Keeping maxima

[jennifer_swf]

How much metal halide would I need for a maxima in a 55 gallon tank. I have a total of 350 watts of PCs on my tank now, but I am going to go ahead and make the switch to metal halides.

 

[Scuba Dog]

I would go with 2 halides....if your concerned with heat and energy consumption I would go with 150DE's....175 SEs would work...250SEs would work great along with 250DE's...

what other live stock are you planing on keeping other than the maximas....I know with 250s you could keep them on the sand bed without a problem...but for a 55 I think that 150's should do the trick...

 

[jennifer_swf]

Thanks for the help.

I was thinking about 2 250w SE.

I am not sure what else I am going to add just yet. I do remember wanting some LPS and SPS. I just want to try to stay away from the leather and mushrooms this time. They are not as nice as the others IMO. Plus they probably won't do great with the high lighting.

As far as fish, I did have a yellow tang which was in my tank for about 11 months before we moved and I lost him, but I don't think I will get another one. I know tangs really need a lot of room and I want to fill my tank with corals this time. I also had a firefish goby. He was cool, so I may consider getting one again. I just need to do some research. I know I am limited with a 55 gal tank.

 

[Scuba Dog]

With two 250 SE's you can keep any high light coral and clam there is anywhere in the tank...sounds like your going to have a sps/clam set up with some LPS that can take the light......just be sure to keep the calcium and alkalinity up for the clams and sps...they both demand excelent water quality...Heat will need to be delt with since you will have 250s over the 55...a series of stregicly placed cooling fans will greatly help out, and have one blowing over the sump as well...also depends on what tempature you will keep your home at....hopefully you wont have to go with a chiller...but ya never know...depends on what and how many pumps you have as well...

 

[Meisen]

I had very good luck with maximas and 175s however the 250s allow you to put clams pretty much anywhere in the tank. With 175s, I put the clams up high (top 3rd of the tank). The only thing going against the 250s is the heat in a relatively small tank.

 

[jda]

If you go with the MH, you won't really need the PCs anymore. I recommend getting 250W at least. They cost is not that much more. Now you have a 55G, but someday, maybe a 90 or a 120 where the 250W will be fine yet 175W will not penetrate deeply enough and you will have to buy MH over again.

Also, consider pendants. They don't heat the tank up like MH retrofit into a hood would.

 

[Peabody]

Agreed. THe Cost of 250 vs 175/150 is not much more. Get a pair, get a color bulb you like (Check out the 250w thread in the lighting forum) and you can keep anything, lightwise.

 

[jennifer_swf]

Thank you.