IS 250 MH lighting too much

[cougaran]

IS 250 MH lighting too much over a 40 breeder tank? My goal is to use it mainly as a frag tank for zoos and moderate light loving softies.. I have an older type MH ballast and need to buy reflector and bulb for a custom application. Any suggestions on bulb for maximum growth and coloration?

 

[ficklefins]

14k is a good balance of color (20k spectrum) and growth (65k-10k).

BTW I have a 250 setup on my 20g, and while I hate the top offs the color is great!

 

[Azurel]

I have a 14K 250 watt Hamilton on my 40g long supplimented with 220 watts VHO. All my zoanthids love it....

 

[cougaran]

How high up are your zoanthids in the tank? Also just curious do you have your blue zoos in the tank or are they on the very bottom of the tank?

 

[Azurel]

I don't know about blues but most of my colonies and frags are in the top 2/3 of the tank. My light is about 7-8 inches above the water and my VHOs are about 2 inches above the water. I have frags that are 3-4 inches from the top and doing great and getting brighter as we speak. I have frags that are in all areas of the tank in reality. I do have some pinks on the bottom that were really light pink and beige and are becoming Bright pink/purplish and a gold pewter color.

 

[Reeferhead]

I have 2 - 250w HQI 14K over my 60 gal. I only keep zoas and rics. I would say 70% of the zoas I've put in there have color shifted within two weeks due to the high light. Most shift colors for the better. A few frags have washed out, but I just move them lower and they regain their color relatively quickly. I say go with as much light as you can afford and your tank temperature can handle!

 

[cougaran]

I've been thinking that I may need to do a 14K bulb for some growth and coloration.. I also believe the Par intensity wouldn't be as bad, thus I wont fry my corals as bad as say a 10k or 6500K bulb.. Since it's a mogul any suggestions on 14K bulb? I was told German type wont work with this older ballast, but i really dont know why.

 

[Dark]

What about some 400W 20K bulbs... Are they OK for zoa's?

Dark

 

[Ti]

not too much

 

[dwdenny]

What about 175w with the new Iwasaki 14k bulb? That is waht I am thinking of putting on my 40 breeder. But I am also looking at T5 as well. Just havenot made up my mind yet.

 

[Chemguy85]

The new Iwaaki 14k bulb is suppose to be admazing par wise. But it doesn't really give the color of a 14k bulb. It is closer to a 10k. I heard that they will be putting out a 20k so i am waiting for it come out before i get some new bulbs. 175, 250, 400 halides are never to much for your zoas as long as they are aclimated to the new lights ie screens or adjusting the height, or lighting period. ben

 

[dwdenny]

According to Sanjays CCT numbers it is a true 14kk bulb. Time will tell. That is my problem the canopy I made is 8 1/4" off the top of the water. y my calculations that puts the bulbs for MH with good reflector at about 4" off the water(let me know if I am wrong here) With T5 they would be about 6" but I could add some strips inside to lower for T5. If I go with 175w would 4" or so off the water be too close. Sorry did mean to hijack the thread but no sense in creaing a new thread on the same subject and tank.