Reef Lighting Recommendations Please

FishDad2 · 02/25/2006, 09:09 PM

I setup my first reef tank this past July, a 225 gallon tank measuring 72"w x 30"h x 24"d. And since I didn't have any reef experience, I went with my LFS recommendations on lighting...a Hamilton retrofit kit with 3 x 250 watt 10K MH and 4 x 96 watt 50/50 PC.

However, the colors of the corals aren't as bright and vibrant in the tank as they are at the LFS.

Given that the health of the critters has been quite good, I think the lack of pop in their colors is primarily due to the tone of the lighting and it's time to make a change.

My inital thought, based on readings from various sources (all of which give conflicting recommendations), is to go with 2 x 14K & 1 x 20K MH, with 2 x actinic & 2 x 50/50 PC. This will shift the tone into the blue spectrum, hopefully bringing out the colors more.

That said, I'd like to get some recommendations from those with experience before I buy. So, any thoughts as to the Kelvin ratings and/or bulb manufacturers with which you've had good experience would be greatly appreciated.

And since your recommendations will based on what I'm keeping in the tank...it's mostly a mix of LPS and softies...both open and closed brains, red lobo, frogspawn, torch, finger leather, green star polyps, as well as several varieties of shrooms and zoos. I also have two Acropora frags that I was given...one of which is loving life in the tank, while the other is just hanging in there.

Future plans call for a continuation of the LPS and softie population scheme...I may go with some SPS on the upper reef down the road, but that's some years off...I need to get some experience/success under my belt and there are limits to the budget!!

02/25/2006, 09:09 PM	#1
FishDad2 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 660	Reef Lighting Recommendations Please I setup my first reef tank this past July, a 225 gallon tank measuring 72"w x 30"h x 24"d. And since I didn't have any reef experience, I went with my LFS recommendations on lighting...a Hamilton retrofit kit with 3 x 250 watt 10K MH and 4 x 96 watt 50/50 PC. However, the colors of the corals aren't as bright and vibrant in the tank as they are at the LFS. Given that the health of the critters has been quite good, I think the lack of pop in their colors is primarily due to the tone of the lighting and it's time to make a change. My inital thought, based on readings from various sources (all of which give conflicting recommendations), is to go with 2 x 14K & 1 x 20K MH, with 2 x actinic & 2 x 50/50 PC. This will shift the tone into the blue spectrum, hopefully bringing out the colors more. That said, I'd like to get some recommendations from those with experience before I buy. So, any thoughts as to the Kelvin ratings and/or bulb manufacturers with which you've had good experience would be greatly appreciated. And since your recommendations will based on what I'm keeping in the tank...it's mostly a mix of LPS and softies...both open and closed brains, red lobo, frogspawn, torch, finger leather, green star polyps, as well as several varieties of shrooms and zoos. I also have two Acropora frags that I was given...one of which is loving life in the tank, while the other is just hanging in there. Future plans call for a continuation of the LPS and softie population scheme...I may go with some SPS on the upper reef down the road, but that's some years off...I need to get some experience/success under my belt and there are limits to the budget!!