lighting question

[aussie260]

I have been doing a bit of research regarding reef tank lighting and it was my understanding that ffor sps corals you need around 8 watts per G and for most other corals around 4-5 watts.
I just saw on the intenet a amazing reef tank made up of mostly SPS corals.The tank is 370 G but only has a total of 1512 W made up of 3x400 MH and 8x39 T5 lighting
my question is how are the sps corals doing so well when only just a little more than 4 watts per gallon is provided .
i sould also point out that this tank has an awesome filtration system and the owner is a higly respected hobbyist

 

[bang guy]

Light intensity is what SPS require, not necessarily quantity. So if you have a 250 watt MH over 60 gallons of water and the water is very clear there will be large areas that are receiving very intense light. Especially on top of rocks.
When considering watts per gallon keep in mind that that's just a starting number, you need to also consider a lot of other factors that may decrease or increase that starting position. A deeper tank will need more light, a shallow less light. MH is more intense than T5 or PC so less is needed.

 

[spanko]

Agree here the intensity of the light, being able to reach deep into the tank, is the issue. Do some research on Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). The spectral range (wave band) of solar radiation from 400 to 700 nanometers that photosynthetic organisms are able to use in the process of photosynthesis. This is necessary to the zooxanthellae, the endosymbiant algae, that are necessary for coral health.

 

[aussie260]

does anyone know just how much watt can be saved by using LED lights compared to MH ? and are LED's just as intense as MH ?
cheers

 

[wangotango]

You can usually light a tank with considerably fewer watts of LED than any other lighting technology. The bigger downside is that with the larger the tank, the more LEDs you are going to need which will raise your initial cost considerably. Most DIYed LED builds are using in the ballpark of one LED per 10-15 square inches of tank space or about about one LED per gallon. There is no set rule for the total number of LEDS you are going to need thought.
As far as intensity there really isn't a clear comparison. There are SO many different combinations of lamp/reflector/ballast for halides, to make a general comparison. There are also so many factors to take into account with LEDs; drive current, optic, cooling, type of LED. Suffice to say that if you're using quality stuff, then there is no reason why you cannot accomplish with LEDs what you could with T5 or metal halides. It has been and is currently being done.
Try to forget about watts/gallon. 5 watts/gallon of PC is not that same as 5 watts/gallon of T5 which is not the same as 5 watts/gallon of MH which is not the same as 5 watts/gallon of LED. A watt is not a unit of light output, so it's pointless to use in this case.
Quote:
Originally Posted by aussie260 http:///forum/thread/380801/lighting-question#post_3314920
does anyone know just how much watt can be saved by using LED lights compared to MH ? and are LED's just as intense as MH ?
cheers

 

[aussie260]

I know this is a matter of personal opinion but do you guys think that a tank full of soft corals and mushrooms can be just as spectacular as a tank full of sps corals ?
if i was to go with soft corals I would be able to a get a larger tank and have more fish but from the pics ive seen on the net they all seem to be just white corals with not all that much colour

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by aussie260 http:///forum/thread/380801/lighting-question#post_3315369
I know this is a matter of personal opinion but do you guys think that a tank full of soft corals and mushrooms can be just as spectacular as a tank full of sps corals ?
if i was to go with soft corals I would be able to a get a larger tank and have more fish but from the pics ive seen on the net they all seem to be just white corals with not all that much colour

The brightest colors are coral that rally don't care for much light. The thing is they require lots of water changes because they have a hefty feeding need, and lots of flow
If you are willing to do the work and research and you want color...here are few examples of non-photosynthetic coral tanks. No other type of corals can touch this kind of color IMO

 

[bang guy]

Quote:
Originally Posted by aussie260 http:///forum/thread/380801/lighting-question#post_3315369
I know this is a matter of personal opinion but do you guys think that a tank full of soft corals and mushrooms can be just as spectacular as a tank full of sps corals ?
if i was to go with soft corals I would be able to a get a larger tank and have more fish but from the pics ive seen on the net they all seem to be just white corals with not all that much colour
It's definately personal opinion. Take a look at some Ricordea yuma tanks, or even Ricordea florida can be spectacular. Then there's the nearly infinate colors of Zoanthids. All of these only require moderate lighting.

 

[aussie260]

most of the research I have done over the last 2 years has been about looking after fish only.
Can someone please suggest a good book that focuses on the needs of a reef tank ?
thanks for the help

 

[btwk12]

i have never owned a book about reef tanks or saltwater for that matter. i learned everything i know from the net. and most of it from this site.just research everything possible before you throw anything in your dt. i personally like lps corals they have a lot of bright colored corals,and are pretty easy to care for and most dont need the real strong lighting that sps need. i am starting to fill my sand bed with ricordeas and zoas like bang guy said but i have almost 5 watts of t-5 lighting/gallon. so its all personal preference i think most soft corals are pretty dull but the come a lot cheaper as far as lighting, flow, water quality and so on.