After a 10 year hiatus, I am wanting to set up another fairly large acrylic reef system. The tank will have viewing capability from either side. One side will be fully open and in my professional office and the other side will be partially viewable from a patient exam room (window created in the wall). For privacy, a fairly thin partition of artificial live rock will divide the tank lengthwise, thinnest at the top and a bit thicker at the base with "roots" spreading out. Attachment points will be placed for a variety of SPS and LPS corals.
The dimensions at this point will be 72" x 30" x 30". What I first need to know is the kind of lighting will that allow satisfactory light penetration for the corals and (potentially) a few smaller species clams.
It looks like LED lighting has finally become practical, but I have concerns about its ability to penetrate to the desired depth. If the tank height needs to be reduced to accommodate the LED lighting, then I can do this. I am only in the planning stage so I can do pretty much anything I want.
I do want to avoid using the old school metal halide systems because of their heat problems. Lighting my old 330 gallon system was just not practical because of the depth in the light requirements. Just way too much heat produced, even with automotive cooling fans and a chiller.
The builder that I used for my old 330 acrylic system is no longer in business. That means I need a recommendation for a new acrylic builder. Fortunately, I still have a plethora of hardware that I can use for my sump and refugeum. My office is in Seymour, TX (North central TX).
The dimensions at this point will be 72" x 30" x 30". What I first need to know is the kind of lighting will that allow satisfactory light penetration for the corals and (potentially) a few smaller species clams.
It looks like LED lighting has finally become practical, but I have concerns about its ability to penetrate to the desired depth. If the tank height needs to be reduced to accommodate the LED lighting, then I can do this. I am only in the planning stage so I can do pretty much anything I want.
I do want to avoid using the old school metal halide systems because of their heat problems. Lighting my old 330 gallon system was just not practical because of the depth in the light requirements. Just way too much heat produced, even with automotive cooling fans and a chiller.
The builder that I used for my old 330 acrylic system is no longer in business. That means I need a recommendation for a new acrylic builder. Fortunately, I still have a plethora of hardware that I can use for my sump and refugeum. My office is in Seymour, TX (North central TX).
