Hey guys. This is my first post on here. I've been reading on this site for quite a while and just signed up. Anyways. I am working on setting up a standard size 125 reef tank. I basically (like so many others) want to be able to keep whatever i want in this tank. I am pretty sure i want to do some sort of metal halide set up but I am not sure how exactly to do this. What i mean is what wattage, how many, ect. Like I said it is a standard size, 6 foot long 125 gallon tank with one support bar running across the middle. I was thinking maybe one 250w on each side. But I am not sure that would light the entire tank. Maybe two 175w on each side would provide more even lighting? I really have no clue. Any suggestions?
125 Gallon Lighting Suggestions
- Thread starter jdbdkid93
- Start date
mauger1
New member
A lot of this depends on your reflectors and height above water. Are they going to be in a canopy or hanging? It also depends what corals you would like to keep. I had 2 175 on a 4' 75 and was happy but I can easily see a 6' 125 being too large for those lights. I would look at maybe doing 2 250 with some nice reflectors that will spread the light out, as well as, maybe t5 supplementation.
pmrossetti
Active member
Coralife Aqualight Pro, 3x150watt de, pc, moonlights would be great. Hamilton Belize nice, too.
If canopy Hamilton retro fits are very nice all in one 6 foot units
If canopy Hamilton retro fits are very nice all in one 6 foot units
Orcrone
New member
I'd probably go with 250s. Doubt that 150 watts would be enough for clams or SPS at the bottom if desired. I've also read that many people think 175s actually produce less light than 150s but I have no first hand experience. Someone was selling just recently on this board an Aquamedic fixture that contained four 250 watt metal halide bulbs and T5 supplementation that would have been perfect in your case. There's another person that's currently selling a Sfiligoi system that consists of two 400 watt pendents. It's pretty expensive but an amazing system. According to people that own it there's no light spill, so you're not blinded by glare and it's convection cooled so it's very quiet.
I would have purchased one of these systems but my 125 gallon tank has two braces, so I'm looking for a light with three metal halides.
I would have purchased one of these systems but my 125 gallon tank has two braces, so I'm looking for a light with three metal halides.
mos90
New member
i have the same tank and im having the same delema. right now i have a 6ft coralife cf fixture. kinda nice but not good for clams,anemone or sps corals. instead of mh, which i love, i was just thinking of a 6' aqualife t5 6 lamp fixture. it puts out the same par a 3-250w mh at the bottom and only has 1 cord and built in timer. no mh shimmer though.
i think my tank is 20" tall but the water line is at 19".
i think my tank is 20" tall but the water line is at 19".
Orcrone
New member
I don't think you'd want three. That would put the middle MH right over your center brace. Not too common but I've heard of MH lights melting tank bracing. Maybe two 400 watt fixtures?
salsipuedes
New member
Alright, I had a 125 up until recently. mine had 2 braces, not one int he middle so i had no problem putting 3 x 175watt mh over it and 4 36inch t5s overdriven on an icecap 660 ballast for actinics. I could keep anything I wanted, including clams on the bottom. If i could do it again, and had a tank with only one brace, I would go for 2, 250watt mh and raise it up high enough that it gets a decent spread with good reflectors, and with 4, 60 inch t5s that overlap , but the overlap is 6 inches short on each side. I doubt it would be much of a noticeable difference with those 6 inches being cut short on each side.
However, with the new LED lighting systems being put out, I would probablly go with 6, kessil a150w fixtures. They are comparable in output to a 150 watt metal halide, but are 30 watt leds (consume 36 watts). I would go 3 10k fixtures, supplemented with 3 20 k fixtures, each one lighting a 2 ft section. I figure it would make your corals fluoresce like crazy with the 20k colors and grow like mad with the 10k mix put in there. I would highly consider LED lights over anything else at this point, and this is coming from a person who was a die hard metal halide user for years. So, 180watts of led light as opposed to at least 500watts... and the kessil lights are powerful 30 watt leds, not like all these other fixtures which use multiple leds, each fixture is very tiny adn compact... and priced at 250 each.
And to play devils advocate for a sec, it is still an unproven product and kinda pricey at 250$ each fixture. Its not for everyone and there is no real changing of bulbs in the hopes of trying to get a different spectrum. What you see is more or less what you get but then again, no more changing bulbs... (ever perhaps), no more excess ridiculous heat, less power consumption not only in the lights but also possibly no need for a chiller, and the A/C in the house would probablly run less.
Probablly my one biggest reason I would go with LEDS as opposed to any other choice of lighting: No more change in the light output every 9 months or so. Just one constant output, less fluctuation.
However, with the new LED lighting systems being put out, I would probablly go with 6, kessil a150w fixtures. They are comparable in output to a 150 watt metal halide, but are 30 watt leds (consume 36 watts). I would go 3 10k fixtures, supplemented with 3 20 k fixtures, each one lighting a 2 ft section. I figure it would make your corals fluoresce like crazy with the 20k colors and grow like mad with the 10k mix put in there. I would highly consider LED lights over anything else at this point, and this is coming from a person who was a die hard metal halide user for years. So, 180watts of led light as opposed to at least 500watts... and the kessil lights are powerful 30 watt leds, not like all these other fixtures which use multiple leds, each fixture is very tiny adn compact... and priced at 250 each.
And to play devils advocate for a sec, it is still an unproven product and kinda pricey at 250$ each fixture. Its not for everyone and there is no real changing of bulbs in the hopes of trying to get a different spectrum. What you see is more or less what you get but then again, no more changing bulbs... (ever perhaps), no more excess ridiculous heat, less power consumption not only in the lights but also possibly no need for a chiller, and the A/C in the house would probablly run less.
Probablly my one biggest reason I would go with LEDS as opposed to any other choice of lighting: No more change in the light output every 9 months or so. Just one constant output, less fluctuation.
I think if i was going to get LEDs I would wait a while. Until they became more common. Definately cheaper too. Because I am not really in the market for a price tag like that. Even the metal halides are pushing my budget a bit.
But anyways. If i was to go with 2, 250w metal halides (which i most likely will) do you have any recommendations on which model? I was looking at the Hamilton Cayman. Do you know if that is a good light or have any opinion on a better one that you would suggest.
But anyways. If i was to go with 2, 250w metal halides (which i most likely will) do you have any recommendations on which model? I was looking at the Hamilton Cayman. Do you know if that is a good light or have any opinion on a better one that you would suggest.
pmrossetti
Active member
Cayman looks excellent.Hamilton ballasts are reliable and long lasting.
It has leds too!
It has leds too!
insomniac2k2
Active member
Wouldn't 3 of the new kessil A150w cans do the trick? They will pay for themselves pretty quickly if you run them instead of MH. They are rated at 39W draw but usually draw between 34-36w. Just a thought...
Greedo
New member
My 2c. if you can shell out the up front cost a quality LED system it will be cheaper in the long run and you can put them wherever you need them. I have herd nothing but good things about Aqua Illuminations and I myself am having great results with TMC's Aquary LED's. I have totally become a fan of LED's because
1) Heat, heat, heat...My A/C dose not have to fight the LED's like the MH's and neither dose my tank. That's a big deal down south lol.
2) Money, because my A/C is not fighting the heat, and I'm not blasting 400w all day my meter no longer shoots sparks when my lights turn on. Also no replacement bulbs for 5-6 years, after all the savings from the above reasons I could replace them all every 4 years and still come out ahead of MH's.
Just my 2c.
1) Heat, heat, heat...My A/C dose not have to fight the LED's like the MH's and neither dose my tank. That's a big deal down south lol.
2) Money, because my A/C is not fighting the heat, and I'm not blasting 400w all day my meter no longer shoots sparks when my lights turn on. Also no replacement bulbs for 5-6 years, after all the savings from the above reasons I could replace them all every 4 years and still come out ahead of MH's.
Just my 2c.
i have a 125g 48x24x26 no center brace glass tank. it is sps acro dominated tank.
i have 2x250w MH and 4x54w Actinic bulbs. i am pretty happy with that setup. i am upgrading to 3x Aqua Illumination Sol blue modules soon. not sure if 3 will be enough so maybe 4 but 3 for sure.
i have 2x250w MH and 4x54w Actinic bulbs. i am pretty happy with that setup. i am upgrading to 3x Aqua Illumination Sol blue modules soon. not sure if 3 will be enough so maybe 4 but 3 for sure.
pmrossetti
Active member
How are those maxi jet mods working for you? on red sea wavemaker?
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