600gal / MH and T5's...

asnatlas

New member
I am having a 600gal (96x48x30) tank built and I would like to keep clams on the floor... I will be running 4x 250w 14k Ham bulbs in L3 reflectors... With those I will be running 8x 54w (over powered to 80w on IceCap ballests) I will be running 4x 11K Aquablue Plus along with 4x Actinic/Blue Plus...

Lighting config will be as follows:

(Back)
Actinic/Blue Plus
11k Aquablue Plus
14k 250w
11k Aquablue Plus
Actinic/Blue Plus
(Front)

I like the Maxima, Crocea, and Derasa the best (in that order)... I would like to know out of the five diff clams (Maxima, Crocea, and Derasa, Squamosa, & Gigas) which ones I would be able to keep with out an issue, both on the floor and up on the rock work... I would like to keep most of them on the floor, and maybe a few on the top 1/3 of the tank on the rock work...

I will be running Kalk and a CA Reactor as well...
 
the only issue that i see is the 14k MH. some people keep clams with 14k and 20k with out problems, but IMO its pushing it, especially for a Crocea or Maxima at 30"+ from the bulbs
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6228909#post6228909 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mbbuna
the only issue that i see is the 14k MH. some people keep clams with 14k and 20k with out problems, but IMO its pushing it, especially for a Crocea or Maxima at 30"+ from the bulbs

I am starting with 14k, if I don't like them then I will be switching to 10k... Also would it matter if I had 250w vs 400w... I am debating on switching out 2x 250w for 2x 400w...
 
Maxima's like to be up in the rock work, so it would be no problem. I'm not sure if a Crocea is going to get enough light on the bottom under 14K 250's? All the others would be fine.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6243072#post6243072 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Don Berry
Maxima's like to be up in the rock work, so it would be no problem. I'm not sure if a Crocea is going to get enough light on the bottom under 14K 250's? All the others would be fine.

Cool, so place the Maxima's on the rock work along with the Crocea's... and the Derasa, Squamosa, & Gigas should be fine on the substrate ??
 
yep you got it shawn! crocea and maxima love rocks and love light. with 250's and them being in the upper third of the tank 14k's wont matter. squammys, gigas,hippos,derasa should all do fine just about anywhere. i start all of them up on the rockwork some though and experiment first with your derasa on the sandbed (least light demanding of them). if he does well start moving the others down and see how they do. if a derasa cant make it down on the substrate none of them will.
and if all else fails do this. go pick up one 400w system and put it in place of a 250w. this will give you a zone where you can keep light loving things on the sandbed (without going all out on switching over to all 400w). believe me, having this highlight zone will be completely undetectable. cant wait to see the new tank up and running shawn. you dont know it but im guinea pigging you right now so when i start my monster tank i can bug you about what did and didnt work for you lol!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6248665#post6248665 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by xdusty6920
yep you got it shawn! crocea and maxima love rocks and love light. with 250's and them being in the upper third of the tank 14k's wont matter. squammys, gigas,hippos,derasa should all do fine just about anywhere. i start all of them up on the rockwork some though and experiment first with your derasa on the sandbed (least light demanding of them). if he does well start moving the others down and see how they do. if a derasa cant make it down on the substrate none of them will.
and if all else fails do this. go pick up one 400w system and put it in place of a 250w. this will give you a zone where you can keep light loving things on the sandbed (without going all out on switching over to all 400w). believe me, having this highlight zone will be completely undetectable. cant wait to see the new tank up and running shawn. you dont know it but im guinea pigging you right now so when i start my monster tank i can bug you about what did and didnt work for you lol!

Thanks xdusty... I already have the 4x 250w, I am debating on switching out 1 or 2 for 400w... I will set it up with the 4x 250s to see what I get and try that out and might switch some over... As for bugging me, that is not a problem at all... As soon as I can get the tank from Will you are more then welcome to come over and see it... I am sure you have already seen my thread... Feel free to ask anything in there as well as in person...
 
yeah, its gonna be very helpful for me. especially with the lighting. your in that area where alot of reefers say 250w isnt enough and im not so sure i agree. its wierd because its almost like your experimenting the exact things i was wondering about for my setup. thanks for the invite.......ill take you up on it when you get the tank settled in. if you need a hand with anything just give me a hollar.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6249215#post6249215 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by xdusty6920
yeah, its gonna be very helpful for me. especially with the lighting. your in that area where alot of reefers say 250w isnt enough and im not so sure i agree. its wierd because its almost like your experimenting the exact things i was wondering about for my setup. thanks for the invite.......ill take you up on it when you get the tank settled in. if you need a hand with anything just give me a hollar.

LOL, seems we are both on the same page as when I posted my questions I was told to use 400w and that 250w might not work, well I think they will, that is why I went with the 4x 250w... I was thinking about 3x 400w, but, I will find out soon enough...
 
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