elp me pick new lighting for my SPS tank!!

[glennr1978]

I'm not real happy with my current lighting over my 40 breeder SPS tank (two 150w mh's running phoenix 14's). I've played around with many different 150 watt mh + T5 combos and have never really been satisfied. I've been looking into LED, and was close to pulling the trigger on a couple of sol blues, but after a little more research I'm still not completely sold on LED just yet. I'm open to T5's, but shimmer lines are a must. So I suppose I would need some sort of LED + T5 combo. I'm also still a fan of mh (just not 150's). I've been thinking about running a couple of 250's in lumenbright mini's w/ radiums (my favorite bulb), but I'm affraid that would be overkill for a 40 breeder. Let the suggestions fly, thanks!!

 

[Acropolooza]

maxspect x series are gonna be sweet and cheap!

 

[karsseboom]

I bet you anything that a 250w radium over that 40 would give you some of the best colors possible and if you corals are still brown then it's your tank. No lighting is gonna change the corals if you water is not stable and clean.

 

[glennr1978]

I bet you anything that a 250w radium over that 40 would give you some of the best colors possible and if you corals are still brown then it's your tank. No lighting is gonna change the corals if you water is not stable and clean.

I agree completely. Do you think one would be enough? I need adequate coverage over the entire tank. I'm not opposed to going with a 400w in a good reflector and just raising it up a little higher. If I go with dual 250's I'll likely just use spider reflectors to cut down on the intensity a little. If I go with mh then I will use a suspended canopy to hide the equipment and cut down on light spillage.

 

[karsseboom]

Maybe do one 250w with a lumen bright reflector. Make a to use an m80 ballast and then you'll get some serious par.

 

[glennr1978]

I just ordered a pair of lumatek 150-250 hqi ballasts, and a pair of 250w radiums (I like to be able to control each light individually). It may be overkill, but I'll have the spectrum I want, and not having enough light will never be an issue.

 

[karsseboom]

Two 150's would be more than enough over a 40 breeder. I'm surprised you've not found the spectrum and pleases your eye. The only other option IMO, is LED's.

What's your opinion? How many different lighting setups have you had? Which bulbs have you uses that you liked or disliked? LEDs are not the only option and radiums are far more proven then any led system you can name.

 

[glennr1978]

What's your opinion? How many different lighting setups have you had? Which bulbs have you uses that you liked or disliked? LEDs are not the only option and radiums are far more proven then any led system you can name.

I've run various combos w/ ushio 10k's, reeflux 10k's, reeflux 12k's, phoenix 14k's, 175w iwasaki 15k's (great bulb, just couldn't get enough supplemental actinic to get the spectrum I like). All of those paired with more T5 combo's than I can remember. I'm currently running just a pair of phoenix 14k's w/ no T5's. Honestly, I like the aesthetics of just the phoenix 14k's the best, but they still aren't radiums. Additionally, running just the mh's is making my corals suffer. I've definitely noticed some browning, and overall color loss.

I plan to have the dual 250's suspended ~15" from the water, and I also ordered a pair of 6" fans to keep the heat from getting to the tank.

 

[karsseboom]

Great choice at least them you'll know it's not your lighting.

 

[glennr1978]

Great choice at least them you'll know it's not your lighting.

I'm confident that lighting is my only issue. I'm definitely not lacking filtration, or stability.