confused about lighting any recommendations?

[maryanno]

I am looking to buy new lighting for my 30g Oceanic Cube (20x18x21). My current setup is as follows and is doing great (have had since November and all parameters are pristine, temp is a steady 79 degrees):
20" 96w coralife aqualight 50/50 quad tube 10,000K and true actinic 03 blue
CPR Bak-pak 2 protein skimmer with maxi-jet 1200 powerhead
3 zoo med 214 power sweep automatic self-rotating powerhead wavemakers (one in each top back corner and one on the bottom)
2 inches of live sand
35 lbs. live rock
Coral: candy cane, pink creeping xenia, star polyps, zoo's, green/purple mushrooms, ricordia and pipe organ (all are doing very well and growing, splitting, creeping, etc.)
Fish: clarkii clown and scooter blenny
Others: cleaner shrimp, 6 astrea snails, about 10 blue legged hermit crabs.
I also have a ten gallon (just set up about 1 week ago) with 60 lbs of live sand, 10 lbs of live rock rubble and some cheato we will be using as a refugium. Right now I am using a power filter rated for a 30 gallon tank and a 18watt reef sun 50/50 bulb.
I want to put our coralife fixture on the refugium and buy a new fixture for the 30 gallon so I can put some SPS and maybe a clam on the bottom.
Can anyone recommend a fixture for me? I am really confused after looking around the internet and reading the threads.

 

[bertoni]

Well, I run a 150 W metal halide pendant over a 29g tank, and like the results. You might like that, too. If you are thinking about upgrading the tank size, you could go for a 250 W MH fixture.

 

[dugg]

If you want to keep sps, go with metal halide. I would use a hamilton 250 watt 14k setup myself, Actually that is what i use on my 30gallon, and i love it. The hamilton starts out a little on the blue side, but burns in very nice ( very crisp white with a slight blue tint)
Here is where i buy my bulbs from. Thier price is cheaper then my LFS can buy them, and the ship direct from Hamilton, so you know you are getting fresh stock and not something that has been on a shelf for 10 years.

http://www.roesmarineworld.com/xmhlighting.htm

 

[maryanno]

do either of you have to use a chiller?

 

[bertoni]

No. I don't even need a fan, but that tank has a pendant and no canopy. You might need to add a fan if you go with a canopy.

 

[maryanno]

do your corals show colors without actinics?

 

[bertoni]

I have used 14k and 20k bulbs, and they look fine without actinics, IMO. There's a lot of personal taste, though, in lighting choice.

 

[maryanno]

With everyone's difference in opinion, that is why I am confused. I have read that you need actinics, but not everyone uses them.

 

[dugg]

If you use 10k bulbs you will need actinics. Here is a great thread on different MH lighting temps and how they look to give you an idea.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=254667

 

[bertoni]

One point to keep in mind is that the actinics are for your viewing pleasure. The animals don't much care. Any bulb 6500 K or above should be okay, although some are brighter than others, even for the same wattage. You can always start with a 14k setup, and try the various bulbs yourself, if you can check out any setups in person.