Is the Sunpod HQI (2 x 150 MH 55gal) enough for SPS?

[Ralph ATL]

I have a 55 gallon tank. 2 months ago, I purchased a 5 inch very Pink Bird's Nest. In the last 6 weeks it started turning brown, and then from the bottom, it started turning white until 90% of it was "bleached" or dead. About 3 weeks ago I switched calcium dosing from AragaMilk to C-Balance. I also switched salt from Oceanic to Tropic Marine's reef crystals hoping it would help. My calcium is 450, Alk is 9.6 or 3.43, no nitrites or phos. PH steady at 8.1 (before I switched to C-balance it did fluctuate alot from 8.6 to 7.9, but over the past 3 weeks, it's been very steady.) Salt is at .33. The MH lights are on from noon to 10:15pm. The LED lights are on from 9am to 11pm. They are the Sunpod HQI (2 x 150 MH with LED'S) The tank is 8 months old. Very little hair algae. I use 60 pounds of live rock & about 2-3 inches of live sand. I have a few reef fish & some mushrooms, a Klyxum, montipora, digitata, Clam, ect. I keep getting conflicting info. Some say my lights are enough for SPS, and some say I need 2, 400 watt MH! Two questions: 1. Is this enough light for SPS? and 2. What SPS can I have that will survive besides monti's? Any advise would be welcome PLEASE!

 

[Cody Ray]

When you list your salt readings it should be listed with it's correct measurment such as ppt, dKH, etc. I am assuming your salt is 33ppt correct? Most reefs are around 35-36ppt. I use 150W metal halides. However, I would recommend using a higher kelvin (assuming the bulbs are 20K) as this will produce more PAR. How old are the bulbs?

 

[Wiskey]

I think ChinChek ment Lower kelvin bulbs, like 10K not 20K. The 10K bulbs put out alot more par than the 20K do.

Whiskey

 

[Ralph ATL]

Salinity is at 1.024
My bulbs are 4 months old and are 14K

 

[Cody Ray]

That is what I ment, thx

 

[undertai]

Buying 2 400w mhs is a waste of money, I have a 55 gallon sps tank also. I run 2 175w and everything is growing fine. The 150's are fine are go 250 for faster grow with more color; 400 are a was or electricy. IMO

In my tank I have an sps growing in the sand. Fraged a coral that i got with dead branches. Looked at something on the bottom and notice a teal skin with brown polyps sticking out the sand. It was the what I thought was dead regrowing. I left it in the sand to see what will happen.

You can see my tank here:
http://saltwater.internetdepot.org

Its an 8 month old picture but as you can see I have good growth. The big brown colony was bought brown but is now coloring up. Under the 175's

 

[ctsieber]

175's are a waste of money for a 55. 250's are about the same price and you will get better color off of them. Get 20k 250's and you will be happy.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7174953#post7174953 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by undertai
Buying 2 400w mhs is a waste of money, I have a 55 gallon sps tank also. I run 2 175w and everything is growing fine. The 150's are fine are go 250 for faster grow with more color; 400 are a was or electricy. IMO

In my tank I have an sps growing in the sand. Fraged a coral that i got with dead branches. Looked at something on the bottom and notice a teal skin with brown polyps sticking out the sand. It was the what I thought was dead regrowing. I left it in the sand to see what will happen.

You can see my tank here:
http://saltwater.internetdepot.org

Its an 8 month old picture but as you can see I have good growth. The big brown colony was bought brown but is now coloring up. Under the 175's

 

[undertai]

These are some othe the coral I keep under the 175's.
As you can tell I get good color even with the 175's over a 55 gallon tank.

 

[szesteve]

I have the sunpod too. I find the LEDs very weak and probably won't do much for your corals.

As for the MH, I find that the light is concentrated in a 1 square foot area. I feel that your light loving corals should be in that area. On the outside of that 1 square foot, you can place other less light demanding corals.

 

[goby1]

150W is plenty for half of a 55. With 10kK bulbs, you might fry things near the top, so be careful if the rockwork approaches the water level. I don't think that 2x 250 watts is your ticket to having colorful corals. I had a 55 with 150 over one half, and switched to a higher K bulb. The bulbs were about 8'' from the water, and I had corals within inches of the top.

G1