help lighting my 120

[schoch79]

Ok so I'm looking to run sps in my 120 which is 24 inches from front to back but I want to only use t-5's. Common sense would tell me to get as much light as will fit inside the 24 inch space but this is for the most part the lights I have found.

1 http://www.aquacave.com/detail.aspx?ID=979

2 http://www.aquacave.com/detail.aspx?ID=693

3 http://www.aquacave.com/detail.aspx?ID=707

Only problem is one I think is 20 and the other 14 inches and both only put out 432 watts of light. Now I know that the watts per gallon rule is obsolete but that's only less than 4 wpg for this tank. Can someone tell me if this is enough light? Will it spread out and cover the entire width of the tank? Any other suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.

 

[schoch79]

bump

 

[Peter Eichler]

Yes, 8x54w T5s with individual reflectors would be enough for you to keep just about any photosynthetic organisms. If you're going to only fo SPS and clams then maybe consider getting retrofits and overdriving the bulbs with Icecap ballasts. If you're going to do a mixed reef, even with clams and SPS the Tek fixture will be good. However, if it were my tank I would get this retrofit and upgrade to Icecap reflectors for a few bucks a piece. That would of course be after I built or bought a canopy

http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5...igh-Output_Retrofit_Kit_w!_Bulbs_by_ReefGeek

 

[schoch79]

Thanks for the advice. I was just curious of that because it seems as if by the looks of some of those fixtures that I should be able to keep at least 10-12 bulbs over that size tank but of course they don't make any fixtures that size. Thanks again.