Two 250s Over 180

Mr. Fish · 01/14/2012, 12:58 PM

Anyone run just two 250 watt halides over a 180 or other 6 foot tank? I picked up two lumen max 2 reflectors, a blue wave 7 ballast and two radium bulbs yesterday and I like the idea of just using those. How bad would it look?
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tkeracer619 · 01/14/2012, 01:36 PM

Depends on the bracing of the tank really. Generally a 6 foot has two braces. If you put a halide above them they will become brittle and cast shadows.

The lumen max 2 is an awesome reflector but is smaller allowing you to increase the height. If your tank is euro braced you could light the middle 4 feet no problem. You just have to aquascape around your lighting. The rest of the tank will still be bright to your eye just not to coral.

Mr. Fish · 01/14/2012, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkeracer619

Depends on the bracing of the tank really. Generally a 6 foot has two braces. If you put a halide above them they will become brittle and cast shadows.

The lumen max 2 is an awesome reflector but is smaller allowing you to increase the height. If your tank is euro braced you could light the middle 4 feet no problem. You just have to aquascape around your lighting. The rest of the tank will still be bright to your eye just not to coral.

The tank is an acrylic truvu, will that cause any problems?

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zigzag1 · 01/14/2012, 02:45 PM

Shouldn't be a problem. I have a single 250 W MH hanging over my 3' frag tank. Hanging 12-18" above the water should provide plenty of coverage, IME

Reef264 · 01/14/2012, 04:40 PM

I have 2, 250w's over my 5' 115g, it does fine, Clams, SPS, anywhere in the tank.I know that the Dimensions are different, personally, I would do 3 250w's.

Mr. Fish · 01/14/2012, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reef264

I have 2, 250w's over my 5' 115g, it does fine, Clams, SPS, anywhere in the tank.I know that the Dimensions are different, personally, I would do 3 250w's.

I know that three would be better, but with power over 20¢ per kwh it just seems like a lot to run. I can keep my sps directly under the halides and have lower light corals in other areas if I need to. I just want to make sure it wont look really dark in areas I don't have the lights.

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bigdaddystar · 01/14/2012, 05:27 PM

depends on the rock set-up or coral placement....keep the ends clear and should be fine and again if the bracing isnt in the way...that wouldnt work on my 180g i have to braces on top evenly spaced right where 2 would go. You are beter off with 3 though

myaerica · 01/14/2012, 06:13 PM

You could make 2 islands and have A light over each island.

Mr. Fish · 01/14/2012, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigdaddystar

again if the bracing isnt in the way...that wouldnt work on my 180g i have to braces on top evenly spaced right where 2 would go.

My tanks top is made out of acrylic with two holes cut out of it. Would the clear acrylic be a problem?

Quote:

Originally Posted by myaerica

You could make 2 islands and have A light over each island.

Yeah, that was my idea, I just don't want there to be dark areas in the tank.

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bucksfan1976 · 01/14/2012, 08:09 PM

Well another question is that do you have a canopy on it, because if so you might not get them high enough for the light to spread. I was at a guys house earlier and he had 8 36 inch t5s and 2 250 watt halides. For the cost of the t5s and ballast you could simply purchase a 3rd halide.

Mr. Fish · 01/14/2012, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bucksfan1976

Well another question is that do you have a canopy on it, because if so you might not get them high enough for the light to spread. I was at a guys house earlier and he had 8 36 inch t5s and 2 250 watt halides. For the cost of the t5s and ballast you could simply purchase a 3rd halide.

I'm making a canopy, how high do you think I should make it?

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bucksfan1976 · 01/14/2012, 08:23 PM

I thought the general idea was halides should sit aprox 12 in up to 24 inches , higher up the more spread however less par at the bottom. So in my case for example, i had 2 150 watt halides over my 65 gallon however they had to sit aprox 3 inches off the water, a couple of problems, the spread wasnt very good and since they were so close during the day i basically had to keep my heater off because they would raise the water tempature by about 3-4 degrease.

jamey1015 · 01/14/2012, 10:12 PM

Mr. Fish my tank is just like that acrylic on top with the two cut-outs and I've been running two 250's with great light spread there mounted about 10 inches above those cut-outs in my canopy and I also had two 72" super vho's and have only been running those as a dusk dawn effect and really like my Phoneix 14K bulbs on icecap ballast, I tried Radiums but they were two blue and the tank didn't appear bright enough. I placed a few of my lower light corals near the ends and it's working great for me I got sps even on the sand growing good, 6 foot standard 180 gallon 6x2x2. I have no noticeable dark spots at all with just the two 250's on.

01/14/2012, 12:58 PM	#1
Mr. Fish Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 828	Two 250s Over 180 Anyone run just two 250 watt halides over a 180 or other 6 foot tank? I picked up two lumen max 2 reflectors, a blue wave 7 ballast and two radium bulbs yesterday and I like the idea of just using those. How bad would it look? Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

01/14/2012, 01:36 PM	#2
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	Depends on the bracing of the tank really. Generally a 6 foot has two braces. If you put a halide above them they will become brittle and cast shadows. The lumen max 2 is an awesome reflector but is smaller allowing you to increase the height. If your tank is euro braced you could light the middle 4 feet no problem. You just have to aquascape around your lighting. The rest of the tank will still be bright to your eye just not to coral. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

01/14/2012, 02:45 PM	#4
zigzag1 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Anderson, Indiana Posts: 1,276	Shouldn't be a problem. I have a single 250 W MH hanging over my 3' frag tank. Hanging 12-18" above the water should provide plenty of coverage, IME __________________ :beer: Mixed Reef, started 10/2004: 6' BB 125g DT, 100lbs LR, 40g sump, Dual Ehiem 1000 returns, Eshopps dual overflow, JBJ ATO, Vertex IN-180, PM Ca reactor, 250w MH w/VHO Actinic, AC3 w/Aquasurf, Tunze 6105 pair & 40B frag tank 8 Fish, 20+ corals, shrimp, snails, worms, bugs, etc.

01/14/2012, 04:40 PM	#5
Reef264 Where's The Reef? Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Southaven, Ms Posts: 2,098	I have 2, 250w's over my 5' 115g, it does fine, Clams, SPS, anywhere in the tank.I know that the Dimensions are different, personally, I would do 3 250w's. __________________ I'd rather Die on my feet, than Live on my Knees. Current Tank Info: 150g SPS Reef, 2x250w 14k Pheonix Metal Halides w/T-5 Actinics, 2 Tunze 6095's, Tunze 7096 controller, Ozone, Precision Marine Skimmer, Reef Octopus Bio-Churn Bio Pellet Reactor, GFO & Carbon Reactor, Ozone Reactor, ATO, Reef Keeper.

01/14/2012, 05:27 PM	#7
bigdaddystar Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: San Bernardino CA Posts: 325	depends on the rock set-up or coral placement....keep the ends clear and should be fine and again if the bracing isnt in the way...that wouldnt work on my 180g i have to braces on top evenly spaced right where 2 would go. You are beter off with 3 though __________________ Electrician "will work for corals" 180g 6x2x2 mixed reef 120g leemar peninsula 48"x20"30" SPS tank Current Tank Info: 180g reef. setting up a 105g and 90g reef

01/14/2012, 06:13 PM	#8
myaerica Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Eau Claire,WI Posts: 461	You could make 2 islands and have A light over each island.

01/14/2012, 08:09 PM	#10
bucksfan1976 Moved On Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Columbus Ohio Posts: 496	Well another question is that do you have a canopy on it, because if so you might not get them high enough for the light to spread. I was at a guys house earlier and he had 8 36 inch t5s and 2 250 watt halides. For the cost of the t5s and ballast you could simply purchase a 3rd halide.

01/14/2012, 08:23 PM	#12
bucksfan1976 Moved On Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Columbus Ohio Posts: 496	I thought the general idea was halides should sit aprox 12 in up to 24 inches , higher up the more spread however less par at the bottom. So in my case for example, i had 2 150 watt halides over my 65 gallon however they had to sit aprox 3 inches off the water, a couple of problems, the spread wasnt very good and since they were so close during the day i basically had to keep my heater off because they would raise the water tempature by about 3-4 degrease.

01/14/2012, 10:12 PM	#13
jamey1015 <"))))>( Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Detroit Posts: 171	Mr. Fish my tank is just like that acrylic on top with the two cut-outs and I've been running two 250's with great light spread there mounted about 10 inches above those cut-outs in my canopy and I also had two 72" super vho's and have only been running those as a dusk dawn effect and really like my Phoneix 14K bulbs on icecap ballast, I tried Radiums but they were two blue and the tank didn't appear bright enough. I placed a few of my lower light corals near the ends and it's working great for me I got sps even on the sand growing good, 6 foot standard 180 gallon 6x2x2. I have no noticeable dark spots at all with just the two 250's on. __________________ Reefing since 1994' 180g Clarity Plus SPS dominant Full Spectrum LED lighting 2x Ecotech MP40W-ES Reef Octopus SRO-5000 Korallin 1502 Calcium Reactor Bashsea Bio-Pellet Reactor Last edited by jamey1015; 01/14/2012 at 10:18 PM.