Metal Halide Question

[eddie1973]

I am getting back into saltwater and need to get a metal halide. I have a 90 gallon. What wattage do I need for a reef?
Eddie

 

[anonome]

What are the dimensions of your tank? A deeper vs longer tank will need different wattages. And, of course, what do you want to house in the tank?

 

[eddie1973]

48 x 18 x 25 Tall. Not really sure on the corals yet. For sure I want a Brain, BTA, and some polyps.
Eddie

 

[anonome]

150w should be sufficient, but if you want some of the harder sps corals, then go larger. I have 150's and house mostly lps, softies, 2 RBTA, (split) and croceas. I place the croceas up higher on the rocks. Your tank is not that deep, so don't over do the halides, you will just get algae out the gazoo.... I have an open brain and plate coral all doing well.

 

[reefiness]

Over my 90 gallon I have 2x250 14000k Pheonix bulbs running in PFO fixtures and a dual PFO HQI MH ballast and i love the results. Although I haven't yet gotten the strength to try hard corals yet, I have softies, mushrooms, polyps, a Crocea, and 3 bubble tip anemones, 1 regular and 2 reds and they are all doing very well. So if you can afford the upgrade up to 250's and DE for that matter then I would do it incase u want them in the long run, you will be ahead of yourself

 

[cubsfan]

I have 2 250w halides over my 90 gallon and keep sps, lps, mushrooms, polyps. So it will depend on what you want in the long run. I just have softies on the bottom of the tank. If you get a 150w and then decide later you want sps you will need to upgrade.

 

[teen]

go with the 2x 250w.

 

[eddie1973]

I was planning on getting a 2x150 watt 10,000K MH lamps, 2x96 watt True Actinic 03 Blue. So for soft and hard corals I should go with the 2x250 watt 10,000K MH lamps, 2x96 watt True Actinic 03 Blue?
Eddie

 

[teen]

250w would get more light to the bottom of the tank. i personally would go with 250w. if youre trying to cut back on costs, 150w will work good too.

 

[eddie1973]

Thanks for the replies, very helpful. Im going with the 250.
Eddie

 

[jrthomas40]

250s...are a good choice...now you just need to figure out what kelvin you want

 

[teen]

i can help him there as well. if youre still guna do the super actinics, go with a 10k MH bulb. if youre gunna ditch the super actinics, go with a 14k bulb for a nice crisp whitish blue look, or go with 20k if you like the actinic look.

 

[jrthomas40]

ive got 2x250 xm 15k and 2x 96w vho 1 10k and 1 actinic white....i had 1 super actinic and 1 10k

 

[eddie1973]

I am getting a Coralife Aqualight Fixture PRO HQI
Eddie