best way to light 180 gallon tank

Antonais1391 · 01/23/2010, 11:16 PM

Hello, ive been pondering how to best light a 180gal sps tank. this is more for futer reference on my part as i will eventualy invest in a tank that size. my 55s already becoming to small lol. thanks for the help

OnlyCrimson · 01/23/2010, 11:36 PM

Go into the large reefs section and look at other 180g sps tanks. There's so many different ways to do it.

nikon187 · 01/23/2010, 11:48 PM

3 250w halides with good reflectors, ballasts and bulbs or 8 60" T5 with individual reflectors ( Ice cap ballasts are nice)

A combo of both is really nice as well but it will be mainly on what you prefer.

grigsy · 01/24/2010, 09:38 PM

For a 180g SPS tank, I would go with a fixture with 3-400 watt Metal Halides & 2-165 Watt VHO Actinics.

Great for growth, great for color.

Flamehawk1221 · 01/25/2010, 03:10 AM

There are countless combinations and options. And it will depend on the inhabitants you plan on keeping.

I would consider a 5ft, 6 bulb, ATI fixture with AquaBlue and Blue Special bulbs in a 1:1 ration.

Hope this helps.

toddanddaneen · 01/25/2010, 09:17 AM

You could do 3 250w ballast and and good reflectors (lumenarcs) and that should be all the lighting you need.

Slayer311 · 01/25/2010, 10:21 AM

I run 3x 250w pheonix 14k's in a maristar fixture with 4x 39w HO t5's actinics over my 180g sps reef. The color and growth I get from the 250's is great, but the 4x HO t5 actinics are pretty weak. May try VHO's next time for actinics, but the color from the pheonix 14k's are wonderful without the actinics so i'm pretty happy overall

.

Jagermeister · 01/25/2010, 11:06 AM

Quote:

I run 3x 250w pheonix 14k's in a maristar fixture with 4x 39w HO t5's actinics over my 180g sps reef. The color and growth I get from the 250's is great, but the 4x HO t5 actinics are pretty weak. May try VHO's next time for actinics, but the color from the pheonix 14k's are wonderful without the actinics so i'm pretty happy overall .

Are your Phoenix bulbs DE or SE?

Just to add to the post, I just set up a 180 and am planning on running 3- 250w metal halides with probably lumen bright reflectors. Just trying to figure out the bulbs and am leaning towards the Phoenix.

Antonais1391 · 01/25/2010, 03:33 PM

hey jager could you postpicwhen you get the chance thfor all the advice everyone

Jagermeister · 01/25/2010, 10:44 PM

Quote:

hey jager could you postpicwhen you get the chance

Oh, I haven't even bought any of the lighting system yet so no pics.

01/23/2010, 11:16 PM	#1
Antonais1391 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: sadly camdenton missori Posts: 276	best way to light 180 gallon tank Hello, ive been pondering how to best light a 180gal sps tank. this is more for futer reference on my part as i will eventualy invest in a tank that size. my 55s already becoming to small lol. thanks for the help

01/23/2010, 11:48 PM	#3
nikon187 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Edmonton Alberta Posts: 4,717	3 250w halides with good reflectors, ballasts and bulbs or 8 60" T5 with individual reflectors ( Ice cap ballasts are nice) A combo of both is really nice as well but it will be mainly on what you prefer. __________________ ----------------- Current Tanks: New 210 custom 84 x 24 x 24, 60g sump, SWC 250 extreme with bubble blaster 5000, 2 vortech mp40, 2 vortech mp10, 12 T5, Water blaster 5000, warner marine bio pellets, 60g clownfish cube, red carpet anemone with a 25g sump,SRO octopus 1000sss, 250w radium, lumenarc large.

01/23/2010, 11:36 PM	#2
OnlyCrimson Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Royal Oak,Michigan Posts: 863	Go into the large reefs section and look at other 180g sps tanks. There's so many different ways to do it.

01/24/2010, 09:38 PM	#4
grigsy Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Posts: 2,307	For a 180g SPS tank, I would go with a fixture with 3-400 watt Metal Halides & 2-165 Watt VHO Actinics. Great for growth, great for color.

01/25/2010, 03:10 AM	#5
Flamehawk1221 Moved On Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: South Florida Posts: 20	There are countless combinations and options. And it will depend on the inhabitants you plan on keeping. I would consider a 5ft, 6 bulb, ATI fixture with AquaBlue and Blue Special bulbs in a 1:1 ration. Hope this helps.

01/25/2010, 09:17 AM	#6
toddanddaneen Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 59	You could do 3 250w ballast and and good reflectors (lumenarcs) and that should be all the lighting you need.

01/25/2010, 10:21 AM	#7
Slayer311 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 201	I run 3x 250w pheonix 14k's in a maristar fixture with 4x 39w HO t5's actinics over my 180g sps reef. The color and growth I get from the 250's is great, but the 4x HO t5 actinics are pretty weak. May try VHO's next time for actinics, but the color from the pheonix 14k's are wonderful without the actinics so i'm pretty happy overall .

01/25/2010, 03:33 PM	#9
Antonais1391 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: sadly camdenton missori Posts: 276	hey jager could you postpicwhen you get the chance thfor all the advice everyone