Too much lighting for a 55g?

ravedood · 02/25/2010, 09:50 AM

I have a 48" 2x250 watt MH fixture with 4xPC actinic bulbs and moonlights. I also have a 36" 2x150 watt MH fixture with moon lights.

Which of the 2 fixtures would you guys recommend for a standard 55g tank?
Is this over kill?
Will I have a temperature problem?

Thanks

5h3rW1N · 02/25/2010, 10:08 AM

question is what are you trying to have a dominated SPS mix soft? or LPS mix soft?

5h3rW1N · 02/25/2010, 10:12 AM

your fixture for the 48" will fit but issue with heat will play a roll. I am more into the 36" fixture but isn't that a shy too short for your tank?

zachfishman · 02/25/2010, 10:51 AM

The 36" is a little short, and you might see some shadowing at the tank ends. You could run the 2x250 without any of the supplemental PCs and be better off. You might have to invest in new MHs to get the spectrum/color you want though, but will save in the long run on power and bulb replacement costs.

VacavilleFC3S · 02/25/2010, 11:41 AM

PC lights are absolutely horrible, go with t5

ravedood · 02/25/2010, 12:58 PM

Well the fixture already have the PC's built into them. I can turn them off independently of the MH bulbs though. I mostly have LPS now but I have been wanting to grow SPS. I currently have 4 VHO bulbs on an ICECAP 660 ballast.

Crackerballer · 02/25/2010, 01:03 PM

Just use the fixture you have, run the The PCs 8-10 hours a day and the MH's just 6 hours. Get you 2 nice 14k MH bulbs and split the PCs between the different spectrum actinics.

10001110101 · 02/25/2010, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crackerballer

Just use the fixture you have, run the The PCs 8-10 hours a day and the MH's just 6 hours. Get you 2 nice 14k MH bulbs and split the PCs between the different spectrum actinics.

Run some kind of light for 12-13 hours. 8-10 for MH, 11-13 for PC.

10 hours a day will limit growth. Photoinhibition doesn't happen until you approach 16+ hours.

Crackerballer · 02/25/2010, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 10001110101

Run some kind of light for 12-13 hours. 8-10 for MH, 11-13 for PC.

10 hours a day will limit growth. Photoinhibition doesn't happen until you approach 16+ hours.

My only worries at those time frames would be him boiling the tank. If you aren't trying to grow stuff crazy quick I would be hesitant to leave 500w of metal halide running 10 hours a day on such a short tank, unless you can lift it from the surface a bit.

ravedood · 02/25/2010, 01:35 PM

How far from the surface do you guys recommend?

Crackerballer · 02/25/2010, 01:38 PM

If you want to do the 10 hour cycle, I would say 10-12 inches would be good. That gives you a nice column of air and room to work in the tank without having to move the fixture. You could probably even go a little higher, but you are going to increase your spill over.

spw4949 · 02/25/2010, 01:41 PM

For a standard 55gallon, I would go with the 2x250W, especially if you want to grow SPS in a 55 seeing as it is so deep, I personally wouldn't run any light for 13 hours as previously suggested, I would run actinic PC's an hour before & an hour after the halides which I would run for 8 hours........HTH

rtparty · 02/25/2010, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 10001110101

Run some kind of light for 12-13 hours. 8-10 for MH, 11-13 for PC.

10 hours a day will limit growth. Photoinhibition doesn't happen until you approach 16+ hours.

This isn't true for one second.

Photoinhibition has to do with how much light you are giving the corals and how much flow there is. You could hit photoinhibition within a couple hours if you blast the he!! out of the corals with light and give them very little flow.

Increased flow will allow the corals to shed waste faster and therefore use the light they are receiving for a longer period of time.

If my MH stays on for more than 10 hours, my corals all close up and look like crap.

There are MULTIPLE threads here on RC where people went from 10 hours a day down to 6 hours and growth increased significantly.

spw4949 · 02/25/2010, 01:44 PM

I would agree, 10-12"........

rbnice1 · 02/25/2010, 01:49 PM

I would just watch temps and add fans as needed to control temps.

spw4949 · 02/25/2010, 01:53 PM

Agreed............I have a 2x250W fixture on my 46 bowfront about 10" up & have no real temp issues, the only time there is a problem is summertime before the ac gets turned on............

Crackerballer · 02/25/2010, 02:53 PM

A good T5/MH combo is going to make for a nice tank and plenty of growth, but with a 55, you could get 6 LED setups from Nanotuners and have a TOTM candidate before long (ceteris paribus).

ravedood · 02/25/2010, 03:13 PM

I really dont have money to be upgrading to nicer/newer equipment. This is why I wanted to know if I could use my current surplus equipment. If I raise the fixture 10" high then I wont have a canopy which I hope will help with cooling. Will this height cause too much light be spilled out through the sides and light up the whole room?

ravedood · 04/14/2010, 09:16 AM

Ttt

02/25/2010, 09:50 AM	#1
ravedood Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Pembroke Pines, FL Posts: 1,540	Too much lighting for a 55g? I have a 48" 2x250 watt MH fixture with 4xPC actinic bulbs and moonlights. I also have a 36" 2x150 watt MH fixture with moon lights. Which of the 2 fixtures would you guys recommend for a standard 55g tank? Is this over kill? Will I have a temperature problem? Thanks __________________ Florida Marine Aquarium Society Member --Ben

02/25/2010, 10:51 AM	#4
zachfishman Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: St Petersburg, FL Posts: 3,577	The 36" is a little short, and you might see some shadowing at the tank ends. You could run the 2x250 without any of the supplemental PCs and be better off. You might have to invest in new MHs to get the spectrum/color you want though, but will save in the long run on power and bulb replacement costs. __________________ Patience is a reefer's best tool. Secret Xenia lover. M.S. Marine Biology Staff - Marine Discovery Center, St. Petersburg FL Tampa Bay Reef Club BOD 2018 Current Tank Info: 34g modded Solana

02/25/2010, 12:58 PM	#6
ravedood Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Pembroke Pines, FL Posts: 1,540	Well the fixture already have the PC's built into them. I can turn them off independently of the MH bulbs though. I mostly have LPS now but I have been wanting to grow SPS. I currently have 4 VHO bulbs on an ICECAP 660 ballast. __________________ Florida Marine Aquarium Society Member --Ben

02/25/2010, 01:03 PM	#7
Crackerballer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chapel Hill Posts: 455	Just use the fixture you have, run the The PCs 8-10 hours a day and the MH's just 6 hours. Get you 2 nice 14k MH bulbs and split the PCs between the different spectrum actinics. __________________ No tank currently setup.

02/25/2010, 01:35 PM	#10
ravedood Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Pembroke Pines, FL Posts: 1,540	How far from the surface do you guys recommend? __________________ Florida Marine Aquarium Society Member --Ben

02/25/2010, 10:08 AM	#2
5h3rW1N Moved On Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 885	question is what are you trying to have a dominated SPS mix soft? or LPS mix soft?

02/25/2010, 10:12 AM	#3
5h3rW1N Moved On Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 885	your fixture for the 48" will fit but issue with heat will play a roll. I am more into the 36" fixture but isn't that a shy too short for your tank?

02/25/2010, 11:41 AM	#5
VacavilleFC3S Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Vacaville California Posts: 2,613	PC lights are absolutely horrible, go with t5

02/25/2010, 01:38 PM	#11
Crackerballer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chapel Hill Posts: 455	If you want to do the 10 hour cycle, I would say 10-12 inches would be good. That gives you a nice column of air and room to work in the tank without having to move the fixture. You could probably even go a little higher, but you are going to increase your spill over. __________________ No tank currently setup.

02/25/2010, 01:41 PM	#12
spw4949 Registered Member. Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Albany, N.Y. Posts: 1,594	For a standard 55gallon, I would go with the 2x250W, especially if you want to grow SPS in a 55 seeing as it is so deep, I personally wouldn't run any light for 13 hours as previously suggested, I would run actinic PC's an hour before & an hour after the halides which I would run for 8 hours........HTH __________________ Steve Current Tank Info: 46 gal bowfront, mixed reef, 2x250W current outer orbit w/4x39W T5 ,10 gal fuge....38 gallon aggressive FOWLR, 10 gallon sump.

02/25/2010, 01:44 PM	#14
spw4949 Registered Member. Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Albany, N.Y. Posts: 1,594	I would agree, 10-12"........ __________________ Steve Current Tank Info: 46 gal bowfront, mixed reef, 2x250W current outer orbit w/4x39W T5 ,10 gal fuge....38 gallon aggressive FOWLR, 10 gallon sump.

02/25/2010, 01:49 PM	#15
rbnice1 Moved On Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cedar Hill Posts: 3,905	I would just watch temps and add fans as needed to control temps.

02/25/2010, 01:53 PM	#16
spw4949 Registered Member. Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Albany, N.Y. Posts: 1,594	Agreed............I have a 2x250W fixture on my 46 bowfront about 10" up & have no real temp issues, the only time there is a problem is summertime before the ac gets turned on............ __________________ Steve Current Tank Info: 46 gal bowfront, mixed reef, 2x250W current outer orbit w/4x39W T5 ,10 gal fuge....38 gallon aggressive FOWLR, 10 gallon sump.

02/25/2010, 02:53 PM	#17
Crackerballer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chapel Hill Posts: 455	A good T5/MH combo is going to make for a nice tank and plenty of growth, but with a 55, you could get 6 LED setups from Nanotuners and have a TOTM candidate before long (ceteris paribus). __________________ No tank currently setup.

02/25/2010, 03:13 PM	#18
ravedood Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Pembroke Pines, FL Posts: 1,540	I really dont have money to be upgrading to nicer/newer equipment. This is why I wanted to know if I could use my current surplus equipment. If I raise the fixture 10" high then I wont have a canopy which I hope will help with cooling. Will this height cause too much light be spilled out through the sides and light up the whole room? __________________ Florida Marine Aquarium Society Member --Ben

04/14/2010, 09:16 AM	#19
ravedood Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Pembroke Pines, FL Posts: 1,540	Ttt __________________ Florida Marine Aquarium Society Member --Ben