Help me light my tank

[A.G]

Hey all,

Just finished my new DIY 27" L x 26 " W 24.4" H rimless cubish tank.

This is going to be mainly sps tank with rock work go from the back right corner to the middle of the tank.

Overflow box is external.

What would you suggest for lighting. Currently I have my eyes on a single 250w Radium on a hamiltan caymann reflector. I am worried that corals will grow the light source only and not grow branched equally into all sides if that make sense.

 

[Reef264]

I run 2 cayman 250w fixtures over my tank and have no trouble with getting my SPS to thrive.Have had them for 5 years now, everything still runs as it should.I don't run radius though, I have the double end fixtures, so I run Pheonix Hexarc 14k bulbs, they give a great blue color and last around 8-9 months easily.I try to change them around 6 months but I don't always remember to.

There is also the cool route, which would be LED's.A lot of impressive fixtures out there for not a lot more than halides.

-Ray

 

[Chris Lakies]

eight bulb 24" ATI sunpower.

 

[Peter Eichler]

I really like my Lumen Bright III minis with Radiums and a Lumatek dimmable multi-watt ballast. That way if you ever want to go 400w MH you can easily. I like T5's, but they just don't make as much sense on cubes or tanks shorter than 36".

 

[jda]

That cayman and radium will be awesome. I would run that bulb with either magnetic MH or even a M80 HQI ballast. It will be a nice light that you will really like, IMO.

 

[A.G]

That cayman and radium will be awesome. I would run that bulb with either magnetic MH or even a M80 HQI ballast. It will be a nice light that you will really like, IMO.

Thanks thats what I am hoping. But do you think I will have the corals on left and right sides of the tank grow the middle ( source of light ) ?

What color is the radium on HQI ballast ?

 

[jda]

The reflector will spread it and you will get growth over the whole tank.

The bulb will look about the same on HQI - a bit more white, with still awesome flouresce with more output.

 

[Peter Eichler]

Thanks thats what I am hoping. But do you think I will have the corals on left and right sides of the tank grow the middle ( source of light ) ?

What color is the radium on HQI ballast ?

I would suggest only running the Radium on an M80 or an electronic with the "hqi" setting or known to drive bulbs at hugher watts. The "HQI" electronics are nice since they run the bulb just like an M80 would but slightly more efficiently. If you go the M80 route I'd suggest the Aquamedic Reeflex Cube since it has some cooling and is quite reasonably priced.