Lighting help-Finnex 30

[d9sccr]

I just ordered a Finnex 30 gallon yesterday and I would like some help in deciding which lights to purchase. Finnex offers both a 150 and 250 MH that are supplemented by ~50 watts T5s. Isn't the 250 overkill?

I am looking at the Current USA 24 inch Outer Orbit
Here are the two models:
http://www.marinedepot.com/ ps_View...in~vendor~.html

http://www.marinedepot.com/ ps_View...in~vendor~.html

One is a 150 watt and the other is a 250. Both are supplemented by ~100 watts T5s. Is the 250 overkill?

I want to keep SPS, zoas, clams, and perhaps an anemone...basically, I do not want to be limited by the light. Thanks in advance.

 

[ReefWreak]

250 is overkill, and you're not going to be limited by light, you'll be limited by how little change (evaporation, etc) you can keep from happening to your water volume, since it's such a small volume.

 

[d9sccr]

okay, so the 150 watt w/ the T5s is okay?

 

[reefarchitect]

For what its worth, there is a shop in West Palm Beach, Oceans Below, whos main display tank is a 40-gallon semi-cube with a 400W MH. That little tank is incredibly bright.

Good luck either way.

 

[ReefWreak]

You can stick a 1000w or whatever you want over a tank. It's just a matter of keeping the tank stable. You've got to have an auto-topoff on them, or have them in a fish store where all that goes on around it is fish stuff, so there's ALWAYS someone to make sure it's topped off, or that the temp is going well, and if a coral bleaches out, then boom, just replace it with a coral from the selling tanks, or some new stock or something. Just another day in the life of an LFS display tank.

Also remember that they keep fish in those tiny tanks that should be there, or just overstock it like crazy in general because it doesn't cost them anything to do waterchanges every day or two, and it's not difficult to do because it's right there.

 

[d9sccr]

would there be any advantage to having the 250 though?

 

[jessp]

no, because the 175 or 150 is plenty of light to reach the bottom of the tank, in addition a 250 would definately require ATO and a chiller. It is possible that w/ a 150 you can get away w/o a chiller.

 

[d9sccr]

In your opinion, would the intensity be hight enough to keep clams and SPS on the bottom?

I believe what you guys are saying and it's what I thought, but I didn't understand why they would offer it w/ that big of a light. I assume there must be some benefit, but I do not know what?

 

[ReefWreak]

30g you'll be good to go with a 150w IMO.

 

[jessp]

they offer it, so you can buy the chiller, the temp controller, the ato and all the other accessories that will be mandatory for having a system w/ that setup

 

[Chef Reef]

its all about the money

 

[d9sccr]

I don't quite know what you mean by that

 

[Chef Reef]

they give you the option to buy bigger unnecessary things to make money.

just like jess said.
"they offer it, so you can buy the chiller, the temp controller, the ato and all the other accessories that will be mandatory for having a system w/ that setup"

the 250 wont do to much more then the 150/175 will for the tank, if anything at all, except make it hotter which almost forces you buy all the stuff above. IMO

 

[d9sccr]

Okay..well thanks..I'll go ahead and order the 150 then...thanks for all the help guys