smokinggotme
New Member
***I guess what I really wanna know is: how much light does a guy need/want? whats the "rule of thumb" ? Is there such a thing as too much light? ***
I've been in saltwater just over 3 years now ...
.. long story ..
When I first started, I was lucky enough to evade some of the costs, I came across some live rock for FREE, and I happen to move around the same time, and since I had to tear my tank down and I came across 70-85lbs live rock for free it only made sense for me to go saltwater, I have a 75g tank.
3 years later, that free live rock I got, it was werid, something was wrong with it, cant really explain it. ANYWAYS, a week before BLACK FRIDAY, I recieved 90-110lbs of new live rock, a month previous to that I tore down my tank (very long story, dont wanna get it to it). Well its been 11 days since I set it all back up, I must say I love my new rock and sand bed, I have 120lbs of sand, which is = to 4.5-5" sand bed, I absolutely LOVE it, previously I had MAYBE a 2" sand bed so ya, I love the deep sand bed.
On Black Friday, I ordered 2 vortech MP40W pumps, I'm extremely excited for them, but also I want to order some metal halides, I was thinking (2) 250W retro fits...but as my buddy and I were talking we are both starting to think that would be just crazy! Let me explain, I currently have (4) 96W power compacts retro fit kits (only a 12-16 months old) I do like my lights, I should of done better research before i bought them though, because now I wanna buy more lights, boy o boy do I wish I did it right the first time!
ANYHOW>this is my QUESTION> I would like to take (2) 96W bulbs out, and than I would like to stick metal halides in place of them, here is what I was thinking: I already have (4)96W power compacts, take (2) out, which would leave me still with (2)96W power compacts, I wanna add (2) 100-250W metal halides. Right now (my light as is) I have 5.12W/g! If I buy (2) 250W MH's I would than have 9.226W/g (96+96+250+250/75) and wow that got me thinking thats PROLLY way to much light, so thats my question< CAN I HAVE TO MUCH LIGHT? Is my plan a good idea, mixing MH's and PC's togeather:can I do that? well I know I can, you know what i mean, lol .. if 9.22W/g is to much maybe I should go with MY (2)96W PC's plus (2)100W MH's, which comes out to 5.226W/g (96+96+100+100/75).
** I guess what I really wanna know is: how much light does a guy need/want? whats the "rule of thumb" ? Is there such a thing as too much light? ** I don't care about fish and things, if all I wanted were fish, my W/g wouldn't matter to me, anyone can have a tank with saltwater to keep a fish alive, the cool part of saltwater are the corals, so ya basically, I love corals and thats pretty much my goal is to have a reef tank, with my 2 black and white percs, I love them fish, they are so cool! anyways, thanks for the help!
I've been in saltwater just over 3 years now ...
.. long story ..
When I first started, I was lucky enough to evade some of the costs, I came across some live rock for FREE, and I happen to move around the same time, and since I had to tear my tank down and I came across 70-85lbs live rock for free it only made sense for me to go saltwater, I have a 75g tank.
3 years later, that free live rock I got, it was werid, something was wrong with it, cant really explain it. ANYWAYS, a week before BLACK FRIDAY, I recieved 90-110lbs of new live rock, a month previous to that I tore down my tank (very long story, dont wanna get it to it). Well its been 11 days since I set it all back up, I must say I love my new rock and sand bed, I have 120lbs of sand, which is = to 4.5-5" sand bed, I absolutely LOVE it, previously I had MAYBE a 2" sand bed so ya, I love the deep sand bed.
On Black Friday, I ordered 2 vortech MP40W pumps, I'm extremely excited for them, but also I want to order some metal halides, I was thinking (2) 250W retro fits...but as my buddy and I were talking we are both starting to think that would be just crazy! Let me explain, I currently have (4) 96W power compacts retro fit kits (only a 12-16 months old) I do like my lights, I should of done better research before i bought them though, because now I wanna buy more lights, boy o boy do I wish I did it right the first time!
ANYHOW>this is my QUESTION> I would like to take (2) 96W bulbs out, and than I would like to stick metal halides in place of them, here is what I was thinking: I already have (4)96W power compacts, take (2) out, which would leave me still with (2)96W power compacts, I wanna add (2) 100-250W metal halides. Right now (my light as is) I have 5.12W/g! If I buy (2) 250W MH's I would than have 9.226W/g (96+96+250+250/75) and wow that got me thinking thats PROLLY way to much light, so thats my question< CAN I HAVE TO MUCH LIGHT? Is my plan a good idea, mixing MH's and PC's togeather:can I do that? well I know I can, you know what i mean, lol .. if 9.22W/g is to much maybe I should go with MY (2)96W PC's plus (2)100W MH's, which comes out to 5.226W/g (96+96+100+100/75).
** I guess what I really wanna know is: how much light does a guy need/want? whats the "rule of thumb" ? Is there such a thing as too much light? ** I don't care about fish and things, if all I wanted were fish, my W/g wouldn't matter to me, anyone can have a tank with saltwater to keep a fish alive, the cool part of saltwater are the corals, so ya basically, I love corals and thats pretty much my goal is to have a reef tank, with my 2 black and white percs, I love them fish, they are so cool! anyways, thanks for the help!
