lighting one side of my 90. opinions needed

[rsantangelo3@co]

Looking to move my sps only on one side of a 90 gallon due to electric so I will run a lumn mini reflec with 250watt 20k bulb. Ill also run actinic supplementation along the other side so will go from 20k to blue.

A. will this look ok to the eye?
b. Corals will do fine as long as they are under the 250 on the approriate side?

 

[saltjohnswharf]

You could say you are creating a crest look. Many corals grow like crazy under 20K metal halide. Some grow much slower though. Maybe a 14K Phoenix? Not quite as blue and much higher par values. Still quite blue. I'd be interested to see a picture of this setup.

 

[rsantangelo3@co]

This it will look neat, there is a center brace so unfortunalty the halide wont reflect beyond the 2 foot side. Then prob run dual 36 watt actinics on the others side with just some live rock. Seems will look intresting just worreid I wont like the effect as much as it appears. Almost like a shallow sps reef tapering into a deeper ocean.

 

[cveverly]

If you are trying to save energy have you considered LEDs? I went from 900 watts halide to 375 watts LEDs. Growth is the same if not better.

 

[preef]

T5s

 

[saltjohnswharf]

I think it will give a nice effect. Like you said shallow to deep. Be a cool setup to work on. You could go to LED to save energy and bulb replacement but LED does not have good light spread and you would need quite a few. By the time it is all said and done you probably could have paid for 3 or 4 years of metal halide electricity.

 

[rsantangelo3@co]

Im deff. going for it, when I get back from vacation forsure. Ill taper the rock to give it that look. Should be good stuff

 

[saltjohnswharf]

Do post a pic when it is done. I am pretty curious about this design.

 

[stormrider27]

Do post a pic when it is done. I am pretty curious about this design.

X2 I have been thinking about doing the same thing.