2010, 01:02 PM

I would, it will get water splashes at the height. Not good if your running SE bulbs (DE bulbs requires UV glass shield). It really depends on the light reflectors or pendent your using. Some have greater light spread and will spill light into the room instead of your tank.

jok3rqnk · 11/01/2010, 01:10 PM

yeah mine are DE bulb. i think that reflector do a great work about the light distribusion so i would go and raise my fixture to about 8" as well. what do you mean by uv??

mudskipper1 · 11/01/2010, 03:55 PM

ultraviolet the DE bulbs don't have a second layer of glass to shield from UV like SE do, so you have to use a tempered glass shield to reduce the UV entering the tank.

jok3rqnk · 11/01/2010, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mudskipper1

ultraviolet the DE bulbs don't have a second layer of glass to shield from UV like SE do, so you have to use a tempered glass shield to reduce the UV entering the tank.

thanks for clearing that for me.

mudskipper1 · 11/01/2010, 07:41 PM

Happy to

11/01/2010, 09:47 AM	#1
jok3rqnk Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee Posts: 61	55g tank with 550watt lighting system good or bad???? i have a 55g tank that i have set up. it was a mature tank before. i had it running for 8 months. now i moved so i reseted it. i came across a douldble 250watt lighting system so i bougth it. now do you guys think that the lighting is going to be an overkill for my tank. i am trying to set up a all sps tank.(500watt is the total lighting not 550watt) tanks in advance to all those who would help!! Last edited by jok3rqnk; 11/01/2010 at 09:50 AM. Reason: mistake on lighting total wattage

11/01/2010, 10:57 AM	#2
agsansoo Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Downey,CA Posts: 1,782	Not overkill. I run 500w over my 65 gallon. My tank has done fine ! __________________ Andy SCRK Member Current Tank Info: Barebottom, 65 Bow-Front, 20 gal sump/fuge, octo extreme 160, (2) Lumen Max3 250W w/ XM 20k's, 2 VHO Actinic and (1) VorTech MP40w & (1) VorTech MP10

11/01/2010, 12:17 PM	#4
agsansoo Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Downey,CA Posts: 1,782	Mine are 8" above the water. If you run a higher par bulb, I would raise it up a little. What bulb and ballast will you be running ? __________________ Andy SCRK Member Current Tank Info: Barebottom, 65 Bow-Front, 20 gal sump/fuge, octo extreme 160, (2) Lumen Max3 250W w/ XM 20k's, 2 VHO Actinic and (1) VorTech MP40w & (1) VorTech MP10

11/01/2010, 01:02 PM	#6
agsansoo Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Downey,CA Posts: 1,782	I would, it will get water splashes at the height. Not good if your running SE bulbs (DE bulbs requires UV glass shield). It really depends on the light reflectors or pendent your using. Some have greater light spread and will spill light into the room instead of your tank. __________________ Andy SCRK Member Current Tank Info: Barebottom, 65 Bow-Front, 20 gal sump/fuge, octo extreme 160, (2) Lumen Max3 250W w/ XM 20k's, 2 VHO Actinic and (1) VorTech MP40w & (1) VorTech MP10

11/01/2010, 03:55 PM	#8
mudskipper1 Trust Me I'm an Engineer Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan Posts: 1,085	ultraviolet the DE bulbs don't have a second layer of glass to shield from UV like SE do, so you have to use a tempered glass shield to reduce the UV entering the tank. __________________ -Eric kazyakphoto.zenfolio.com Current Tank Info: 11 gallon DIY acrylic cube and 20L displays plumbed to a single sump, Kessil, Onyx, MP10, RKL

11/01/2010, 11:20 AM	#3
jok3rqnk Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee Posts: 61	oh ok that makes my feel better i was worry how high above the water surface you have yours on???

11/01/2010, 12:48 PM	#5
jok3rqnk Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee Posts: 61	i have electronic ballast that are unkonw and i have 1500k bulbs should i raise my lights?? mine are 4 inches avobe the water surface... i

11/01/2010, 01:10 PM	#7
jok3rqnk Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee Posts: 61	yeah mine are DE bulb. i think that reflector do a great work about the light distribusion so i would go and raise my fixture to about 8" as well. what do you mean by uv??

11/01/2010, 07:41 PM	#10
mudskipper1 Trust Me I'm an Engineer Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan Posts: 1,085	Happy to __________________ -Eric kazyakphoto.zenfolio.com Current Tank Info: 11 gallon DIY acrylic cube and 20L displays plumbed to a single sump, Kessil, Onyx, MP10, RKL

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