Lighting a 40g breeder

[tarhull87]

Hi there,

I've got a bit of a dated lighting system that I retrofitted into a canopy for a 75g. I'm looking to set it back up but I might use it for a 40 breeder, 36" whereas the 75g was 48".

The lighting is a 2 x 175w metal halide and 2 x 48" VHO. It's an HID ballast. All of the bulbs have their own reflectors.

My question is, will I need to use all of this for the 40? Should I just use the metal halides and retrofit them into some sort of hanging box to minimize heat.

What are the different light spectrums for bulbs these days, I like the blue white colors in the tank as opposed to the yellower white.

Would I be able to use 36" VHO bulbs with the 48" kit, I know I'd have to trim down the reflectors, but would they be overpowered or does it regulate properly?

Thanks for the help.

Mike

[tarhull87]

bump..

I think ive decided on 15k iwasaki's regardless..