Sanjay or anyone please help me light my 47 gall extra tall

[The Grim Reefer]

Normally it is better if you can have an actinic at the front but that might not work in your case. I'd stick with a DE halide lamp because of the tighter focus.

If you use a 14K lamp you will only really need the actinic for dusk/dawn so the PC placement wont be as important. You might actually be better off not using actinics and using high powered LED moon lights for dusk/dawn instead.

[Chihuahua6]

Yes a DE halide is what the pendant takes. I don't know if I would get enough flourescence with just a 14000k bulb which is why I thought the actinics would be nice. I have only used 10000k bulbs with actinics in the past and I liked the color. I have never seen moonlights in person either so I hadn't considered whether or not they would give off enough light to view the tank in the morning and early evening when the halides go off. Do you have any pics or a link of a tank lit with only LED moonlights?

[The Grim Reefer]

Don't have a pic but check out some of the online retailers. They will have pics. They will have enough for viewing but it isn't as nice as actinics. You could probably cram at least one PC in there.

[pjf]

Grim,

Is there any consensus on the optimal PAR range for SPS? My understanding is that SPS corals are photoinhibited during mid-day and are photosynthetically most active during morning and afternoon periods when the light is less intense. Dana Riddle found dynamic photoinhibition in Montipora at 260 µmol•m2•sec with photoprotection beginning at ~100 µmol•m2•sec. In fact, he found greater photosynthetic activity with ambient room lighting than with MH lighting at 800 µmol•m2•sec (http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...04/feature.htm). If this is verified in practice, the PAR you measured at your sand bed does not seem unreasonable.

As the industry moves towards less intense LED lighting, I am sure that this issue will be discussed more and more. In the latest volume 3 of Delbeek & Sprung’s The Reef Aquarium, there is a reference to Riddle’s article but missing is recommended lighting levels.

Chihauhau6,

Thanks for the feedback regarding your plans. I notice that Borneman may have hedged when he mentioned 175w lighting. He must have known that 150wHQI lights are just as bright. Did Dr. Joshi explain why he thought 250wHQI was more appropriate for your system?

Thanks!

[The Grim Reefer]

Sanjay recoed 150 at the sandbed for an SPS tank but said 100 if you are carefulabout coral placement.

[pjf]

Thanks, Grim, for your great information.

I've read your posts intently and you are definitely one of the reasons why I am a fan of Reef Central. In fact, based on your T5 postings, I am trying to retrofit an old MH+NO fixture with T6 tubes and new ballasts.

I think your posts are also reassuring the early adopters of LED lighting. I may take the LED plunge next year if I can't get my ancient MH+NO fixture working properly.

Have a Happy Holiday Season!

[The Grim Reefer]

I am not sold on LED's yet. It is pretty easy to get a lamp or ballast when something goes wrong. With LED's so far you have to ship the whole thing back to the factory. I would wait until they come out with a modular unit.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by pjf
Thanks, Grim, for your great information.

I've read your posts intently and you are definitely one of the reasons why I am a fan of Reef Central. In fact, based on your T5 postings, I am trying to retrofit an old MH+NO fixture with T6 tubes and new ballasts.

If you are going straight fluorescents I would probably stick with T5's because of space, the T6 reflectors are wider.

What part of CO you in?

[pjf]

I agree that T5 is better than T6 if one is looking for a new fixture.

I have an ARAD HLD-1250B (www.arad.us) MH+NO fixture:

Since T6 & T6HO bulbs fit into NO sockets, that seems to be the way to go in order to get a bit more output (~10%). I would replace the NO ballast with a T5 ballast if I can find one short enough to fit within the confines of the fixture (~5"x5").

I see that you are in Aurora, Colorado. I am in Monument and although I rarely head north, I would appreciate it if you can recommend a good LFS, frag shop or reef club in the Denver metropolitan area. Thanks!

[The Grim Reefer]

For a Club there is one based around the springs, hit the club forums, it the Southern Coloradomething or other. There is also Rocky mtn reef club and DARC around Denver. Keys Island is a great LFS and Snow Cap in the Springs is a good place.

I am running T6 VHO's on the new tank, so far so good. If you are just changing out for suppliments the T6 will be good. They hold up to heat a lot better than T5's.

[pjf]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
Sanjay recoed 150 at the sandbed for an SPS tank but said 100 if you are carefulabout coral placement.

Grim,

In what article did Dr. Joshi say this? He's written quite a lot and I must admit that I haven't read all of his publications.

Thanks!

[The Grim Reefer]

This was on his lighting thread.