SPS= watts per gallon????
- Thread starter grubsnaek
- Start date
paintballer768
Active Member
Watts per gallon is an outdated method of guaging lighting, especially for SPS corals in particular. Theres 2 major regarded light sources for SPS, T5 and MH (metal halides). What size tank do you have?
grubsnaek
Active Member
i know the method is outdated, thats why i stated rule of thumb idea...but you asked for it, so here it is.
125DT= 640w of VHO, 525w of MH (4x 72" 160w VHO + 3X 175w MH)
20L frag/nano= 150w of VHO, 70w MH (2x 24" 75w VHO + 1x 70w MH)
i will soon be upgrading the 20L to a 29....
future 29DT= 150w of VHO, 150w MH.....
so what do you think......
125DT= 640w of VHO, 525w of MH (4x 72" 160w VHO + 3X 175w MH)
20L frag/nano= 150w of VHO, 70w MH (2x 24" 75w VHO + 1x 70w MH)
i will soon be upgrading the 20L to a 29....
future 29DT= 150w of VHO, 150w MH.....
so what do you think......
paintballer768
Active Member
Yea you should be fine. Now just make sure the flow in the tank is set up nicely and you should have a fine sps setup in no time
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
I have a mag 12 on a 30g. lol!!!!!
gatorwpb
Active Member
That is good wattage, but without the VHO, 3x175 would be a little low for a 125g. 3x250w with VHO actinic supplement would be better.
But I agree, you will be able to keep any sps anywhere if the VHO are 10k daylights.
Also, look into the Iwasaki 15k 175w bulbs, as they are the highest PAR 175 bulbs.
But I agree, you will be able to keep any sps anywhere if the VHO are 10k daylights.
Also, look into the Iwasaki 15k 175w bulbs, as they are the highest PAR 175 bulbs.
yerboy
Active Member
Originally Posted by GatorWPB
http:///forum/post/2914200
That is good wattage, but without the VHO, 3x175 would be a little low for a 125g. 3x250w with VHO actinic supplement would be better.
But I agree, you will be able to keep any sps anywhere if the VHO are 10k daylights.
Also, look into the Iwasaki 15k 175w bulbs, as they are the highest PAR 175 bulbs.
Very true i have a Iwasaki 175 bulb and a coralife 250 over my 65 and you cant tell the difference , if you look close enough i think the 175 is brighter then the 250.
http:///forum/post/2914200
That is good wattage, but without the VHO, 3x175 would be a little low for a 125g. 3x250w with VHO actinic supplement would be better.
But I agree, you will be able to keep any sps anywhere if the VHO are 10k daylights.
Also, look into the Iwasaki 15k 175w bulbs, as they are the highest PAR 175 bulbs.
Very true i have a Iwasaki 175 bulb and a coralife 250 over my 65 and you cant tell the difference , if you look close enough i think the 175 is brighter then the 250.
stanlalee
Active Member
what to use for MH is really simple. all that really matters is depth and square feet of coverage.
up to 18" 150-175w
18" to 24" 250w
over 24" 400w
from there you can just use common sense. If your tanks depth is on the edge of a certain range you may want to either use lamps with high PAR or go up in wattage. you can then just use the 2'x2' coverage rule (unless you have advanced reflectors or atypical lamp height in which case you shouldn't have to ask). these are just rules of thumb, not set in stone just like the watts/gallon except these rules of thumb actually work.
up to 18" 150-175w
18" to 24" 250w
over 24" 400w
from there you can just use common sense. If your tanks depth is on the edge of a certain range you may want to either use lamps with high PAR or go up in wattage. you can then just use the 2'x2' coverage rule (unless you have advanced reflectors or atypical lamp height in which case you shouldn't have to ask). these are just rules of thumb, not set in stone just like the watts/gallon except these rules of thumb actually work.
grubsnaek
Active Member
i do like the look of the xm 10k's. they are pritty bright. but i here ya. i currently have a couple monti caps in my 125DT and they are growing nicely with the current light set up...i just wanted to possible scatter a couple acro's across the top. dont want that many just a couple.
grubsnaek
Active Member
Originally Posted by Stanlalee
http:///forum/post/2917479
up to 18" 150-175w
18" to 24" 250w
over 24" 400w
on my nano/frag tank again im running a 70w halide, but the canopy is only 9" tall and the halide its self only sits about 8" of the water surface...so that 70w halide should actually be brighter to the corals since its closer, no???
and my 125DT, yeah its 24" high. but with 1165w of VHO/MH on a dominant softies tank. i think i would be able to add at least say 5 or 6 acro's across the top of either tank. hell the nano/frag tank i can have monti caps anywhere really....
http:///forum/post/2917479
up to 18" 150-175w
18" to 24" 250w
over 24" 400w
on my nano/frag tank again im running a 70w halide, but the canopy is only 9" tall and the halide its self only sits about 8" of the water surface...so that 70w halide should actually be brighter to the corals since its closer, no???
and my 125DT, yeah its 24" high. but with 1165w of VHO/MH on a dominant softies tank. i think i would be able to add at least say 5 or 6 acro's across the top of either tank. hell the nano/frag tank i can have monti caps anywhere really....