Need help choosing lights for a 40g breeder?

moevilla · 03/26/2010, 01:53 PM

Buying new lights for a 40g breeder mixed reef, mostly sps, a few clams and some lps. Need some help choosing a light set up that will maximize coral growth. 1x250 watt MH (Aqua Medic Ocean Light)?

nanojg · 03/26/2010, 02:05 PM

I would do 2 x mh's (either 175's or 150's) or 6 x t5's 39w

dcombs44 · 03/26/2010, 02:09 PM

A single 250 watt metal halide bulb will give you adequate coverage on a 3 foot tank. That way, you can have good zones of both intense and lower light. My understanding is that maximum coverage by a single metal halide bulb is 3 feet. I have a dual 175 watt ballast, and I'm much happier with the light of one bulb from my 250 ballast than I am with 2 from a 175 ballast. You could always do a single bulb and supplement with additional t5s.

moevilla · 03/26/2010, 02:19 PM

That makes sense dcombs44. The center of the tank can be sps intensive and fade to more lps/softies on the outer edge of the tank. Interesting comment how you are 'much happier with the light of one bulb from my 250 ballast than I am with 2 from a 175 ballast'.

dcombs44 · 03/26/2010, 02:35 PM

The light from the 250s are just so much more intense. With a shallow tank like a 40 breeder, I'm sure you could get away with the 175s, but I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy the looks of a 250 better. Just my opinion. If you can, find a store that has or uses both and see if you can see what they both look like.

Your opinion may be different than mine.

moevilla · 03/26/2010, 02:56 PM

Thanks for sharing dcombs44. I was originally thinking about 2x150 MH or 6x39 T5HO. Never really considered 1x250 MH until today. I currently have 1x150 MH on it and it is a bit dull. Corals still growing great, though. I guess my only concern (slight) are the ends of the tank and how they will look with just the one bulb in the middle.

coral49 · 03/26/2010, 03:05 PM

I had a 40br with 2 x 175MH and 2 x T5 mixed tank with SPS, LPS and sofies in the corners. Lots of light looked really nice but really hard to find a lower light area. The tank was looking great but started to struggle with heat issues in the summer. One hot August day the tank got way to hot and I lost a bunch of SPS corals. I didn’t have a chiller and didn’t want one. So about 2 months about I switched over to LEDs plus the T5. I now have to use a heater.

Both set-ups I thought looked great.. one thing but not major I noticed.. I have a lot less light spillage with the LED. With the MH I had massive coraline growth on the glass pain to clean all the time. Coral growth appears to be the same with both styles.

40 breeder is an awesome size tank…Just my 2 cents

keith sprague · 03/26/2010, 03:22 PM

i have a 40 breeder with a coralife hood.one 150w 15k xm. my coral looks and grows great i just put my moore intense light coral in the middle and put my monties and a couple softies on the outside.im more worried about color not growth.you can grow out a forty breeder very quickly

nanojg · 03/26/2010, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcombs44

A single 250 watt metal halide bulb will give you adequate coverage on a 3 foot tank. That way, you can have good zones of both intense and lower light. My understanding is that maximum coverage by a single metal halide bulb is 3 feet. I have a dual 175 watt ballast, and I'm much happier with the light of one bulb from my 250 ballast than I am with 2 from a 175 ballast. You could always do a single bulb and supplement with additional t5s.

Must have been using inferior 175 bulbs. My 175 iwasaki's put out more light than most 250 bulbs in the same K temperature.

Fig · 03/26/2010, 04:22 PM

Agree, the Iwasaki 175 15k is the PAR buster. I bought a Lumatek selectable ballast and went to this bulb in a Lumenbright reflector,down from a 250 watt 12k Reeflux. I had to decrease my photoperiod. That bulb is bright!

5h3rW1N · 03/26/2010, 05:17 PM

I have a 40 breedr with a PFO 250 DE pendant with 4 T5HO ATI actinics and the HQI does cover the right amount of 3' of lighting. but its 14" above the water. its actually enough light. I was planning to get rid of the pendant and go all in with T5's.

moevilla · 03/27/2010, 03:45 PM

Thanks for all the input, just picked up a used 150w mh (10k) coralife clamp on. I think its the bulb that came with the unit because its really dull compared to my 150w pheonix bulb that I already have over the tanks. So I will try the 2x 150 mh setup to see how the corals respond. So, going to wait on the T5's for now. I traded the new (used) light for some old equipment I wasnt using so basically free. We will see what happens.

btkrausen · 03/27/2010, 03:53 PM

I ran 2 x 150w halides on mine and had great results out of my sps and zoos and such.

dcombs44 · 03/27/2010, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nanojg

Must have been using inferior 175 bulbs. My 175 iwasaki's put out more light than most 250 bulbs in the same K temperature.

Both the 175 and the 250s were hamilton 14k bulbs. The 250s were on generic ballasts from hello lights, and the 175s were on a PFO dual 175 I believe.

Just my experience, but neither were iwaski.

cody6766 · 03/27/2010, 04:41 PM

I have 4 24w T5s over my 40br right now. I'm probably going to use a pair of 36" bulbs with a pair of 24" bulbs in the middle so I'll have lower light zones on the sides. I may run a 6 bulb set up, but have 4 on now and my acros and montis are doing quite well.

tank o tang · 03/27/2010, 06:39 PM

I just put a 250 mh in a coralvue reflector over my 40b. Go with the mini-wide reflector for the extra length.

03/26/2010, 01:53 PM	#1
moevilla IRS Benefactor Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Aurora CO Posts: 387	Need help choosing lights for a 40g breeder? Buying new lights for a 40g breeder mixed reef, mostly sps, a few clams and some lps. Need some help choosing a light set up that will maximize coral growth. 1x250 watt MH (Aqua Medic Ocean Light)? __________________ It's never too late to become what you could have been...

03/26/2010, 02:19 PM	#4
moevilla IRS Benefactor Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Aurora CO Posts: 387	That makes sense dcombs44. The center of the tank can be sps intensive and fade to more lps/softies on the outer edge of the tank. Interesting comment how you are 'much happier with the light of one bulb from my 250 ballast than I am with 2 from a 175 ballast'. __________________ It's never too late to become what you could have been...

03/26/2010, 02:56 PM	#6
moevilla IRS Benefactor Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Aurora CO Posts: 387	Thanks for sharing dcombs44. I was originally thinking about 2x150 MH or 6x39 T5HO. Never really considered 1x250 MH until today. I currently have 1x150 MH on it and it is a bit dull. Corals still growing great, though. I guess my only concern (slight) are the ends of the tank and how they will look with just the one bulb in the middle. __________________ It's never too late to become what you could have been...

03/27/2010, 03:45 PM	#12
moevilla IRS Benefactor Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Aurora CO Posts: 387	Thanks for all the input, just picked up a used 150w mh (10k) coralife clamp on. I think its the bulb that came with the unit because its really dull compared to my 150w pheonix bulb that I already have over the tanks. So I will try the 2x 150 mh setup to see how the corals respond. So, going to wait on the T5's for now. I traded the new (used) light for some old equipment I wasnt using so basically free. We will see what happens. __________________ It's never too late to become what you could have been...

03/27/2010, 04:41 PM	#15
cody6766 Super Best Friends! Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: OKC, OK Posts: 3,772	I have 4 24w T5s over my 40br right now. I'm probably going to use a pair of 36" bulbs with a pair of 24" bulbs in the middle so I'll have lower light zones on the sides. I may run a 6 bulb set up, but have 4 on now and my acros and montis are doing quite well. __________________ "The moral is the chosen, not the forced; the understood, not the obeyed. The moral is the rational, and reason accepts no commandments." - John Galt Current Tank Info: Cadlights 60G Arisan II mixed reef with 2x MP40s and 24" ATI

03/26/2010, 02:05 PM	#2
nanojg Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Lubbock, Texas Posts: 2,174	I would do 2 x mh's (either 175's or 150's) or 6 x t5's 39w

03/26/2010, 02:09 PM	#3
dcombs44 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 2,913	A single 250 watt metal halide bulb will give you adequate coverage on a 3 foot tank. That way, you can have good zones of both intense and lower light. My understanding is that maximum coverage by a single metal halide bulb is 3 feet. I have a dual 175 watt ballast, and I'm much happier with the light of one bulb from my 250 ballast than I am with 2 from a 175 ballast. You could always do a single bulb and supplement with additional t5s.

03/26/2010, 02:35 PM	#5
dcombs44 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 2,913	The light from the 250s are just so much more intense. With a shallow tank like a 40 breeder, I'm sure you could get away with the 175s, but I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy the looks of a 250 better. Just my opinion. If you can, find a store that has or uses both and see if you can see what they both look like. Your opinion may be different than mine.

03/26/2010, 03:05 PM	#7
coral49 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Chicago Area Posts: 105	I had a 40br with 2 x 175MH and 2 x T5 mixed tank with SPS, LPS and sofies in the corners. Lots of light looked really nice but really hard to find a lower light area. The tank was looking great but started to struggle with heat issues in the summer. One hot August day the tank got way to hot and I lost a bunch of SPS corals. I didn’t have a chiller and didn’t want one. So about 2 months about I switched over to LEDs plus the T5. I now have to use a heater. Both set-ups I thought looked great.. one thing but not major I noticed.. I have a lot less light spillage with the LED. With the MH I had massive coraline growth on the glass pain to clean all the time. Coral growth appears to be the same with both styles. 40 breeder is an awesome size tank…Just my 2 cents

03/26/2010, 03:22 PM	#8
keith sprague Moved On Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: NJ Posts: 394	i have a 40 breeder with a coralife hood.one 150w 15k xm. my coral looks and grows great i just put my moore intense light coral in the middle and put my monties and a couple softies on the outside.im more worried about color not growth.you can grow out a forty breeder very quickly

03/26/2010, 04:22 PM	#10
Fig Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Iowa Posts: 817	Agree, the Iwasaki 175 15k is the PAR buster. I bought a Lumatek selectable ballast and went to this bulb in a Lumenbright reflector,down from a 250 watt 12k Reeflux. I had to decrease my photoperiod. That bulb is bright!

03/26/2010, 05:17 PM	#11
5h3rW1N Moved On Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 885	I have a 40 breedr with a PFO 250 DE pendant with 4 T5HO ATI actinics and the HQI does cover the right amount of 3' of lighting. but its 14" above the water. its actually enough light. I was planning to get rid of the pendant and go all in with T5's.

03/27/2010, 03:53 PM	#13
btkrausen Fish Hoarder Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bardstown, KY Posts: 1,033	I ran 2 x 150w halides on mine and had great results out of my sps and zoos and such.

03/27/2010, 06:39 PM	#16
tank o tang Thread Lurker Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: CT Posts: 1,527	I just put a 250 mh in a coralvue reflector over my 40b. Go with the mini-wide reflector for the extra length. __________________ A 5 gallon bucket of water dosen't look like much till it's on your living room floor Current Tank Info: 180gal