Light question on a 54 Gallon Corner

[stonecold]

I'm getting to ready to setup a 54 Gallon Corner tank. I am hoping to use 4 - 24" Actinic VHO and 1 250 watts MH. Will this be too much light for this tank? Dimensions are 27"x22". It will be a mix reef with LPS, SPS, Softies, Clam, and 1 anemone.

Please advise, thank you!

 

[JmLee]

thats about 4.6watts per gallon go with a 400 watt. I have a 50 gallon tank im going with 2X250watt MH.

 

[chip721]

Sorry for the glare, but here's my 54g with an Aqua Medic 250w MH. IMO, if you go with MH greater than 250w, just be prepared to deal with the heat issues. I had to set that ugly fan on my tank just to cool things down. The glass cover is only the front hinge and enough behind it to set the light on. The back half of the tank is open on top.

 

[stonecold]

Chip,

I hope mine will turn out well like yours. I'm going to build a 18" canopy. Inside I'm going to go with 3 24" actinics VHO, 1 250 watts MH, and 2 4" fans...1 blowing in and 1 sucking it out. Do you think it is still going to too much heat for the tank?

 

[JmLee]

Yeah i thought about the heat issue, and im gona install fans on my canopy. But my tanks a 50 gal long.. so it kinda sucks because i need two MH to spread the light out evenly.

BTW, I like where you placed your tank, WHO NEEDS A FIRE PLACE!?, very nice center piece. And is that two Tunze powerheads? wow must have some nice flow! =)

 

[Antman]

I only have 175W & 2 24W t5s on my 54 but check out
http://www.aquactinics.com/
His units stay cool!

 

[JmLee]

those are nice MH fixtures no doubt, but im buying double ended HQIs.

 

[chip721]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6540921#post6540921 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JmLee
Yeah i thought about the heat issue, and im gona install fans on my canopy. But my tanks a 50 gal long.. so it kinda sucks because i need two MH to spread the light out evenly.
BTW, I like where you placed your tank, WHO NEEDS A FIRE PLACE!?, very nice center piece. And is that two Tunze powerheads? wow must have some nice flow! =)

Thanks. That fireplace never got used. So decided to heat it up with MH's instead. Tunze? I wish. Those are 2 Seio 820's. Behind them are 2 MJ 900's with Hydors, and at the very back corners are the Remora Pro w/ Mag5, and a Magnum 350 for GAC and more flow.

 

[JmLee]

hey what kinda filtration are you running? no over flow?

 

[chip721]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6540909#post6540909 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stonecold
Chip,

I hope mine will turn out well like yours. I'm going to build a 18" canopy. Inside I'm going to go with 3 24" actinics VHO, 1 250 watts MH, and 2 4" fans...1 blowing in and 1 sucking it out. Do you think it is still going to too much heat for the tank?

Thank you. This tank is 1 year young. Corner tanks are a challenge to light. IMO, your ventilation plan sounds ok. But I don't have a canopy to speak from experience.

 

[chip721]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6541995#post6541995 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JmLee
hey what kinda filtration are you running? no over flow?

Live rock, Remora Pro, and Magnum 350 with GAC. I'm sumpless on this one.

 

[JmLee]

hey i was going to order one of those remora pro's with a overflow box because im sumpless as well, how do you like it?

 

[chip721]

I don't want to hi-jack StoneCold's thread here. After all this was originally abouty lighting. But real quick ...the Remora's ok. I just ordered a Deltec MCE600. Once I have that for comparison, I can give a better answer.

 

[stonecold]

Not a problem Chip721. Where are you in Alexandria?

I'm picking my 54 tomorrow. Hopefully, I have it up and running in 2 weeks. This are my equipments....

IceCap 660 - 3 Actinics VHO or 4 if it could fit.
PFO 250 Watts with 13K AB SE
GenX Mak4 return thru a 1" Sea Swirl
ASM Mini Protein Skimmer
GEO Calcium Reactor

 

[chip721]

StoneCold, I'm about 4 mi. north of Ft. Belvoir. What LFS stores do you like in the NoVa area? Wally's, SuperPetz, Roozens?

 

[stonecold]

None of the above?hahahaha....Poor quality and customer service. If I have to pick one, I would have to say Roozens.

Due to an upcoming move...I'm in the process of parting out my 225 Gallons. Do you know of anyone who may be interested in my tangs and the corals that I have left over?

 

[chip721]

Wow Roozens huh? Seems like things are slipping there a little too. Last time I visited, it looked like aptaisia was the featured creature of the month. But I've got some corals from them since the very beginning of setting of my tank. My BTA recently split for the 2nd time so I have even less space for another coral. And of course my tank is simply too small for a tang. And I just ordered a new Deltec skimmer, so I'm not allowed any more money for fish stuff, the rest of this month. But don't tempt me. I'd post a list in the Selling or Things For Trade forum. There are lots of reefers in the local metro area.

 

[JmLee]

i just ordered 2x250watt 15000k HQI MH's from aquamedic, for my 50 gallon long, thats about 10watts per gallon