150 hqi vs 250 hqi

meg · 08/14/2006, 04:04 PM

I am in need of some advise. I going to be making some big changes to my 120. I want to keep sps. I have had softies and lps for 10 years. Lighting is not a subject I know much about. Right now I have several power compacts built into my caopy. Some of the fixtures are 10 years old and starting to have major issues.
Usually my husband can build or fix anything I need but this time of year he doesn't have time sooooo,
I have been looking at the aqualight pro for my tank. Plug and play as they say.I haven't read too many posts that had much to say about the 150's, but I have seen that light on tanks at imac and liked the way they look. Any opinions would be appreciated. They now have a set up with 250's as well.
Thanks.
Meg

aclos3 · 08/14/2006, 04:18 PM

The dimensions of your 120 would help, but I will assume it is 24inches deep or somewhere around there. I you are planning to grow SPS on anything but the very very top of the water, you will need more than 2x150. HQIs have nice output, but I would still say for an sps tank with good color you will want nothing less than 2x250w 10k mh, plus a couple hundred watts of compact flourescent supplementation (actinics, etc.)

On our 125 (24inch depth) we have 2x400w 6500K Iwasakis plus about 200 watts of CF (actinic and daylight). In the cooler months, we run the MHs 8 hours per day, in the warmer months we run them around 6hrs per day to help with heat. We have AC, but it doesn't quite keep up.

meg · 08/14/2006, 04:26 PM

Thanks. the tank is 48 x 24 high 24 wide.
That's pretty much what I thought but I thought I should check.

EnderG60 · 08/14/2006, 04:54 PM

250's at least.

but if you want to do some bluer bulbs I would go with 400's.

I would recommend a set of 250w 14k pheonix bulbs with some kind of actinics.

aclos3 · 08/14/2006, 04:59 PM

Ender, would 14k 250w + actinics be enough light for sps? You get a bit more growing light out of the slightly less blue 10k's, right? I know the color temp will somewhat effect growing rate vs coloration, but I just want to make sure 14ks would be enough for her to get any growth at all in the bottom/middle region of the tank.

I only say this because she does have a 24 inch deep tank, and I assume she will want to actually have some sps at the bottom.

I don't have direct experience with 14k bulbs in a 24inch deep tank. I'm sure there are plenty of us here that can attest to how well 250w 14ks will or will not work with a 24inch deep tank.

meg · 08/14/2006, 10:11 PM

Anyone else care to join in?

08/14/2006, 04:04 PM	#1
meg Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Oregon,Il Posts: 200	150 hqi vs 250 hqi I am in need of some advise. I going to be making some big changes to my 120. I want to keep sps. I have had softies and lps for 10 years. Lighting is not a subject I know much about. Right now I have several power compacts built into my caopy. Some of the fixtures are 10 years old and starting to have major issues. Usually my husband can build or fix anything I need but this time of year he doesn't have time sooooo, I have been looking at the aqualight pro for my tank. Plug and play as they say.I haven't read too many posts that had much to say about the 150's, but I have seen that light on tanks at imac and liked the way they look. Any opinions would be appreciated. They now have a set up with 250's as well. Thanks. Meg __________________ Meg 120 gallon reef 4"dsb,liverock,lifereef skimmer 150 basement sump Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer 300 xl in the works

08/14/2006, 04:26 PM	#3
meg Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Oregon,Il Posts: 200	Thanks. the tank is 48 x 24 high 24 wide. That's pretty much what I thought but I thought I should check. __________________ Meg 120 gallon reef 4"dsb,liverock,lifereef skimmer 150 basement sump Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer 300 xl in the works

08/14/2006, 10:11 PM	#6
meg Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Oregon,Il Posts: 200	Anyone else care to join in? __________________ Meg 120 gallon reef 4"dsb,liverock,lifereef skimmer 150 basement sump Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer 300 xl in the works

08/14/2006, 04:18 PM	#2
aclos3 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 394	The dimensions of your 120 would help, but I will assume it is 24inches deep or somewhere around there. I you are planning to grow SPS on anything but the very very top of the water, you will need more than 2x150. HQIs have nice output, but I would still say for an sps tank with good color you will want nothing less than 2x250w 10k mh, plus a couple hundred watts of compact flourescent supplementation (actinics, etc.) On our 125 (24inch depth) we have 2x400w 6500K Iwasakis plus about 200 watts of CF (actinic and daylight). In the cooler months, we run the MHs 8 hours per day, in the warmer months we run them around 6hrs per day to help with heat. We have AC, but it doesn't quite keep up.

08/14/2006, 04:54 PM	#4
EnderG60 Plumbing Engineer Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 3,260	250's at least. but if you want to do some bluer bulbs I would go with 400's. I would recommend a set of 250w 14k pheonix bulbs with some kind of actinics.

08/14/2006, 04:59 PM	#5
aclos3 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 394	Ender, would 14k 250w + actinics be enough light for sps? You get a bit more growing light out of the slightly less blue 10k's, right? I know the color temp will somewhat effect growing rate vs coloration, but I just want to make sure 14ks would be enough for her to get any growth at all in the bottom/middle region of the tank. I only say this because she does have a 24 inch deep tank, and I assume she will want to actually have some sps at the bottom. I don't have direct experience with 14k bulbs in a 24inch deep tank. I'm sure there are plenty of us here that can attest to how well 250w 14ks will or will not work with a 24inch deep tank.