Lighting...again...heavy sigh...

digidana · 12/19/2007, 11:20 PM

sorry guys, another lighting question. i tried running a search for lighting in the newby forum so i could read up on everything and nothing came up...weird!

i'm planning for the new tank. its a 96x24x25. i've had a 48" (55g) going for about 3 months with this lighting: Orbit HP, 48", 4x96W, (2) Dual Daylight 96W and (2) Dual Actinic 96W, 4 lunar lights, 48.50"* x 12" x 4..25" without legs
(when used with the included legs the light is 6.25" tall, 12" front to back, and can adjust to lengths up to 49") $465.00.

what i'm wondering is if i can use it for the new tank, and add another one just like it (since 48x2=96). or is PC on its way out? i really really like this light on my 55. its not hot at all, its not killing me on the electric bill, and the few mini/soft corals i have seem to like it. i've not killed anything yet (knock on coral!) i would eventually like to be able to host a little of everything. SPS and LPS. i'm wondering if i should just use this light for the fuge that is in the planning stages, or could i put it to work for the main tank? if i had 2 of them going, how bad would it limit me on SPS? or should i just take a sledge hammer to it and go with MH?

i bow to your unlimited supply of patience. thanks!

BangkokMatt · 12/19/2007, 11:49 PM

Unfortunately, if you want to keep SPS then PC lighting is not going to give you enough par. Particularly on a tank which is 24" deep. You might be able to keep a high placed piece of montipora but that would soon overshadow anything below it. If you want acropora you need to go down the MH or T5 route.

12/19/2007, 11:20 PM	#1
digidana Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: GO VOLS! Posts: 921	Lighting...again...heavy sigh... sorry guys, another lighting question. i tried running a search for lighting in the newby forum so i could read up on everything and nothing came up...weird! i'm planning for the new tank. its a 96x24x25. i've had a 48" (55g) going for about 3 months with this lighting: Orbit HP, 48", 4x96W, (2) Dual Daylight 96W and (2) Dual Actinic 96W, 4 lunar lights, 48.50"* x 12" x 4..25" without legs (when used with the included legs the light is 6.25" tall, 12" front to back, and can adjust to lengths up to 49") $465.00. what i'm wondering is if i can use it for the new tank, and add another one just like it (since 48x2=96). or is PC on its way out? i really really like this light on my 55. its not hot at all, its not killing me on the electric bill, and the few mini/soft corals i have seem to like it. i've not killed anything yet (knock on coral!) i would eventually like to be able to host a little of everything. SPS and LPS. i'm wondering if i should just use this light for the fuge that is in the planning stages, or could i put it to work for the main tank? if i had 2 of them going, how bad would it limit me on SPS? or should i just take a sledge hammer to it and go with MH? i bow to your unlimited supply of patience. thanks!

12/19/2007, 11:49 PM	#2
BangkokMatt Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Krung Thep Posts: 3,100	Unfortunately, if you want to keep SPS then PC lighting is not going to give you enough par. Particularly on a tank which is 24" deep. You might be able to keep a high placed piece of montipora but that would soon overshadow anything below it. If you want acropora you need to go down the MH or T5 route. __________________ I've spent a lot of money on booze, women and fish. The rest I just squandered. Current Tank Info: 150g sps Reef (now FOWLR after a devastating crash due to chiller) , 2x400w MH (Icecap ballast, Lumenmax 2, Reeflux 12k SE), Deltec AP701, Grotech Tec III, Chiller, 2 x Tunze 6101, 1 x 6205 (+ m/c), bla bla