bgbdwlf2500
Member
how many watts per gallon are needed for coral? give me the range from lowest to highest. thanks!
how many watts?
- Thread starter bgbdwlf2500
- Start date
wangotango
Active Member
Watts/gallon is an obsolete rule, it's not the best way to measure lighting. 6 wpg of PC would not allow you to keep nearly as much as 6 wpg of T5ho or metal halide.
What you need to consider is the size of your tank (depth is most important), your budget, and what you want to keep. The only lighting systems that you should really consider are T5 and metal halide. PC and VHO are becomming obsolete.
Hope that helps.
-Justin
What you need to consider is the size of your tank (depth is most important), your budget, and what you want to keep. The only lighting systems that you should really consider are T5 and metal halide. PC and VHO are becomming obsolete.
Hope that helps.
-Justin
bgbdwlf2500
Member
Originally Posted by WangoTango
http:///forum/post/2612257
Watts/gallon is an obsolete rule, it's not the best way to measure lighting. 6 wpg of PC would not allow you to keep nearly as much as 6 wpg of T5ho or metal halide.
What you need to consider is the size of your tank (depth is most important), your budget, and what you want to keep. The only lighting systems that you should really consider are T5 and metal halide. PC and VHO are becomming obsolete.
Hope that helps.
-Justin
its a 120 gallon 60x18x26 deep. how many watts would you say to have any coral you want?
http:///forum/post/2612257
Watts/gallon is an obsolete rule, it's not the best way to measure lighting. 6 wpg of PC would not allow you to keep nearly as much as 6 wpg of T5ho or metal halide.
What you need to consider is the size of your tank (depth is most important), your budget, and what you want to keep. The only lighting systems that you should really consider are T5 and metal halide. PC and VHO are becomming obsolete.
Hope that helps.
-Justin
its a 120 gallon 60x18x26 deep. how many watts would you say to have any coral you want?
perfectdark
Active Member
Originally Posted by bgbdwlf2500
http:///forum/post/2612262
its a 120 gallon 60x18x26 deep. how many watts would you say to have any coral you want?
6 to 8 watts per gal of a good quality HOT5 fixture, with individual paraboloic reflectors good ballast and good bulbs. Or the same 6 to 8 watts per gal of metal halide lighting. IMO
http:///forum/post/2612262
its a 120 gallon 60x18x26 deep. how many watts would you say to have any coral you want?
6 to 8 watts per gal of a good quality HOT5 fixture, with individual paraboloic reflectors good ballast and good bulbs. Or the same 6 to 8 watts per gal of metal halide lighting. IMO
wangotango
Active Member
If you went halides then I'd go with two or three 250w bulbs minimum.
I've seen 30" deep tanks lit with normally driven T5ho with SPS at all levels so that's another option. Maybe somewhere in the neighborhood of 6-8 individually reflected 60" bulbs overdriven on Icecap ballasts
.
-Justin
I've seen 30" deep tanks lit with normally driven T5ho with SPS at all levels so that's another option. Maybe somewhere in the neighborhood of 6-8 individually reflected 60" bulbs overdriven on Icecap ballasts
-Justin
bgbdwlf2500
Member
Originally Posted by PerfectDark
http:///forum/post/2612283
6 to 8 watts per gal of a good quality HOT5 fixture, with individual paraboloic reflectors good ballast and good bulbs. Or the same 6 to 8 watts per gal of metal halide lighting. IMO
is coral the most light dependant? im not thinking of having lots of coral but i got a great deal on a light and just want to make sure im not limited anywhere. i justset up a 120 to replace my 55 and the anemone i have did fine near the top of the tank with 130 watts of t5's
http:///forum/post/2612283
6 to 8 watts per gal of a good quality HOT5 fixture, with individual paraboloic reflectors good ballast and good bulbs. Or the same 6 to 8 watts per gal of metal halide lighting. IMO
is coral the most light dependant? im not thinking of having lots of coral but i got a great deal on a light and just want to make sure im not limited anywhere. i justset up a 120 to replace my 55 and the anemone i have did fine near the top of the tank with 130 watts of t5's
wangotango
Active Member
Originally Posted by bgbdwlf2500
http:///forum/post/2612297
is coral the most light dependant? im not thinking of having lots of coral but i got a great deal on a light and just want to make sure im not limited anywhere. i justset up a 120 to replace my 55 and the anemone i have did fine near the top of the tank with 130 watts of t5's
Different corals have different lighting requirements. Softies in general do not require very intense lighting, whereas most SPS corals need very intense light. Inverts like clams and anemones require even more light than most corals.
-Justin
http:///forum/post/2612297
is coral the most light dependant? im not thinking of having lots of coral but i got a great deal on a light and just want to make sure im not limited anywhere. i justset up a 120 to replace my 55 and the anemone i have did fine near the top of the tank with 130 watts of t5's
Different corals have different lighting requirements. Softies in general do not require very intense lighting, whereas most SPS corals need very intense light. Inverts like clams and anemones require even more light than most corals.
-Justin
bgbdwlf2500
Member
so would 1000 watts of metal halide be good enough for pretty much anything at 26" deep? (in theory)
this doesnt do it justice but heres a pic
this doesnt do it justice but heres a pic
