Light mover over SPS?

[sonofgaladriel]

Hi guys,
I'm planning a 600 gallon 96"x48"x30"), possibly an 860 gallon (120"x48"x30") reef tank to replace my existing 240 cube.
I'm still debating lighting over a tank this size. The tank will be primarily SPS.
I just saw a 96"x48"x30" with a 1000 watt 20K in a horteculture/luminarc type fixture that was on a light mover. The mover moves over the length of the tank, taking 2 minutes to go end to end.
The 1000 watt bulb provided enough light to cover basically a 4x4 area as it moved. The opposite end of the tank was still illuminated, but not by much. This creates an incredible ripple effect and great shadows by the way.
My question: Will SPS tolerate this kind of lighting scheme? Will the corals at the tank ends suffer any ill effects of being without direct light for about 60 seconds or so every revolution? Will this bright/dark period cause problems?
Would it be best to have the light move very slowly over an 8 hour period, simulating sun movement?
Anyone with experience, I'd love to hear it.
This seems like a great way to cut back on bulbs, electricity, and still provide what the animals need.

 

[clkwrk]

There is a 10ft long tank in a LFS near me that uses 2 rails and 2 movers+slaves that move 2 space lights across the tank tank gets lit very nicely and the acros have great color and pe .

 

[sonofgaladriel]

Thanks clkwrk! Do you know if the lights move back and forth or just slowly in one direction?

 

[clkwrk]

back in forth . They are on a program that alternates which way they go . Sometimes they both go from the outside toward eachother and other times the both are going to one side. Neither ever crosses the center though.

 

[clkwrk]

I might go there tomorrow and if so I will take a vid with my digi cam

 

[redox]

light mover

light mover

theres a guy that sells them on ebay(agramover)I got two running and they are the bomb. They get rid of shaded areas in your system. These even hav a plug to put a fan on there to ride along with the lights. look in my gallery on the pic labled "duct" and you can see mine in operation

 

[Stoney Mahony]

I like the Light Rail system. You could just add an extension and one motor will move two lights. If you use this you will get a wider distribution of light which is what you want. You will still get the rippling effects(especially w/ 1000 watters!) but it wont be such a big difference. I think it would be a good stimulant for the SPS and would sort of be like clouds passing over. Another good idea would be to put 4 400's on the tank but use them two at a time. Run light 1 & 3 for half your period and run 2 & 4 for the other half. You get very good coverage, lamps last longer, use half the power and you eliminate shaded areas of the tank. I believe it's called an "inverted" lighting scheem. They use this often in hydroponic crop production and are still able to attain explosive results with half the power/light. The only crappy part is the initial cost of buying the equipment. I am sure that you are going to run into that alot though setting up a GIANT tank like that! Lucky! If you don't mind me asking, how much are you planning on spending on the tank itself? I'd love to go "seaworld" one day but I have a feeling I shoud start saving for it now. Good luck with the tank!

 

[marinelife]

I looked at these and if they would just slowly go over the tank and take all day to do I would buy one, I do not like the idea of seeing the light moved back and forth, the sun sure does not work that way

 

[Stoney Mahony]

Put it on a timer then. I have a few and they move so slow you could turn the timer on for like 15 or 30 sec an hour and you would get your all day moving effect. When it reaches the end of the track, it just turns around so each day you would have the light moving in opposite directions. The sun does not go back and forth but the sun also does not stay the same intensity for your entire lighting period. IMO, suttle variations in lighting throughout the day will simulate a natural ecosystem and lead to a more healthy coral population.