8 wpg too much?

Big Amish · 02/26/2006, 01:07 AM

I'm wondering if I overdid it on a purchase I just made. Making the move to metal halides on a 60 gallon tank. I'm buying two 250 watt retro fixtures w/ 14k bulbs. I guess maybe I did the math wrong in my head when I ordered them, because I was expecting to come out around 5 watts per gallon. Instead it looks like I'm going to get over 8!

Will that burn up my corals? Right now what I have is all soft, but I'm getting these lights with the intention of keeping SPS and LPS as well. Should I perhaps stutter them so that each is only on about half the day, with only a few hours of overlap? I also thought of having 150 watts of actinic VHOs. ( Already have the ballast and fixtures. ) Should I scrap those as well, or would they work OK with the stuttered schedule mentioned above?

I want plenty of light, but I don't want to burn up my softies. Any advice for a MH novice would be greatly appreciated.

Blown 346 · 02/26/2006, 02:47 AM

There is no such thing as too much light, it is imposible to duplicate the sun's strength. You are fine with the lighting you have. placement of the softies depend on the depth of the tank, if it is a deeper tanklike 18 inches, the bottom of the tank will be fine to start with.
Since you just upgraded to halides it would be a wise choice to start off the lighting times with 2 hours of light the first day, and ad 30 minutes a day to the 2 hours until you reach the full lighting time you want. This will allow the corals to adjust to the new increased lighting without bleaching them.

Over a period of weeks you can move the corals slowly up higher.
I have 2 250 watt halides over my 90 which is a 18" deep tank, my softies range from the sand bed to the middle of the tank.

I would use the actinics, I use both of mine and they are 110 watts a piece .

XeniaMania · 02/26/2006, 03:29 AM

I'm a tad over 8wpg..

Mercer · 02/26/2006, 11:17 AM

I'm running 13-14WPG... no ill effects

mcox33 · 02/26/2006, 11:31 AM

I running close to 13watts on my 90 gallon

Big Amish · 02/26/2006, 12:53 PM

Wow, thanks everyone for the information. I had some local reefers who thought it would be too much, but I'm much more confident in the combined experience of Reef Central. Thanks again!

Mercer · 02/26/2006, 01:00 PM

Oh, before you go too far I'll publicly state that I am by no means an advanced reefer!

The tank I was describing is a 10 gallon nano. It's running 65w 10K PC, and 65w Actinic PC of some sort.

It has mushrooms on the bottom, and zoos as close as 1" from the surface. So far
everyone is happy! The finger coral frag I put in isn't looking so hot, but I don't really know what they are supposed to look like when they are smaller.

dvanacker · 02/26/2006, 01:28 PM

Sure you can have as many watts per gallon as you want but why.... I run just under 4 watts per gallon on my SPS reef.

sales weasel · 02/26/2006, 01:33 PM

I just bought MH for a 55g. When I get them installed, it will have 7.6w/g. I would think heat may be your biggest concern. But you can always increase the distance from the water.

Blown 346 · 02/26/2006, 04:05 PM

Peiople ave to know that watts per gallon isnt the correct way to determine "How much light you have".
Watts per gallon doesnt mean you have good lighting. You have to look at the intensity of the bulbs, and how deep the tank is. If the tank is deep and you dont have the intensity the light isnt going to reach the bottom of the tank.

llewoh05 · 02/26/2006, 06:08 PM

how would a 150watt MH DE over a 10gal. tank with 10" depth. i plan hand the light 6" from the water surface.(Canopy restrictions) Could i still keeps button polyps somewhere??

Blown 346 · 02/26/2006, 06:19 PM

Oh yeah, a 150 watt halide would be great for a 10 gallon, you would be able to keep more than just button polyps. SPS ang LPS, stonies here you come.

llewoh05 · 02/26/2006, 09:06 PM

wait. i just found a great deal on a 250watt MH DE with icecap ballast. would that be to much for my 10gal

XeniaMania · 02/26/2006, 09:11 PM

Uhm...yea...I'd say so. Unless you hang it like 5 feet above your tank, but then at that point, ppl might think you're growing something else..kekeke.

02/26/2006, 01:07 AM	#1
Big Amish Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Decatur, AL Posts: 77	8 wpg too much? I'm wondering if I overdid it on a purchase I just made. Making the move to metal halides on a 60 gallon tank. I'm buying two 250 watt retro fixtures w/ 14k bulbs. I guess maybe I did the math wrong in my head when I ordered them, because I was expecting to come out around 5 watts per gallon. Instead it looks like I'm going to get over 8! Will that burn up my corals? Right now what I have is all soft, but I'm getting these lights with the intention of keeping SPS and LPS as well. Should I perhaps stutter them so that each is only on about half the day, with only a few hours of overlap? I also thought of having 150 watts of actinic VHOs. ( Already have the ballast and fixtures. ) Should I scrap those as well, or would they work OK with the stuttered schedule mentioned above? I want plenty of light, but I don't want to burn up my softies. Any advice for a MH novice would be greatly appreciated.

02/26/2006, 11:31 AM	#5
mcox33 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Nitro, West Virginia Posts: 2,261	I running close to 13watts on my 90 gallon __________________ Mary Current Tank Info: 90 Saltwater Reef, 2 x 400 watt MH, 4 x 65 watt PC, 1 x 24 watt 48" T-5 + 4 blue led's, Dual chamber MRC Calcium Reactor, Huge DIY Kalkwasser reactor (made by someone else) Auto Top Off and Aquatecture Plus Skimmer

02/26/2006, 01:28 PM	#8
dvanacker DID I SOUNDS SMRT?? Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Ontario, CAN Posts: 3,690	Sure you can have as many watts per gallon as you want but why.... I run just under 4 watts per gallon on my SPS reef. __________________ --DARRYL-- Current Tank Info: 200g SPS dominant Mixed Reef

02/26/2006, 06:08 PM	#11
llewoh05 Daddy Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Fisher Posts: 744	how would a 150watt MH DE over a 10gal. tank with 10" depth. i plan hand the light 6" from the water surface.(Canopy restrictions) Could i still keeps button polyps somewhere?? __________________ need something new. got any ideas? Current Tank Info: 1x40br w/ 20gal sump & 10gal refug and 1x incomplete custom 65

02/26/2006, 09:06 PM	#13
llewoh05 Daddy Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Fisher Posts: 744	wait. i just found a great deal on a 250watt MH DE with icecap ballast. would that be to much for my 10gal __________________ need something new. got any ideas? Current Tank Info: 1x40br w/ 20gal sump & 10gal refug and 1x incomplete custom 65

02/26/2006, 02:47 AM	#2
Blown 346 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 6,596	There is no such thing as too much light, it is imposible to duplicate the sun's strength. You are fine with the lighting you have. placement of the softies depend on the depth of the tank, if it is a deeper tanklike 18 inches, the bottom of the tank will be fine to start with. Since you just upgraded to halides it would be a wise choice to start off the lighting times with 2 hours of light the first day, and ad 30 minutes a day to the 2 hours until you reach the full lighting time you want. This will allow the corals to adjust to the new increased lighting without bleaching them. Over a period of weeks you can move the corals slowly up higher. I have 2 250 watt halides over my 90 which is a 18" deep tank, my softies range from the sand bed to the middle of the tank. I would use the actinics, I use both of mine and they are 110 watts a piece .

02/26/2006, 03:29 AM	#3
XeniaMania Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Orange, CA Posts: 1,627	I'm a tad over 8wpg..

02/26/2006, 11:17 AM	#4
Mercer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Atlantic Canada Posts: 274	I'm running 13-14WPG... no ill effects

02/26/2006, 12:53 PM	#6
Big Amish Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Decatur, AL Posts: 77	Wow, thanks everyone for the information. I had some local reefers who thought it would be too much, but I'm much more confident in the combined experience of Reef Central. Thanks again!

02/26/2006, 01:00 PM	#7
Mercer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Atlantic Canada Posts: 274	Oh, before you go too far I'll publicly state that I am by no means an advanced reefer! The tank I was describing is a 10 gallon nano. It's running 65w 10K PC, and 65w Actinic PC of some sort. It has mushrooms on the bottom, and zoos as close as 1" from the surface. So far everyone is happy! The finger coral frag I put in isn't looking so hot, but I don't really know what they are supposed to look like when they are smaller.

02/26/2006, 01:33 PM	#9
sales weasel Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Atlanta burbs Posts: 646	I just bought MH for a 55g. When I get them installed, it will have 7.6w/g. I would think heat may be your biggest concern. But you can always increase the distance from the water.

02/26/2006, 04:05 PM	#10
Blown 346 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 6,596	Peiople ave to know that watts per gallon isnt the correct way to determine "How much light you have". Watts per gallon doesnt mean you have good lighting. You have to look at the intensity of the bulbs, and how deep the tank is. If the tank is deep and you dont have the intensity the light isnt going to reach the bottom of the tank.

02/26/2006, 06:19 PM	#12
Blown 346 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 6,596	Oh yeah, a 150 watt halide would be great for a 10 gallon, you would be able to keep more than just button polyps. SPS ang LPS, stonies here you come.

02/26/2006, 09:11 PM	#14
XeniaMania Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Orange, CA Posts: 1,627	Uhm...yea...I'd say so. Unless you hang it like 5 feet above your tank, but then at that point, ppl might think you're growing something else..kekeke.