Need opinions on lighting

farslayer

farslayer

Active Member
Ok, here's my plan. I have a 46G bowfront currently outfitted with an eggcrate top and a 110W PC with an actinic blue florescent (non PC). I'm wanting to go MH but I can't afford the canopies. So, I'm thinking about getting the hanging pendants for two 175W MHs, one 10K and one 14K. So here's my questions:
Will the hanging pendants be worth it? Will I get good lighting for my tank?
How high should I have my pendants above the eggcrate top?
I was under the impression that a 14K MH would eliminate my having to have actinic supplements, is this true?
If I actually go through with this, I'll have a total of 350W of lighting in the 10K and 14K range. Is this good enough for SPS, LPS, softies and clams? I'm really wanting to have a great looking tank and I do prefer the blue tint over the yellow and white, but I know that the 10K white will give my tank that shimmering effect. So, I would assume that if I get both of these MH setups that I won't need any other light except perhaps a moon light.
Any thoughts lighting experts? :)
Thanks!
 
iwantacans

iwantacans

Member
first off yes with dual 175w mh you can keep sps and clams...
i keep my mh 8" of the surface of the water.
14k will be bluer than 10k however with 14k id still add actinics. with 20k youll be fine...
i am by no means an expeter however with 250w de you keep all light love acros not just some as you may only be able to keep with the 175w
 
farslayer

farslayer

Active Member
Ah, so you think I'd be better off with 250W MH bulbs instead? So if I hang the bulbs above the tank, should I invest in some PC actinics, like the 55 or 96 watt 50/50s? Do you think that the pendants will be more than capable of directing the light into the tank evenly? Or would I be be better off with a 10K and a 20K and just forget the 14, or go with a 14 and a 20 and ditch the actinics?
 
iwantacans

iwantacans

Member

Originally posted by Farslayer
Ah, so you think I'd be better off with 250W MH bulbs instead? So if I hang the bulbs above the tank, should I invest in some PC actinics, like the 55 or 96 watt 50/50s? Do you think that the pendants will be more than capable of directing the light into the tank evenly? Or would I be be better off with a 10K and a 20K and just forget the 14, or go with a 14 and a 20 and ditch the actinics?
if you dont want actinics go with both at 20k.if you want to supplement go with 10k or 14k for both bulbs.. youll get a dividing line halfway over the tank otherwise and youll notice which one is which....
 
farslayer

farslayer

Active Member
So then I shouldn't mix bulbs? Will two 20K 250W MHs appear too blue? I didn't want a deep-sea effect, but I wasn't sure how to incorporate pendant lights with actinics in a strip light. I also wanted the shimmering effect of the 10K bulb, do the 20K also have this effect?
 
iwantacans

iwantacans

Member
well for the first couple weeks they will be blue.. there is no denying that fact... after burn in i like the color.. 14ks will give a more shimering affect than the 20ks
 
farslayer

farslayer

Active Member
Ok, so here's a question for you then, if I got a 10K and a 20K, and then put one pendant in front of the other, do you think I would avoid the dividing line? I really want the shimmering effect, but I want to ditch the actinics and go MH only, but I didn't want the dividing line either. Something like this:
FRONT OF TANK
********************
Pendant 10K
Pendant 20K
********************
Back of tank
Or should I just get a 10K and stick to a couple of 55W PC 50/50s?
Thanks for all of your help BTW, lighting is a bit confusing sometimes and it's good to hear the opinions of others.
 
farslayer

farslayer

Active Member
heh, good idea :) I'll go for two 250W MH bulbs at 10K and then get 2 55W PC 50/50s. I think I can fit all of that over top of my tank if I put the 50/50s on the back and hover the MH pendants near the front of the tank.
Thanks again!
 
kdogg721

kdogg721

Member
out of curiousity, how much is this costing you? I have the same tank and wanted polyps and maybe even clams one day, but am wondering if its in my budget.
 
farslayer

farslayer

Active Member
Well I can get a hanging conical pendant with a 250W MH bulb for $200; an extra $30 and it also has a moonlight. I plan on putting two of these on my 46G, both being 10K bulbs. Now I already have a 110W PC hood, so whatever the cost of two 50/50 actinic PCs will round out my total.
 
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