Lighting for our new 135 gal.

kimnjody · 03/01/2006, 12:41 AM

We recently moved from a 75 gal. reef tank to a 135 gal. tank. The new tank came with 4 VHO's, 3 actinic and 1 daylight at 6' long. Our question is, should we keep using the VHO's or switch to Power compacts? Also, how much MH lighting should I go with, 3 bulbs, 4 bulbs, and what kind of wattage for them? We plan on having various types of corals in this tank along with all the live rock and fish. Thanks in advance for the help and advice everyone.

Jody

bertoni · 03/01/2006, 06:57 PM

To Reef Central

I like the look of VHOs more than I like PC lighting, but that's an esthetic choice. Either should be okay, although VHO might require more frequent bulb replacement.

If the tank is 6' long, I'd target 3 250 W metal halide fixtures, if you want to be able to stock high-light corals. The bulbs are good for about a 2' spread, approximately. You could consider 400 W fixtures, if the tank is deep and you want to be able to keep high-light animals closer to the bottom.

kimnjody · 03/01/2006, 07:52 PM

Sounds good bertoni, I appreciate your reply. I called one of saltwater goods suppliers last week and he recommended about the exact same thing. I was reading up on the issue and the recommended lighting for my tank was 3x175 watt metal halide fixtures... that's where I was getting confused. I think I will go with the 400 watt fixtures though, I do plan on having high light corals in our tank. Once again, thanks for your advice.

Jody

kimnjody · 03/07/2006, 12:00 AM

One more thing... Yes our tank is 6' long, but it is 18" deep and 24" tall... do you think 400 watt fixtures may be too much for only 24" depth? Maybe I should just stick with 3x250 watt MH's.... ARGH.. too confusing.

bertoni · 03/07/2006, 12:55 AM

If it's only 24" deep, I would definitely stick with 250 W fixtures. I'm sure others would still push for 400 W, though.

kimnjody · 03/07/2006, 09:05 AM

Cool, thanks bertoni for all of your opinions about my lighting issue... I needed them.

MCary · 03/07/2006, 10:05 AM

You have plenty of light already without the MH for everything but clams, some anemones, and SPS. 250 mh are plenty for a 135. I run 2 250's on a 30 inch deep tank and have some gorgeous and thriving acros.

kimnjody · 03/07/2006, 11:25 AM

Very cool MCary, thanks for you comeback. I'm not sure of the wattage of our VHO's, but they do look good. So in your opinion I should run 3x250 watt MH's? We do have one SPS (Orange Plate) sitting on our sandbed at this point, it looks to be doing fine right now, almost looks as if it's growing. Some of the other things we have are some Finger Leather, Green Star Polyps, various mushrooms, a Candylactus (sp?) anemone, Blue Pulsating Xenia, Candycane, Elegance and some other polyps.

MCary · 03/07/2006, 11:33 AM

Actually an orange plate is an LPS not SPS. And they do not require as much light as SPS. Candy cane is also LPS as is the elegance. Elegance corals usually die, don't get all upset if that happens to you. You should have plenty of light for that selection. I might go with a 50/50 mix rather that 3 actinics. One actinic and three full spectrum or 10,000k would give you more light also.

kimnjody · 03/07/2006, 01:26 PM

Right on MCary. Once again I appreciate your feedback on this, I'm totally new to the saltwater thing. I thought that the orange plate was a SPS, sorry about that... I'm learning. So should I hold off on getting MH's then? Or should I go ahead and get some?

MCary · 03/07/2006, 03:05 PM

MH will increase your electric bill and heat your tank. You may want to consider extra input on this but I believe 4 VHO light are plenty for what you have. 6 foot VHO lights are 160w each. So you already have 640 watts of lights. Those light should be fine for LPS, Softies, and maybe even a few SPS like Montipora.

At this point I would say that the addition of MH is one of preference not necessity.

I would also add, re-reading your first post, Having used both I think VHO are better that power compacts. Being a believer in newer technology must be better technology this is hard for me to say.

BTW Have you tryed feeding a silver sides or a krill to your plate coral. Its really cool.

kimnjody · 03/07/2006, 04:21 PM

I didn't realize that they were 160w each... wow! That's cool. I think I will take your advice and keep the VHO's for now, but replace the bulbs, I'm not sure how old these are.. they look good, but I'm just not sure of their age. Plus I guess I need to replace at least one of the actinics with a daylight bulb.. maybe run 3 daylight bulbs and 1 actinic?

No I haven't tried feeding our orange plate silver sides or krill, may have to try it though. Only thing I feed the tank is brine shrimp, oyster eggs and flake food. What happens when you feed it krill?

MCary · 03/07/2006, 04:53 PM

If you place a silverside or a krill on the plate his mouth will slowly expand over it and engulf it. Mmmmmmmmmm tasty.

kimnjody · 03/07/2006, 05:54 PM

lol... to cool! Will definately have to try that.

03/01/2006, 12:41 AM	#1
kimnjody Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Roswell, New Mexico USA Posts: 38	Lighting for our new 135 gal. We recently moved from a 75 gal. reef tank to a 135 gal. tank. The new tank came with 4 VHO's, 3 actinic and 1 daylight at 6' long. Our question is, should we keep using the VHO's or switch to Power compacts? Also, how much MH lighting should I go with, 3 bulbs, 4 bulbs, and what kind of wattage for them? We plan on having various types of corals in this tank along with all the live rock and fish. Thanks in advance for the help and advice everyone. Jody

03/01/2006, 06:57 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	*To Reef Central* I like the look of VHOs more than I like PC lighting, but that's an esthetic choice. Either should be okay, although VHO might require more frequent bulb replacement. If the tank is 6' long, I'd target 3 250 W metal halide fixtures, if you want to be able to stock high-light corals. The bulbs are good for about a 2' spread, approximately. You could consider 400 W fixtures, if the tank is deep and you want to be able to keep high-light animals closer to the bottom. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/07/2006, 12:55 AM	#5
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	If it's only 24" deep, I would definitely stick with 250 W fixtures. I'm sure others would still push for 400 W, though. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/01/2006, 07:52 PM	#3
kimnjody Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Roswell, New Mexico USA Posts: 38	Sounds good bertoni, I appreciate your reply. I called one of saltwater goods suppliers last week and he recommended about the exact same thing. I was reading up on the issue and the recommended lighting for my tank was 3x175 watt metal halide fixtures... that's where I was getting confused. I think I will go with the 400 watt fixtures though, I do plan on having high light corals in our tank. Once again, thanks for your advice. Jody

03/07/2006, 12:00 AM	#4
kimnjody Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Roswell, New Mexico USA Posts: 38	One more thing... Yes our tank is 6' long, but it is 18" deep and 24" tall... do you think 400 watt fixtures may be too much for only 24" depth? Maybe I should just stick with 3x250 watt MH's.... ARGH.. too confusing.

03/07/2006, 09:05 AM	#6
kimnjody Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Roswell, New Mexico USA Posts: 38	Cool, thanks bertoni for all of your opinions about my lighting issue... I needed them.

03/07/2006, 10:05 AM	#7
MCary Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Hardin, Montana Posts: 3,142	You have plenty of light already without the MH for everything but clams, some anemones, and SPS. 250 mh are plenty for a 135. I run 2 250's on a 30 inch deep tank and have some gorgeous and thriving acros.

03/07/2006, 11:25 AM	#8
kimnjody Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Roswell, New Mexico USA Posts: 38	Very cool MCary, thanks for you comeback. I'm not sure of the wattage of our VHO's, but they do look good. So in your opinion I should run 3x250 watt MH's? We do have one SPS (Orange Plate) sitting on our sandbed at this point, it looks to be doing fine right now, almost looks as if it's growing. Some of the other things we have are some Finger Leather, Green Star Polyps, various mushrooms, a Candylactus (sp?) anemone, Blue Pulsating Xenia, Candycane, Elegance and some other polyps.

03/07/2006, 11:33 AM	#9
MCary Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Hardin, Montana Posts: 3,142	Actually an orange plate is an LPS not SPS. And they do not require as much light as SPS. Candy cane is also LPS as is the elegance. Elegance corals usually die, don't get all upset if that happens to you. You should have plenty of light for that selection. I might go with a 50/50 mix rather that 3 actinics. One actinic and three full spectrum or 10,000k would give you more light also.

03/07/2006, 01:26 PM	#10
kimnjody Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Roswell, New Mexico USA Posts: 38	Right on MCary. Once again I appreciate your feedback on this, I'm totally new to the saltwater thing. I thought that the orange plate was a SPS, sorry about that... I'm learning. So should I hold off on getting MH's then? Or should I go ahead and get some?

03/07/2006, 03:05 PM	#11
MCary Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Hardin, Montana Posts: 3,142	MH will increase your electric bill and heat your tank. You may want to consider extra input on this but I believe 4 VHO light are plenty for what you have. 6 foot VHO lights are 160w each. So you already have 640 watts of lights. Those light should be fine for LPS, Softies, and maybe even a few SPS like Montipora. At this point I would say that the addition of MH is one of preference not necessity. I would also add, re-reading your first post, Having used both I think VHO are better that power compacts. Being a believer in newer technology must be better technology this is hard for me to say. BTW Have you tryed feeding a silver sides or a krill to your plate coral. Its really cool.

03/07/2006, 04:21 PM	#12
kimnjody Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Roswell, New Mexico USA Posts: 38	I didn't realize that they were 160w each... wow! That's cool. I think I will take your advice and keep the VHO's for now, but replace the bulbs, I'm not sure how old these are.. they look good, but I'm just not sure of their age. Plus I guess I need to replace at least one of the actinics with a daylight bulb.. maybe run 3 daylight bulbs and 1 actinic? No I haven't tried feeding our orange plate silver sides or krill, may have to try it though. Only thing I feed the tank is brine shrimp, oyster eggs and flake food. What happens when you feed it krill?

03/07/2006, 04:53 PM	#13
MCary Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Hardin, Montana Posts: 3,142	If you place a silverside or a krill on the plate his mouth will slowly expand over it and engulf it. Mmmmmmmmmm tasty.

03/07/2006, 05:54 PM	#14
kimnjody Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Roswell, New Mexico USA Posts: 38	lol... to cool! Will definately have to try that.