500 Watts Too Much For 55 Gallon

Mr. Fish · 09/29/2010, 01:32 PM

I am looking into getting a 48" halide fixture with two 250 watt Double Ended HQI. I want to keep sps and clams, but I would also like to keep soft corals, would this light be too much?

theatrus · 09/29/2010, 02:22 PM

I used to run 2x250W SE bulbs on a 55g. You're going to get a lot of PAR - mushrooms will need to be shaded under rockwork, but everything else should work out great.

Mr. Fish · 09/29/2010, 03:45 PM

Would this 500w halide fixture be way better than a 216w HO t5 fixture?

cveverly · 09/29/2010, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Fish

Would this 500w halide fixture be way better than a 216w HO t5 fixture?

Loaded question. If the T5 lights are high quality and overdriven then they may perform better than a cheap 500 watt halide. Quality halide ballasts, reflectors and lamps will "out shine" any conventional 216W T5 fixture.

What type of fixture(s) are you looking to buy? If you go with T5 you want individual reflectors for each bulb.

Personally I think 2x250 halides would work well on a 55. If you are concerned about too much par, just raise the light.

kduen · 09/29/2010, 10:48 PM

Or get a higher K bulb.

jubelale · 09/30/2010, 12:46 AM

Sounds like overkill to me. I'm running a 7X54w T5 constellation over a 150 gal 5'X2' tank and having 0 problems with SPS growth. HEAT could end up being a problem.

Tuscaquatics · 09/30/2010, 01:09 AM

Yeah, heat would be the primary concern. I wouldn't think it would be too much light overall; your SPS and clams would love it. Stuff like some mushroom and even zoos might actually be kinda hard to get happy. They'll need shade.

I don't know all of your options and such, but I'd go with two 150w halides and 2 or even 4 T5s for your actinic and/or supplemental/coloration lights. But then again, as others have said, people keep plenty of SPS and clams with purely T5s. The keys are good individual reflectors and nice bulbs. You can also overdrive them, with the additional loss of bulb lifespan.

crvz · 09/30/2010, 07:18 AM

Both solutions would work, but I would recommend the T5s in most cases (especially if they're high quality reflectors and ballasts). You can still keep SPS and clams under a good 4 bulb T5 setup.

gofor100 · 09/30/2010, 10:02 AM

I've got two 250W 15,000K MH running on my 60 gallon, and the SPS/clams LOVE it... also keep acans and scolys, who seem to prefer being partially shaded or located on the sandbed.

sslak · 09/30/2010, 10:21 AM

500w seems like overkill...your electric bill will be a lot nicer with T5s.

I run a 175w halide and 78w of T5 on my 58g and SPS grow well. Total 253watts.

cjs3055 · 09/30/2010, 01:20 PM

heat would be a concern but if you ever plan on upgrading later you will love your mh's they just penatrate so much nicer.

chimmike · 09/30/2010, 01:57 PM

PAR and heat overkill. two 150's would be more than enough.

tosteetos · 09/30/2010, 03:15 PM

I don't mean to hijack this tread but I have kind of the same situation on a 90g, 2x250w MH my zoas and mushroom seem to get translucent everytime the MH kick on, I don't know if that means that they like it or not, but I have yet to see the nice intense color I Saw from them when I bought them at the store.

I have 10k bulbs by the way.

09/29/2010, 01:32 PM	#1
Mr. Fish Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 828	500 Watts Too Much For 55 Gallon I am looking into getting a 48" halide fixture with two 250 watt Double Ended HQI. I want to keep sps and clams, but I would also like to keep soft corals, would this light be too much?

09/29/2010, 02:22 PM	#2
theatrus 100-mile-commuter Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: almost nevada Posts: 4,721	I used to run 2x250W SE bulbs on a 55g. You're going to get a lot of PAR - mushrooms will need to be shaded under rockwork, but everything else should work out great. __________________ Custom electronics purveyor. blueAcro.com Current Tank Info: 90g SPS+mixed reef (10 yrs): LEDBrick LEDs, 40g custom sump, Ca reactor, chiller, Vortech, lots of custom electronics

09/30/2010, 07:18 AM	#8
crvz Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: houstonia Posts: 7,989	Both solutions would work, but I would recommend the T5s in most cases (especially if they're high quality reflectors and ballasts). You can still keep SPS and clams under a good 4 bulb T5 setup. __________________ -Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet?

09/30/2010, 10:02 AM	#9
gofor100 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Southern California Posts: 3,225	I've got two 250W 15,000K MH running on my 60 gallon, and the SPS/clams LOVE it... also keep acans and scolys, who seem to prefer being partially shaded or located on the sandbed. __________________ "FISH ARE FRIENDS, NOT FOOD" Current Tank Info: Tank Build in Progress

09/30/2010, 10:21 AM	#10
sslak Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,705	500w seems like overkill...your electric bill will be a lot nicer with T5s. I run a 175w halide and 78w of T5 on my 58g and SPS grow well. Total 253watts. __________________ Steve Current Tank Info: 58 Oceanic/20g Sump/250w XM 20k/2x39w T5 True Actinic 03/2010 Reef Octopus NW Cone Skimmer

09/29/2010, 03:45 PM	#3
Mr. Fish Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 828	Would this 500w halide fixture be way better than a 216w HO t5 fixture?

09/29/2010, 10:48 PM	#5
kduen Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Panama City, FL Posts: 684	Or get a higher K bulb.

09/30/2010, 12:46 AM	#6
jubelale Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 15	Sounds like overkill to me. I'm running a 7X54w T5 constellation over a 150 gal 5'X2' tank and having 0 problems with SPS growth. HEAT could end up being a problem.

09/30/2010, 01:09 AM	#7
Tuscaquatics Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Tuscaloosa, AL Posts: 1,324	Yeah, heat would be the primary concern. I wouldn't think it would be too much light overall; your SPS and clams would love it. Stuff like some mushroom and even zoos might actually be kinda hard to get happy. They'll need shade. I don't know all of your options and such, but I'd go with two 150w halides and 2 or even 4 T5s for your actinic and/or supplemental/coloration lights. But then again, as others have said, people keep plenty of SPS and clams with purely T5s. The keys are good individual reflectors and nice bulbs. You can also overdrive them, with the additional loss of bulb lifespan.

09/30/2010, 01:20 PM	#11
cjs3055 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 55	heat would be a concern but if you ever plan on upgrading later you will love your mh's they just penatrate so much nicer.

09/30/2010, 01:57 PM	#12
chimmike oxygen abuser Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Parrish, FL Posts: 5,089 Blog Entries: 2	PAR and heat overkill. two 150's would be more than enough. __________________ -Mike Tankless wonder Geaux Noles!

09/30/2010, 03:15 PM	#13
tosteetos Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 52	I don't mean to hijack this tread but I have kind of the same situation on a 90g, 2x250w MH my zoas and mushroom seem to get translucent everytime the MH kick on, I don't know if that means that they like it or not, but I have yet to see the nice intense color I Saw from them when I bought them at the store. I have 10k bulbs by the way.

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