SPS lighting for 60 gallon

tike · 02/22/2006, 04:45 PM

I am setting up a standard 60 gallon mostly sps aquarium 48" x 15" x 17". I am wondering should i go with just one or two 250 watt MH. I am going to run a XM 10K on a pfo hqi ballast for maximum PAR. So I am thinking one bulb would be enough if I keep the big light lovers directly under it. Any thoughts??

regards
willie

MiddletonMark · 02/22/2006, 04:47 PM

1 MH, with a good reflector [IMO pay alot of attention to reflector] will cover a 2' x 2' area.

As your tank is 4' long, I'd go with 2.

Entropy · 02/22/2006, 04:59 PM

I agree. You want two, although with the tank only being 17" high I think you could get away with 175w halides, even for SPS. Either way I would still use two though.

tike · 02/22/2006, 05:40 PM

bump it on up!

tike · 02/22/2006, 06:50 PM

I was thinking 175's would be better. I just have comparisons on 250's and based my decsion on that.

cougaraug · 02/22/2006, 10:19 PM

my SPS and crocea clams do very well with 6X54 Tek over my 75. It might save you some heat and electricity.

tike · 02/23/2006, 01:42 PM

Cool! I wa wondering if anyone in the states was having much luck using T-5's for sps. Do you get good groth with them??

tike · 02/23/2006, 03:21 PM

bumpadee...... bump....... bump

dvanacker · 02/23/2006, 04:21 PM

I have 4x 54w T5 on my 55g. Basically the same as having 6 on a 75. I use ICECAP SLR and aquablue and blue+ bulbs.

My sps are growing like mad....I have 13 different frags and colonies all doing great as well as a T.crocea. My LPS had to the bottom to make them happy.

horkn · 02/23/2006, 04:30 PM

i have 3x39 t5ho with aqualux german made CDR reflectors on my 3 foot long 35g tank. there is no shortage of light. i have sps ( marshall island acropora, montipora digitata, and pocillopora), and a squamosa clam, and i had to move my lps down low. well, the hydnophora is happy on the top of the rocks, as well as some of my zoos....

my tank is easily as bright as many MH lit tanks i have seen, and the 175w se MH lit 37g tank i compared mine to was definitely not as bright as my 117watts of t5ho on my 35g...

tike · 02/23/2006, 04:33 PM

Okay T-5's it is! Thanks All......now for bulb combo. I am thinking 4x54 tech lighting with two aquablues and two blue+.

alien9168 · 02/23/2006, 04:59 PM

Heard great things about Tek!

I only have 30w of t5's, but I love them. they dont give off that much heat and are great for acentics!--i like your sugested lighting combo!

Good luck

-Alien

tike · 02/24/2006, 09:25 AM

Thanks....it is a experiment I must say. I just don't find much info state side on the success of using t-5's for acroporas so i am just taking the leap! I will definately post my results here as well as on reef frontiers.

dvanacker · 02/24/2006, 02:36 PM

If you want an SPS dominant with acros down low I would retro 5 bulbs or 4 on a IC660 for your 15" width.

You could get away with 4 bulb TEK but you would be keeping acros to the top half I imagine.

2 blue+ and 2 aquablues is what I use.

alien9168 · 02/24/2006, 02:48 PM

you could even go with 6-8 t5's if you want acros on the bottom too....t5's penetrate depth really well!

-alien

02/22/2006, 04:45 PM	#1
tike Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tacoma Posts: 184	SPS lighting for 60 gallon I am setting up a standard 60 gallon mostly sps aquarium 48" x 15" x 17". I am wondering should i go with just one or two 250 watt MH. I am going to run a XM 10K on a pfo hqi ballast for maximum PAR. So I am thinking one bulb would be enough if I keep the big light lovers directly under it. Any thoughts?? regards willie

02/22/2006, 04:47 PM	#2
MiddletonMark Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 14,441	1 MH, with a good reflector [IMO pay alot of attention to reflector] will cover a 2' x 2' area. As your tank is 4' long, I'd go with 2. __________________ read a lot, think for yourself Current Tank Info: 58g stony reef [250w10k, 250w 20k MH, 2x vho act, Octopus150, 6060 + 6000] ; 60g mixed tub

02/22/2006, 04:59 PM	#3
Entropy Texas Reefer Join Date: May 2003 Location: Round Rock, TX Posts: 13,656	I agree. You want two, although with the tank only being 17" high I think you could get away with 175w halides, even for SPS. Either way I would still use two though. __________________ Rich Overton 150G cube FOWLR, 30g sump, ReefKeeperII, 3x Koralia 1400's, QuiteOne 3000, Reef Octopus DNWB150, 4x 30w Par38 LED. Current Tank Info: 36x36x27 150g

02/23/2006, 04:21 PM	#9
dvanacker DID I SOUNDS SMRT?? Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Ontario, CAN Posts: 3,690	I have 4x 54w T5 on my 55g. Basically the same as having 6 on a 75. I use ICECAP SLR and aquablue and blue+ bulbs. My sps are growing like mad....I have 13 different frags and colonies all doing great as well as a T.crocea. My LPS had to the bottom to make them happy. __________________ --DARRYL-- Current Tank Info: 200g SPS dominant Mixed Reef

02/23/2006, 04:30 PM	#10
horkn Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: milwaukee wisconsin Posts: 4,125	i have 3x39 t5ho with aqualux german made CDR reflectors on my 3 foot long 35g tank. there is no shortage of light. i have sps ( marshall island acropora, montipora digitata, and pocillopora), and a squamosa clam, and i had to move my lps down low. well, the hydnophora is happy on the top of the rocks, as well as some of my zoos.... my tank is easily as bright as many MH lit tanks i have seen, and the 175w se MH lit 37g tank i compared mine to was definitely not as bright as my 117watts of t5ho on my 35g... __________________ people write stupid things in this space Current Tank Info: 200g DIY wood reef, 2x 250w SE 10k MH 2x80 t5ho, 75g sump, Geo Ca RX, ASD 6" recirc skimmer

02/22/2006, 05:40 PM	#4
tike Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tacoma Posts: 184	bump it on up!

02/22/2006, 06:50 PM	#5
tike Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tacoma Posts: 184	I was thinking 175's would be better. I just have comparisons on 250's and based my decsion on that.

02/22/2006, 10:19 PM	#6
cougaraug Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Los Osos, CA Posts: 412	my SPS and crocea clams do very well with 6X54 Tek over my 75. It might save you some heat and electricity.

02/23/2006, 01:42 PM	#7
tike Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tacoma Posts: 184	Cool! I wa wondering if anyone in the states was having much luck using T-5's for sps. Do you get good groth with them??

02/23/2006, 03:21 PM	#8
tike Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tacoma Posts: 184	bumpadee...... bump....... bump

02/23/2006, 04:33 PM	#11
tike Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tacoma Posts: 184	Okay T-5's it is! Thanks All......now for bulb combo. I am thinking 4x54 tech lighting with two aquablues and two blue+.

02/23/2006, 04:59 PM	#12
alien9168 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 1,664	Heard great things about Tek! I only have 30w of t5's, but I love them. they dont give off that much heat and are great for acentics!--i like your sugested lighting combo! Good luck -Alien __________________ -Alien Current Tank Info: I used to have a 30g custom acrylic cube sps, lps, zoos, mushrooms, leathers, 3" gigas+ anthias. 30Xg Sea Horse Tank...starting fresh...

02/24/2006, 09:25 AM	#13
tike Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tacoma Posts: 184	Thanks....it is a experiment I must say. I just don't find much info state side on the success of using t-5's for acroporas so i am just taking the leap! I will definately post my results here as well as on reef frontiers.

02/24/2006, 02:36 PM	#14
dvanacker DID I SOUNDS SMRT?? Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Ontario, CAN Posts: 3,690	If you want an SPS dominant with acros down low I would retro 5 bulbs or 4 on a IC660 for your 15" width. You could get away with 4 bulb TEK but you would be keeping acros to the top half I imagine. 2 blue+ and 2 aquablues is what I use. __________________ --DARRYL-- Current Tank Info: 200g SPS dominant Mixed Reef

02/24/2006, 02:48 PM	#15
alien9168 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 1,664	you could even go with 6-8 t5's if you want acros on the bottom too....t5's penetrate depth really well! -alien __________________ -Alien Current Tank Info: I used to have a 30g custom acrylic cube sps, lps, zoos, mushrooms, leathers, 3" gigas+ anthias. 30Xg Sea Horse Tank...starting fresh...