A few lighting questions??

zrs6v4

zrs6v4

In Memoriam
I am running 2 150w HQI MH's, 2 96W PC actinics, and moonlights in my tank(complete hood).. will this be enough light for a wide variety of corals, and possibly a clam towards the middle? If not how can I make it better?

Now for my sump my light just burned out last night, I only had it a week. it was a 10 dollar flood light from Home depot, it had a glass cover on it and was 150 watts. what light should I get when I go get a new one???
 
Oh I have a 120 gallon 48" deep, 30 gal sump... I dont have anything but shrooms in there yet, but would like to do a little of everything in the future...
 
Hi once again, and once again I am not the expert, but the way I understood it when it was explained to me, is the depth of your tank is what you look at when choosing your lights.
The 120 gal that is 48 inch long is usally 24 inches high. So when you get your light that is what you look at. You need the right spectrums of the light to be able to penatrate to the bottom of the tank. The more of the good light spectrums (PAR) that make it to the bottom the better it is for the bottom dweller of the tank.
Also the way I understand it is that each of the different MH watts handle a different depth, the PAR can only make it down so far in the tank, That is why you look at how deep your tank is from the top to the bottom. A 150 watt MH would work well for a tank that is like 16 to 18 inches deep, 175 watt MH is for 18 to 22 deep, 250 watt MH for 20 to 24 deep and the 400 watt is for the 24 to 30 inch deep tanks. That is how I understood it. I may be wrong. But if I understood it right, the 150 you have now will not be enough for clams or animones to survive long term.
Where are the experts? Come on help him out. Other wise his is stuck with me. :eek1: :eek2:
 
"48 inches deep"

Is it 4x2x2 like mine, so it's 24" deep?

I have 2x250w MH's on mine and would suggest either that, or something like Doc Roy is running on his with the dual 175w Iwasaki lights, as they are supposed to have really good PAR.
 
That is what I was thinking your tank was, (one of my favorite sizes).
And as Shooter suggested, I would consider trying to find some 250 watts. I just don't think that with the lights you have now, you would be able to do much more than the softies or the mushrooms, Definate not the clams, they need to sit on the sand from my understanding,(their little foot digs in the sand much easier than the rocks) and the PAR of a 150 on a 24 inch deep tank just won't reach them all the way down there.
 
Almost like what I'm having to do. I have to get a different reflector setup, new MH bulbs, supplemental either T-5 or VHO lighting setup including everything - endcaps, mounts, wiring, ballast, bulbs. Only things I will be reusing will be the MH ballasts and moguls.
 
Puff Puff and drink a beer! I kept crocea clams with that fixture, on the bottom, in a 25in deep tank.
You are fine with whatever you want to keep for the most part. If you get a stick then you might put it up high, but I personally have not tried one with that fixture.
That was out of choice not because the light could not keep them happy.
If you cant drink a beer because you are only 20-then sip some night time tea, relax and enjoy your tank and fixture.
 
crocea clams and other kind can do fine under that light its just others like maxima's and some other kind that need more intense light your's is fine.
 
yea, I am new with corals and things that require lighting.. I was looking and probably will stick with easy corals such as soft corals for now and work my way up in the future...
 
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