Light level question

[chrisnif]

Okay the little 5 gallon has given me the bug worse instead of the cure. I am going out this week to grab a 55 gal from a local reef club member ($20 bux). He has 2 x 175W metal halide setups (the bat wing things that you mount in the canopy) that he is selling dirt cheap too, and he said if i take it all I can have a 20L for free Love stepping in poo like this
Anyway, would 2 x 175 MH (probably 14k bulbs) plus 2x NO T8 actinics be enough lights to put SPS in a 55 ? My LFS has 2 x 175's on a 300 gallon about 3 feet over the tank but he only has LPS (positioned high) and softies.
Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by Chrisnif
http:///forum/post/3175903
Okay the little 5 gallon has given me the bug worse instead of the cure. I am going out this week to grab a 55 gal from a local reef club member ($20 bux). He has 2 x 175W metal halide setups (the bat wing things that you mount in the canopy) that he is selling dirt cheap too, and he said if i take it all I can have a 20L for free Love stepping in poo like this
Anyway, would 2 x 175 MH (probably 14k bulbs) plus 2x NO T8 actinics be enough lights to put SPS in a 55 ? My LFS has 2 x 175's on a 300 gallon about 3 feet over the tank but he only has LPS (positioned high) and softies.
Thanks in advance for your help.

Absolutely..I have 2 X 175 14K in my 90g canopy, which is the same length as the 55g...so it will surely fit across, and if it is strong enough for my 90g it will certainly penetrate deep enough. You can place your coral anywhere not just high in the tank.

 

[nycbob]

+1. 2x175w mh is plenty over a 55. just mske sure those mh bulbs r still good. most mh bulbs need replacement every 9-12 months.

 

[chrisnif]

Originally Posted by nycbob
http:///forum/post/3175981
+1. 2x175w mh is plenty over a 55. just mske sure those mh bulbs r still good. most mh bulbs need replacement every 9-12 months.
I'm going to get new bulbs right away actually. I'm going to put 2 single tube "shop light" fixtures in the canopy. The one will have a NO actinic to supplement the blue (im going to use 14k K MHs so thats a lot of blue but want more). The other tube im going to put in will be a NO 50/50 bulb, mainly for my viewing pleasure when the MH lights are off and for sunrise/sunset. Probably schedule like this Actinic on at 8 am, 50/50 on at 8:30, MH on at 11 am, MH off at 4 pm, 50/50 off at 7:30 and actinic off at 8. If the corals tell me "more light" I can adjust from there.
Does that sound like a good plan?

 

[fretfreak13]

lol I'm so jealose. xD Lucky you!

 

[chrisnif]

Originally Posted by Fretfreak13
http:///forum/post/3176448
lol I'm so jealose. xD Lucky you!
I cannot recommend more highly that you find/join a local reef club. I'm going tomorrow to pick up a 55 gallon, 10 gallon, 2 x 175W ballasts and misc other "toss in" freebies such as NO flouro lighting strips, power bars etc, for a whopping $40... and then i've got 4 people who want to GIVE me frags, montipora, some blue ricordia, frog spawn and a gorgonia.
Also, my local free club also has 10-20% off at a few participating LFS's. like 200 gallon bucket of instant ocean for $35. I'll send you a PM for more info.