Is 716 watts to much for a 55 gallon reef?

matt.glover.71 · 10/27/2014, 03:01 PM

I'm looking at my lighting options. I have a good deal on the my, t5 ho combo set up. 250 watt x 2 MH, 54 watt X 4 t5 HO with 6 lunar led. Is this going to be to much wattage for an all around reef setup. Thank will include everything from fish to hard and soft. Thoughts, concerns, info. Talk to me people.

mcgyvr · 10/27/2014, 03:22 PM

way overkill IMO..

acabgd · 10/27/2014, 03:31 PM

OTOH, 4x54W T5 might just be enough to light the tank adequatly. Your coverage might not be great, but if it,)'s really cheap I would give it a go as a temporary solution.

Potsy · 10/27/2014, 03:56 PM

Yes, definitely overkill. The vast majority of corals will do fine with 150 - 200 par, and that includes a lot of sps. You'll have to deal with photo inhibition in which photosynthesis shuts down due to the excess light. I recently brought my 500 watts of halide out of the closet to try over my 50 gallon breeder that was lit by a 5x39 watt T5 fixture. The corals hated it. Went back to the T5s and things are looking much better. Even one of my acros is coloring up with a nice purple and green. A 4 x 54 watt T5 fixture with good reflectors and ATI bulbs is plenty of light for that tank.

kurt_n · 10/27/2014, 04:16 PM

Even if it wasn't overkill (which it is), you'll be fighting high water temperature with that much light above the tank. What you save in the fixture you'll spend on a chiller!

matt.glover.71 · 10/27/2014, 05:53 PM

If I can remember correctly. Is it 3 to 5 watts per gallon of water.

matt.glover.71 · 10/27/2014, 05:54 PM

Mind you this will be 55 gallon set uo

Potsy · 10/27/2014, 07:27 PM

Watts per gallon is an outdated method for determining light intensity. "Par" (photosynthetic active radiation) is the term you want to know, if you want to be precise with your lighting setup's light output. A high quality T5 fixture like a 4 bulb ATI Sunpower will likely get you in the neighborhood of 200 par at the sandbed which is enough keep any coral you want anywhere in the tank, with certain light-loving acros placed higher on the rockwork. While I haven't measured it myself, my Aquactinics TX5 5x39watt fixture probably gets about 190-200 par 18" from the light, based on other people's readings.

matt.glover.71 · 10/27/2014, 11:25 PM

Well that's good to know

Rollins4Miles · 10/28/2014, 02:04 AM

Can I safely assume that this is an Oddyssea fixture? If so, then it will be alright on a 55g. It may be a bit much, but you shouldn't burn any corals. I used this fixture on my old 90g with 14k Phoenix bulbs and it worked extremely well for me. I also used the 346W fixture on a 20g long, which also worked out very well. I'm a recovering SPS addict, lol. The issue with the Oddyssea fixtures is the reflectors are absolute trash. If you had the same setup, two 250W halides with four 54W T5s, on a high quality fixture then you may run into problems with your 55g. For the aquarist on a budget I would recommend the fixture. Just be prepared to replace the ballasts in about two years time. It's almost like clockwork with those things. As for cooling issues, I just used a small fan in between the tank and the light, and I also had one on my sump. I never had temp issues.

Reefer07 · 10/28/2014, 04:19 AM

I think 250 watt halides on a 55 would burn ****.
Maybe 150s....
As far as odyssea, just do a little searching....you may change ur mind. If money is the issue just save up a little longer for a little more quality. Seems as though nice 4x54 t5 would run 5-600. + bulbs. That is the only thing that erks me....all the t5 setups come with too much blue light. I would go like 2x 10k, 1x 50/50 or purple and 1x blue. That's just my opinion too.
And fwiw, I had a 4x28watt t5 setup on a 29 years ago with that bulb configuration (giessman bulbs) and there wasn't a SPS I couldn't keep. All I did was dose calc and all and everything grew like weeds.

matt.glover.71 · 10/28/2014, 06:27 AM

Well with everyone's input, what lighting option would you all suggest? Keeping in mind I'll be doing not only fish but hard and soft as will. Ask around seem reef setup. Ok ready go!

FranktheTankTx · 10/28/2014, 07:57 AM

Can't stand a 55g. Too thin & light spillage. Maybe a 4 bulb ATI would be perfect.

matt.glover.71 · 10/28/2014, 01:40 PM

Will the 55 is still up in the air as well

swk · 10/28/2014, 02:11 PM

I would get yourself a nice 4 bulb 4 ft t5ho fixture and call it a day.

Bpb · 10/28/2014, 03:04 PM

A quality 4 bulb t5ho fixture will about cover the foot print of that tank. I ran the aquatic life 4 bulb fixture over my 55 gallon and grew all manner of Acropora easily. Had I moved to a 6 bulb fixture, the outer bulbs would have been lighting up the floor instead of the tank.

10/27/2014, 03:01 PM	#1
matt.glover.71 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 6	Is 716 watts to much for a 55 gallon reef? I'm looking at my lighting options. I have a good deal on the my, t5 ho combo set up. 250 watt x 2 MH, 54 watt X 4 t5 HO with 6 lunar led. Is this going to be to much wattage for an all around reef setup. Thank will include everything from fish to hard and soft. Thoughts, concerns, info. Talk to me people.

10/28/2014, 02:04 AM	#10
Rollins4Miles Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: West Palm Beach Posts: 116	Can I safely assume that this is an Oddyssea fixture? If so, then it will be alright on a 55g. It may be a bit much, but you shouldn't burn any corals. I used this fixture on my old 90g with 14k Phoenix bulbs and it worked extremely well for me. I also used the 346W fixture on a 20g long, which also worked out very well. I'm a recovering SPS addict, lol. The issue with the Oddyssea fixtures is the reflectors are absolute trash. If you had the same setup, two 250W halides with four 54W T5s, on a high quality fixture then you may run into problems with your 55g. For the aquarist on a budget I would recommend the fixture. Just be prepared to replace the ballasts in about two years time. It's almost like clockwork with those things. As for cooling issues, I just used a small fan in between the tank and the light, and I also had one on my sump. I never had temp issues. __________________ In theory, theory and practice are the same - in practice, they are not.

10/28/2014, 07:57 AM	#13
FranktheTankTx Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 2,306	Can't stand a 55g. Too thin & light spillage. Maybe a 4 bulb ATI would be perfect. __________________ Frank the Tank "What, I thought we were in the trust tree... in the nest? Are we not?" Current Tank Info: Custom Rimless 60g (30.5"x24.5"x18.5")

10/28/2014, 02:11 PM	#15
swk Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Wine Country CA Posts: 2,593	I would get yourself a nice 4 bulb 4 ft t5ho fixture and call it a day. __________________ Member of Wine Country Reefers Current Tank Info: 75 gal SPS dominant reef. Geo calcium reactor with masterflex pump, Deltec 1455 skimmer, 2 mp40QD, mp10wes, lit by a 6x54 dimable ATI sunpower and controlled by Reef Angel

10/27/2014, 03:22 PM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	way overkill IMO..

10/27/2014, 03:31 PM	#3
acabgd Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Belgrade Posts: 1,086	OTOH, 4x54W T5 might just be enough to light the tank adequatly. Your coverage might not be great, but if it,)'s really cheap I would give it a go as a temporary solution.

10/27/2014, 03:56 PM	#4
Potsy Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Kinnelon, NJ Posts: 1,827	Yes, definitely overkill. The vast majority of corals will do fine with 150 - 200 par, and that includes a lot of sps. You'll have to deal with photo inhibition in which photosynthesis shuts down due to the excess light. I recently brought my 500 watts of halide out of the closet to try over my 50 gallon breeder that was lit by a 5x39 watt T5 fixture. The corals hated it. Went back to the T5s and things are looking much better. Even one of my acros is coloring up with a nice purple and green. A 4 x 54 watt T5 fixture with good reflectors and ATI bulbs is plenty of light for that tank.

10/27/2014, 04:16 PM	#5
kurt_n Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: WA Posts: 2,592	Even if it wasn't overkill (which it is), you'll be fighting high water temperature with that much light above the tank. What you save in the fixture you'll spend on a chiller!

10/27/2014, 05:53 PM	#6
matt.glover.71 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 6	If I can remember correctly. Is it 3 to 5 watts per gallon of water.

10/27/2014, 05:54 PM	#7
matt.glover.71 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 6	Mind you this will be 55 gallon set uo

10/27/2014, 07:27 PM	#8
Potsy Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Kinnelon, NJ Posts: 1,827	Watts per gallon is an outdated method for determining light intensity. "Par" (photosynthetic active radiation) is the term you want to know, if you want to be precise with your lighting setup's light output. A high quality T5 fixture like a 4 bulb ATI Sunpower will likely get you in the neighborhood of 200 par at the sandbed which is enough keep any coral you want anywhere in the tank, with certain light-loving acros placed higher on the rockwork. While I haven't measured it myself, my Aquactinics TX5 5x39watt fixture probably gets about 190-200 par 18" from the light, based on other people's readings.

10/27/2014, 11:25 PM	#9
matt.glover.71 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 6	Well that's good to know

10/28/2014, 04:19 AM	#11
Reefer07 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 2,090	I think 250 watt halides on a 55 would burn ****. Maybe 150s.... As far as odyssea, just do a little searching....you may change ur mind. If money is the issue just save up a little longer for a little more quality. Seems as though nice 4x54 t5 would run 5-600. + bulbs. That is the only thing that erks me....all the t5 setups come with too much blue light. I would go like 2x 10k, 1x 50/50 or purple and 1x blue. That's just my opinion too. And fwiw, I had a 4x28watt t5 setup on a 29 years ago with that bulb configuration (giessman bulbs) and there wasn't a SPS I couldn't keep. All I did was dose calc and all and everything grew like weeds.

10/28/2014, 06:27 AM	#12
matt.glover.71 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 6	Well with everyone's input, what lighting option would you all suggest? Keeping in mind I'll be doing not only fish but hard and soft as will. Ask around seem reef setup. Ok ready go!

10/28/2014, 01:40 PM	#14
matt.glover.71 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 6	Will the 55 is still up in the air as well

10/28/2014, 03:04 PM	#16
Bpb Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Texas Posts: 3,148	A quality 4 bulb t5ho fixture will about cover the foot print of that tank. I ran the aquatic life 4 bulb fixture over my 55 gallon and grew all manner of Acropora easily. Had I moved to a 6 bulb fixture, the outer bulbs would have been lighting up the floor instead of the tank.