Is this too much?

dcombs44 · 05/26/2006, 12:58 AM

I'm considering either dual 250s, dual 175s, or a single 400 w mh for my 55 gallon....

Suggestions please.

Tiger3147 · 05/26/2006, 12:59 AM

hmm i would go for the 175's the 250's may be a bit too much but everyone has their opinion i suppose.

Blown 346 · 05/26/2006, 01:02 AM

Figure this, 150 wat halides are good for tanks up to 20 inches deep, 250's are good with penetration and intensity up to 30 inches deep.
I would do 250 watters, depending on what you want to keep. If ou dont want to be limited the 250's would be a good option.

joedirt54 · 05/26/2006, 01:03 AM

if your happy with the light on your 29gal go with dual 150w hqi's...if you think you might want more sps or clams go with 250w hqi's 14k phoenix for either.

dcombs44 · 05/26/2006, 08:55 AM

see that's the thing....my light is a bit iffy on my 29..it would make more since for me to buy another 175 and retrofit them in a new hood, but i don't want to be limited, but i don't want to have too much either

Steven Pro · 05/26/2006, 09:30 AM

What do you want to keep? That is the first thing to decide upon. Then you can get lighting that best meets their needs.

dcombs44 · 05/26/2006, 11:24 AM

See i currently have no sps....i have a brain and a hammer....Things are up and down in my tank, but i think that has a lot to do with the size of the tank...the hammer has a few dead spots but i've gotten most of my water issues fixed and what's left does pretty well..I have a hamilton 14k 175 mh above it now, but i bought a clam that didn't survive...again probably fluctuations in the water, but i would like to get into sps but i fear that me not being at home all the time could lead to more problems with them than the lps...I'm still relatively new with coral....so.....

Blown 346 · 05/26/2006, 02:15 PM

The 175 watt halide should be enought for you to keep alot of differnt species of coral. How have you been acclimating the corals?

VSpeck · 05/26/2006, 02:18 PM

i have dual 250's over my 75(same height) and i keep clams sps lps and softies also and they do awesome

phishlet · 05/26/2006, 02:53 PM

I run dual 250 watt SE lamps on my 46 bowfront. I keep the lights about 16 inches off the water surface. It's great. I wouldn't want anyything else.

dcombs44 · 05/26/2006, 05:11 PM

first of all, all of my coral comes from my lfs. i know the owners personally. we run the same systems with the same supplements and all of his corals are kept under a 400 w mh in a display tank thats less than 10" deep. I acclimate for about 2 hours with a cup of tank water to the bag water every 20 minutes or so..The 175 that i have above my 29 is about 12" off the water...

Quote:

i have dual 250's over my 75(same height) and i keep clams sps lps and softies also and they do awesome

That's a lot more surface area though. you would round out to about 7 watts per gal. that would leave me at almost 10....is that too much?

I don't want to bleach anything or burn anything.

VSpeck · 05/26/2006, 07:49 PM

to me the wats per gallon doesnt mean much. its about the lights and depth. if the 250 w light was over your 55 the corals on the bottom would still be 20" below the light give or take a few inches in either tank so its recieving the same amount of light. someone tell me if im wrong. also they are reef optix 3 pendants 6" off the water if that is important

05/26/2006, 12:58 AM	#1
dcombs44 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 2,913	Is this too much? I'm considering either dual 250s, dual 175s, or a single 400 w mh for my 55 gallon.... Suggestions please.

05/26/2006, 08:55 AM	#5
dcombs44 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 2,913	see that's the thing....my light is a bit iffy on my 29..it would make more since for me to buy another 175 and retrofit them in a new hood, but i don't want to be limited, but i don't want to have too much either __________________ Current Setup: 10 Gallon Skimmerless Zoanthid Tank Lighting: Single 175 Watt Metal Halide (14,000 K Hamilton Lamp) Filtration: 10 gallon sump/refugium and Phosban Reactor Return: Mag Drive 700 Controller: ReefKeeper Lite (Basic Version) Circulation: TBD Age of System: Build is in Progress

05/26/2006, 09:30 AM	#6
Steven Pro Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 9,376	What do you want to keep? That is the first thing to decide upon. Then you can get lighting that best meets their needs. __________________ Steven Pro, yep that is my real name. Current Tank Info: Twelve 600 gallon tubs located in a greenhouse

05/26/2006, 11:24 AM	#7
dcombs44 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 2,913	See i currently have no sps....i have a brain and a hammer....Things are up and down in my tank, but i think that has a lot to do with the size of the tank...the hammer has a few dead spots but i've gotten most of my water issues fixed and what's left does pretty well..I have a hamilton 14k 175 mh above it now, but i bought a clam that didn't survive...again probably fluctuations in the water, but i would like to get into sps but i fear that me not being at home all the time could lead to more problems with them than the lps...I'm still relatively new with coral....so..... __________________ Current Setup: 10 Gallon Skimmerless Zoanthid Tank Lighting: Single 175 Watt Metal Halide (14,000 K Hamilton Lamp) Filtration: 10 gallon sump/refugium and Phosban Reactor Return: Mag Drive 700 Controller: ReefKeeper Lite (Basic Version) Circulation: TBD Age of System: Build is in Progress

05/26/2006, 02:18 PM	#9
VSpeck Slash Smack Talker Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Wright City, MO Posts: 4,116	i have dual 250's over my 75(same height) and i keep clams sps lps and softies also and they do awesome __________________ Ask DSmack about his momma... Current Tank Info: 150g African

05/26/2006, 12:59 AM	#2
Tiger3147 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 121	hmm i would go for the 175's the 250's may be a bit too much but everyone has their opinion i suppose.

05/26/2006, 01:02 AM	#3
Blown 346 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 6,596	Figure this, 150 wat halides are good for tanks up to 20 inches deep, 250's are good with penetration and intensity up to 30 inches deep. I would do 250 watters, depending on what you want to keep. If ou dont want to be limited the 250's would be a good option.

05/26/2006, 01:03 AM	#4
joedirt54 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Western PA Posts: 248	if your happy with the light on your 29gal go with dual 150w hqi's...if you think you might want more sps or clams go with 250w hqi's 14k phoenix for either.

05/26/2006, 02:15 PM	#8
Blown 346 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 6,596	The 175 watt halide should be enought for you to keep alot of differnt species of coral. How have you been acclimating the corals?

05/26/2006, 02:53 PM	#10
phishlet Premium Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,458	I run dual 250 watt SE lamps on my 46 bowfront. I keep the lights about 16 inches off the water surface. It's great. I wouldn't want anyything else. __________________ (reef a quar i um) n: Water-filled enclosure where a constant supply of money is thrown. Current Tank Info: 350 gallon Hex; 8 gallon nano

05/26/2006, 07:49 PM	#12
VSpeck Slash Smack Talker Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Wright City, MO Posts: 4,116	to me the wats per gallon doesnt mean much. its about the lights and depth. if the 250 w light was over your 55 the corals on the bottom would still be 20" below the light give or take a few inches in either tank so its recieving the same amount of light. someone tell me if im wrong. also they are reef optix 3 pendants 6" off the water if that is important __________________ Ask DSmack about his momma... Current Tank Info: 150g African