Lighting help for a 65g

[pledosophy]

I would like help with my lighting design for my 65g. The tank is 36" wide and 24" high. I plan to keep LPS/SPS clams, and some fish.

This is what I have on hand

Dual 400w MH ballast
Dual 96W PC ballast (34" bulbs)
Nova T5 156w fixture

THe T5 fixture is currently mounted in the canopy, the only way it fits is to have it in the back portion of the tank.

I have not decided if i will use both 400w MH lights, or just one. I am thinking that 800w of MH on a 65g might be overkill and create temperature issues.

Any thoughts would be great. Thanks.

 

[JC VT]

I've comfortably run a single 175w halide on a 40 breeder (same dims as your tank but shorter) before with a PFO parallel reflector. No real deadspots or shaded areas that I could tell.

 

[SaveOurReefs]

I have a 58g thats 36", I've used a singe 400w halide, and then a single 250 halide, and now I am going to be going with 6x36" t5s. The tank is nothing but sps. I would say, definately dont waste the two halides on that tank, if your going to run one of them I would get one of those nice wide spread Lumenarc reflectors and hang it like a foot or so up. Or you could just sell the halides and go with more t5s

 

[Znut Reefer]

2 400's on a 65 will for sure create a heat problem. I have a 550 that is 36 wide and I'm using 4 400 MH and 1 250 mh in the middle. I have to have a chiller no doubt about it.

You may want to consider using a Lumen arc reflector with the 400 MH it will reflect the light at least 3 feet instead of 2. Those reflectors are well worth the expense, and make a difference on a 36" wide tank. They also make the mini reflectors where I have the LA III's.

 

[pledosophy]

I was hoping to place the MH in my canopy which is about 7" tall. Is this just a fantasy? I do want to keep it in a canopy, but would prefer not to have a custom canopy made to match the stand I already have.

How much of a heat issue do you think I will be looking at usig one or two of the MH's. I live in a cool climate but would like to avoid a chiller if possible.

Those of you suggesting the one 400w MH do you think I should keep the T5 fixture in the canopy for supplemental atnics, or should I go with the PC's?

 

[Donkin]

I have a 50g that I put a spider reflecter over with a 250 14k hamilton se bulb... works pretty well and I like the color... You might be able to get away with one 400w in the 12-20k spec and not have he extra light. Just a thought.

 

[Cosmo^Kramer]

I run dual 250's on my 65 and have 3 fans in my canopy.My tank runs about 81 with the fans.In the summer if the AC isn't on it can get up to 84 on some days

 

[RichConley]

I run 2x250 on my 58, which is all SPS and some LPS at the bottom, and its seriously overkill. I dont think heat is an issue, but its way too much light.

 

[pledosophy]

Please excuse my ignorance but I don't understand the overkill ad two much light comments.

Is it to much light so it will harm the corals?

IS it just more then is needed?

Is there another issues I need to consider?

I'm just trying to understand better. I do want to keep both SPS and LPS.

 

[Serioussnaps]

your tank sounds like a perfect canidate for some sort of 250 W DE mh's!!!!!!

supplemented by T5 actinics....sell your nova fix in the selling forumn to help yo pay for the upgrade you dont need 400 w 2x plus the nova and i dont know how you plan on arranging that in the first place????


i say 250'sx2 plus T5 actinic supplementS!!!! you will be cruising

 

[pledosophy]

I got the dual 400w ballast, sockets, and bubs for $150. That's why I jumped. The Nova fixture is the T5's. Do you think I should try to sell the 400w dual fixture for a 250w dual?

I am still just trying to understand why using 1 of the 400w bulbs with a T5 supplement, or PC supplement would be too much light. If I use the PC's it would work out to about 9w's a gallon.

 

[pledosophy]

 

[JC VT]

I am still just trying to understand why using 1 of the 400w bulbs with a T5 supplement, or PC supplement would be too much light.

It wouldn't. If you are supplementing, you can run a long fluo. photoperiod and a shorter halide photoperiod, depending on how your corals respond. You could also just run a 20k halide and run that for long periods of time.

I'd go with a single 400 on a PFO parallel reflector with 2-4 VHO/PC/T-5 supplement, in a DIY pendant to avoid heat issues. JMO.

 

[pledosophy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8231681#post8231681 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JC VT
It wouldn't. If you are supplementing, you can run a long fluo. photoperiod and a shorter halide photoperiod, depending on how your corals respond. You could also just run a 20k halide and run that for long periods of time.

I'd go with a single 400 on a PFO parallel reflector with 2-4 VHO/PC/T-5 supplement, in a DIY pendant to avoid heat issues. JMO.

This is exactly what I would like to do. Run the 1 400wmh MH supplemented by the 192W of PC atnic. I am worried now after so many posts that I sound like I am just waiting to hear what I want to hear, instead of what I should do. If there is any reason the 400w would be detrimental on a 65g 24" deep tank, I would really like to know.

I am looking at options of having a larger canopy made, mine is rather short and I would need to get more distance between the water and the MH. The canopy as it is would leave the MH about 3" off the top of the tank and I know I need more.

If I go with the 1 400w MH how high off the water should the bulb be? What about the atnics, should I drop them lower or will that create shadows from the MH being above.

Thanks

 

[Stoney Mahony]

I run 2 400w 20k xm's on my 55(36x18x18) with no supplements. No heat issue and im in Florida. Use a good fan. Have you decided what color halide bulb you will be using? With a 24" tank I would use 1 or 2 400's....and the bulbs are usually the same $$ as 250's. Ill post a pic of my tank when I get home, you can see if you like the color. The distance you put the light off of your tank is definately going to depend on the reflector you use. What do you have in mind? The lumenarcs are awesome, I also like sun systems sun grow reflector. I have both but prefer the sun systems b/c it doesn't throw as wide of a beam and seems to fit better over my tank. If I had a wider tank I would probably be using the luminarcs.

 

[JC VT]

I don't have any direct experience w/ the lumenarcs so I can't really comment on them, but they do get rave reviews.

What I do have direct experience with is the PFO parallel:

In Sanjay's tests, it came in second (behind the lumenarc). What I think will work well for you here is that it has wings for fluorescents (they are made for VHO's but you could rig them to hold PC), and it will put the fluorescents closer to the water than the halide without blocking any of the halide light. I had mine in a pendant hung from the ceiling and I can't recommend this enough. My bulb was about 8 inches off the water and no deadspots that I could tell.

OTOH, the lumenarcs are the standard for SE halide reflectors so you can't discount them. They're kinda bulky though.

 

[Stoney Mahony]

Ok, heres a few pics of my tank:

And heres a close up:

As long as you adjust the corals to higher ligh levels they will be fine. I get about the same growth with these two 400w 20ks as I did with my old 2 x 250w iwasaki 10k's. Good luck!:rollface:

 

[Avast Marine]

I second the parallel reflector over the luminarc in this scenerio. You want a elliptical spread of light assuming you go the single 400w (sounds good to me) and get the light about 12" off the surface of the water, you should have plenty of light to cover the entire 3'. Then you could add actinics or just run a bluer bulb without. The reflector is made to add vho or pc's but you dont have to it still gives you the best spread for that tank on a single bulb. The 24" reflector centers the bulb in the reflector, the larger one is made for 2 halides and I don't know if you can center the bulb or not?

 

[pledosophy]

you guys are awesome. Glad I stuck around for an anwser.

That reflector in the pic is the one I intended to use. Wanted to put 2 36w atnic bulbs on it. Haven't decided on the exact K rating of the MH. I have a 14k HQI over my 20g nano that I like. Might go with something more yellow so I can play with the atnics.

Thanks so much for your help.