Help me pick new lighting for my 156.

[MstgKillr]

Please help me out.

I am leaning toward a MH and T5 combo for my new tank rather than all T5. I want the shimmer.

The tank will be an Oceanic 156 gallon mixed reef including sps and clams and it will have to have a canopy. The dimensions will be 60 x 24 x 25.

What combo would you recommend for both the MH and T5, including bulbs, ballasts, configuration, run times, moonlights etc...

Basically Help me pick new lighting for my 156, the more details the better.


Thanks,
Jason

 

[danskim]

Probably 2x250w HQI + 2 x 80 or 4 x 39w T5.

 

[MstgKillr]

Which bulbs, ballasts, reflectors, etc...

 

[Shaun120]

Depending on the clam you may not need 250w HQI since your tank is just over 24in in depth. You could also look into a mix of 150w and 250w HQI though many don't like the inconsistent look of the tank. The reason I suggest such an idea is since you are going to have a mixed reef some corals only need to have 150w HQI when the depth of the tank is less than 30in. If you plan to keep stonies or light intensive clams you will need the 250w. By mixing the lighting (like a 250 in the middle and 150s on the ends) you could have a variety of different corals.

Using cooler K rated bulbs you wouldn't need the actinic supplementation for daylight settings and could use them for only transition from dusk to day. This would save you big bucks in replacement costs and in power consumption over time.

Maybe right or wrong, but it's an idea to consider...

 

[MstgKillr]

Anyone else?

 

[costa13]

I have the same tank and I am going to use IceCap 250w MH Ballasts, Lumenarc Stealth HQI reflectors, 250w Reeflux 12000k DE bulbs. I am also thinking about supplementing my tank with two 140w(6') VHOS super actinics.

 

[MstgKillr]

ttt