Is 3 pendants enough for 8 foot tank?

[lastlight]

Hello,

I've finally committed to my size of 8L x 3W x 2.25H

The tank will be 1" acrylic with top bracing and 3 large holes in the top i think. I could have 4 but want the holes fairly large for access.

My current plan is to use 3 maristars (36" 2x250w mh, 2 x 39w t5) running perpendicular to the tank front centered over each opening. With blue wave 7 m80 ballasts.

Any advice for me? Is this enough for sps? That'd be over 1700W...

Thanks,

Brett

 

[mflamb]

I'm using 3 x 250 MH and 4 x 160 VHO on a 390. (96 x 30 x 31)

I don't understand where your 1700 watts comes from???

 

[Kent E]

I've used 2 over an 8 foot tank and grew sps. three is great.

 

[Sold4JC]

Kent E what type of lights did you use over your tank?

 

[46bfinGA]

1700+ = 3 x maristar fixtures w/2-250 watt and 2-39w.(578watts)


sounds like plenty to me.are you going to be running the pendants from front to back above the openings?

 

[lastlight]

Yeah front to back is what i'm planning. Thanks for the feedback guys. Was really hoping 4 would not be required as 3 is already serious $ lol.

This will be my first acrylic tank tho...If the pendants are over the openings and not over any acrylic at all can the pendants be very close to the water? I'm thinking something like 4-6 inches so the rim of the tank blocks your view of the bulbs. I don't want to blind anyone!

 

[mflamb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10067917#post10067917 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 46bfinGA
1700+ = 3 x maristar fixtures w/2-250 watt and 2-39w.(578watts)


sounds like plenty to me.are you going to be running the pendants from front to back above the openings?

Oh...sorry...I missed the 3 x fixtures. I thought 3 x 250.

 

[46bfinGA]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10068078#post10068078 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lastlight
Yeah front to back is what i'm planning. Thanks for the feedback guys. Was really hoping 4 would not be required as 3 is already serious $ lol.

This will be my first acrylic tank tho...If the pendants are over the openings and not over any acrylic at all can the pendants be very close to the water? I'm thinking something like 4-6 inches so the rim of the tank blocks your view of the bulbs. I don't want to blind anyone!

4-6" seems about right!You may want to buy the pendants with glass to keep the bulb and the reflector clean from salt spray. good luck.

 

[nyvp]

I went with 4 on my 120x36x30 the lumenarcs and lumenmax both do 3x3 area nicely. So i would say yes to 3 if you have a larger reflector

 

[hobogato]

i run five 250 watt halides over my 8' tank, but it is only 2' wide. works well - i think what you have planned will be great.

 

[lastlight]

Thanks guys.

I'm definately doing an open-top so LIII's are out of the question as are the less attractive pendants. From what I've read here I should be ok. I think the 2 x 250W will have much better spread than a single 400 over each hole even with LIIIs.

 

[Kent E]

I use XM 10k on a PFO ballast. the lights are on a light mover so the whole tank gets coverage. There's a few threads with them in there.

Here's one:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1062686

 

[nyvp]

I think they look nice open topped

Dont look at the extra pullies they are gone now








.

 

[Kent E]

I agree open top is the way to go as far as aesthetics. I have little kids though and I never want to walk to my tank and find something that I will regret forever.

 

[lastlight]

i hear ya kent.

I have my first on the way and plan on a tall stand. She'll be trained to clean my tank by the time she's tall enough to reach hehe...

I think the maristars are still my number one choice. I think the 2 lights per opening will spread nicely. I would use 400w LIII's without question if I had a canopy but I personally don't like how they look. I guess I could always make a skirt around them and go semi open top.

Also have check into the 400w solesingle by giesemann but i hear 400w hqi isn't that great. Someone on RC has what appears to be 400w SE pendant by aquamedic called spacelights and these look tempting but I'm not sure where to buy them. As well these pendants are around 2 feet long so I doubt the reflector would cover my tank too well.

Still on the hunt. Tons of time to decide....