Lighting my 54 corner

wantsalotta · 02/01/2007, 11:33 AM

Well, my 13 inch canopy for my AGA 54 corner is in it's final phase of construction, then it needs stain, so i should be ready to set it on my tank in 2-3 weeks. It is getting to be crunch time for what lighting I am going to hang in it. I am currently running 4x65 pc and 1x 24 HO t-5. Whatever Halide scheme i run, I plan on incorporating the t-5 for an atinic. I am debating between 2x175, 2x250 or 1x400. The tank is LPS and Zoa dominated, with no sps. It is a deep tank thought. I forget exact depth but I think 22 inches, maybe 24.

COreefer · 02/01/2007, 01:19 PM

1 250w HQI would be plenty of light...2 would be overkill IMO.

Csubseball · 02/01/2007, 01:39 PM

I had One 250w HQI on my 54g and it worked great. Just my 2 cents

tkeracer619 · 02/01/2007, 01:43 PM

One 250w would be great. Add some VHO or t5 actinic.

stonkers · 02/01/2007, 05:36 PM

yep, I have 1 250 on my 54 corner and it does nicely.

wantsalotta · 02/01/2007, 06:47 PM

Those of you that have single 250 w setups, how far from the water are they, and how is the coverage in the top third of the tank? I am worried that with ~ 10-12 inches of bulb clearance to the water, will my corals near the water line get enough light?

COreefer · 02/02/2007, 10:49 AM

at 10-12" from the water line your corals will get plenty of light thats the distance I have mine)....especailly for the corals you are planning. I have SPS in my tank that are growing and thriving. The bulb I am using is a Ham 14K...would like a little more blue but it looks good.

chem-e · 02/02/2007, 11:02 AM

I've seen a 250w in a PFO pendant and it looked nice. I can't remember the coverage on the corners or any of the specifics. I just remember it looking nice.

Not sure if you can squeeze a lumenarc with the T5 actinic, but that would be sweet if you could.

wantsalotta · 02/02/2007, 12:17 PM

Is a lumenarc reflector that much better than a regular parabolic? With this kind of height, will i need a cover or shield of some sort over the bulb? I have a glass top on the aquarium now due to low clearance on my lights, but I would prefer to phase that out with the new lighting scheme.

mitchellmoto · 02/05/2007, 07:29 AM

I had a 54 corner until it broke.
I had a 175 DE MH over it for a while but wasn't enough light for me so I upgraded to one 400w SE MH.
Man was it nice. I would advise you to use a 20k and not a 10k. The 10K will more than likely be too much but the 20K which is what I uesd will be nice and you corals will color up nicely.
I had SPS LPS and softies.
The only thing I complained about was because the light is in the middle it is hard to light the entire coral equally. When one was towards the corners one side of the coral didn't recieve the same light as the other side.
Basically one side will shadow the other.
If you use a hood make sure to use fans to cool 400w make a lot of heat,

View Poll Results: What lighting should I use?
2 x 175 (or 150 HQIi)	2	22.22%
2 x 250 HQI	2	22.22%
1x400	3	33.33%
Don't use MH, use all t-5	2	22.22%
Voters: 9. You may not vote on this poll

02/01/2007, 11:33 AM	#1
wantsalotta Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Ixonia, Wi Posts: 978	Lighting my 54 corner Well, my 13 inch canopy for my AGA 54 corner is in it's final phase of construction, then it needs stain, so i should be ready to set it on my tank in 2-3 weeks. It is getting to be crunch time for what lighting I am going to hang in it. I am currently running 4x65 pc and 1x 24 HO t-5. Whatever Halide scheme i run, I plan on incorporating the t-5 for an atinic. I am debating between 2x175, 2x250 or 1x400. The tank is LPS and Zoa dominated, with no sps. It is a deep tank thought. I forget exact depth but I think 22 inches, maybe 24. Last edited by wantsalotta; 02/01/2007 at 11:39 AM.

02/01/2007, 01:19 PM	#2
COreefer Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 2,331	1 250w HQI would be plenty of light...2 would be overkill IMO. __________________ "Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise." Current Tank Info: 45 and 20G mixed reefs...

02/01/2007, 01:39 PM	#3
Csubseball Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Loveland, CO Posts: 356	I had One 250w HQI on my 54g and it worked great. Just my 2 cents __________________ "The live rock and sand have been "curing" for 2 weeks....at what point do I add the salt?" Current Tank Info: Went from a 150g to a 29g BioCube. So far, so good.

02/01/2007, 01:43 PM	#4
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Golden, CO Posts: 11,535	One 250w would be great. Add some VHO or t5 actinic. __________________ Hobby Experience: 8200ish gallons, 23 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tanks: Vortech Powered 360G Mixed reef w/120g Sump. PM Bullet XL-1 Skimmer w/Askoll 1500. ReefAngel. Radium 20k MH, Blue+ T5, Super Actinic VHO. 360G Only Rock & Water w/50g Sump. Octopus DDNW250 Skimmer.

02/01/2007, 05:36 PM	#5
stonkers Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Littleton, CO Posts: 318	yep, I have 1 250 on my 54 corner and it does nicely.

02/01/2007, 06:47 PM	#6
wantsalotta Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Ixonia, Wi Posts: 978	Those of you that have single 250 w setups, how far from the water are they, and how is the coverage in the top third of the tank? I am worried that with ~ 10-12 inches of bulb clearance to the water, will my corals near the water line get enough light? __________________ -Brian Current Tank Info: slowly building a 60 cube.

02/02/2007, 10:49 AM	#7
COreefer Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 2,331	at 10-12" from the water line your corals will get plenty of light thats the distance I have mine)....especailly for the corals you are planning. I have SPS in my tank that are growing and thriving. The bulb I am using is a Ham 14K...would like a little more blue but it looks good. __________________ "Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise." Current Tank Info: 45 and 20G mixed reefs...

02/02/2007, 11:02 AM	#8
chem-e Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: San Francisco Posts: 1,381	I've seen a 250w in a PFO pendant and it looked nice. I can't remember the coverage on the corners or any of the specifics. I just remember it looking nice. Not sure if you can squeeze a lumenarc with the T5 actinic, but that would be sweet if you could. __________________ "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." ~ Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: Elos [~] 70 powered by Profilux

02/02/2007, 12:17 PM	#9
wantsalotta Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Ixonia, Wi Posts: 978	Is a lumenarc reflector that much better than a regular parabolic? With this kind of height, will i need a cover or shield of some sort over the bulb? I have a glass top on the aquarium now due to low clearance on my lights, but I would prefer to phase that out with the new lighting scheme. __________________ -Brian Current Tank Info: slowly building a 60 cube.

02/05/2007, 07:29 AM	#10
mitchellmoto Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Alamogordo, NM Posts: 590	I had a 54 corner until it broke. I had a 175 DE MH over it for a while but wasn't enough light for me so I upgraded to one 400w SE MH. Man was it nice. I would advise you to use a 20k and not a 10k. The 10K will more than likely be too much but the 20K which is what I uesd will be nice and you corals will color up nicely. I had SPS LPS and softies. The only thing I complained about was because the light is in the middle it is hard to light the entire coral equally. When one was towards the corners one side of the coral didn't recieve the same light as the other side. Basically one side will shadow the other. If you use a hood make sure to use fans to cool 400w make a lot of heat,