Lighting a big tank

Wondereef · 12/10/2008, 05:29 PM

Ok, So i've off and on tossed around building a large plywood tank. The dimensions I'm thinking at 8'x3'x2' or 359gallons. I have seen quite a few different write ups of people building large plywood tanks, even a few reef setups. The thing that has somewhat confused me is that the lighting that is used on these tanks is quite a bit less then I would think would be needed. Is it possible to run less than typical lighting (as in watts per gallon) when running such a large system? For example, I got the opportunity to check out a 375 built by CFI N of Seattle. Yet the owner was running a pair of 250W metal halides and a few vho's. This is the amount of lighting I would think to be appropriate for a 100g tank not a 375 with LPS. Does anyone have any input on this? The lighting is probably the main thing that would keep me from building a tank like this as it would be very expensive to purchase all the lights I would think would be required let alone the electricity it would eat up.

My plans as far as coral for what I would want to keep in the tank would be LPS and softies. probably the most light intensive coral I would want would be an elegance or a dendro.

Thanks,
Tom

JNye · 12/10/2008, 06:26 PM

if you use creative aquascaping and coral placement you could easily get away with 3 x 250 watt halides, 4 would be enough to light the whole tank(enough for SPS at the top third). IMO the most expensive start-up cost would be live rock, then skimmer and water movement. The most expensive piece to run would likely be return pumps/closed loops. If you aren't doing SPS at all it makes this system much more affordable.

Wondereef · 12/10/2008, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by poo-tang
if you use creative aquascaping and coral placement you could easily get away with 3 x 250 watt halides, 4 would be enough to light the whole tank(enough for SPS at the top third). IMO the most expensive start-up cost would be live rock, then skimmer and water movement. The most expensive piece to run would likely be return pumps/closed loops. If you aren't doing SPS at all it makes this system much more affordable.

At most I might delve into some encrusting or cap monti's but thats really about it for SPS.

Tom

fishyfish91202 · 12/10/2008, 11:10 PM

I use 3 250w on my 30" deep 375 mixed reef. I use the big lumenarcs and get very nice coverage to all ends of the tank. If your careful of where you place your corals, you can get most to flourish.

Wondereef · 12/10/2008, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fishyfish91202
I use 3 250w on my 30" deep 375 mixed reef. I use the big lumenarcs and get very nice coverage to all ends of the tank. If your careful of where you place your corals, you can get most to flourish.

Thanks for the input, thats good to hear as those are the reflectors I was looking at using.

Thanks,
Tom

12/10/2008, 05:29 PM	#1
Wondereef Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Federal Way, WA Posts: 69	Lighting a big tank Ok, So i've off and on tossed around building a large plywood tank. The dimensions I'm thinking at 8'x3'x2' or 359gallons. I have seen quite a few different write ups of people building large plywood tanks, even a few reef setups. The thing that has somewhat confused me is that the lighting that is used on these tanks is quite a bit less then I would think would be needed. Is it possible to run less than typical lighting (as in watts per gallon) when running such a large system? For example, I got the opportunity to check out a 375 built by CFI N of Seattle. Yet the owner was running a pair of 250W metal halides and a few vho's. This is the amount of lighting I would think to be appropriate for a 100g tank not a 375 with LPS. Does anyone have any input on this? The lighting is probably the main thing that would keep me from building a tank like this as it would be very expensive to purchase all the lights I would think would be required let alone the electricity it would eat up. My plans as far as coral for what I would want to keep in the tank would be LPS and softies. probably the most light intensive coral I would want would be an elegance or a dendro. Thanks, Tom

12/10/2008, 06:26 PM	#2
JNye Moved On Up Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Lansing, IL Posts: 2,230	if you use creative aquascaping and coral placement you could easily get away with 3 x 250 watt halides, 4 would be enough to light the whole tank(enough for SPS at the top third). IMO the most expensive start-up cost would be live rock, then skimmer and water movement. The most expensive piece to run would likely be return pumps/closed loops. If you aren't doing SPS at all it makes this system much more affordable. __________________ Joe Current Tank Info: it don't matter just don't bite it

12/10/2008, 11:10 PM	#4
fishyfish91202 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Pompano Beach Posts: 259	I use 3 250w on my 30" deep 375 mixed reef. I use the big lumenarcs and get very nice coverage to all ends of the tank. If your careful of where you place your corals, you can get most to flourish.