Lighting suggestions for 265g

[TruespeedEM1]

I am in the process of setting up a 265 tank (7ftx2ftx30"). I am trying to decide on MH or T5. I want to be able to keep whatever corals/clams/etc I want to keep. I asked for some suggestions on the T5 q&a and got great information, but they suggested since I would need two fixtures of about 6-8 bulbs, that replacing those at 20$ a piece would be a lot every year. I currently have 250w MH on my 120g and I love the looks. I wish there was a fixture that was 7ft long but there isn't (not that I'm aware of)

What do you guys suggest?

 

[TruespeedEM1]

Any suggestions?

 

[Blom Blom]

http://ecotechmarine.com/products/radion/

 

[harlequinacro]

265g is such a deep tank to light, not to mention the distance from the top of the tank to the light. If you want to curb operating costs then go LED, 9x AI Sol Blues at 675watts. If you can't swing LED, it's either 2x 36" T5 8bulb fixtures or 3x 400watt halides with t5 supplementation.

 

[Reefsi]

First off i love the dexter avatar... Currently watched season 1-4 in 2 weeks and on the 5th.

To your point i agree with harlequin. T5 is tough to light that deep of a tank. What do you want to grow in the tank? To be honest your best route is MH or LED'S. Preferably get 5-6 A150w Kessils and all your needs should be covered. They are slick, nice, and slime. Would be enough lighting to grow pretty much anything and for the operating cost they are prefect. T5 would be a lot of bulbs to light that tank, MH would be hot and may need a chiller, LEDS just have a clean look. If i could switch i would.

 

[TruespeedEM1]

265g is such a deep tank to light, not to mention the distance from the top of the tank to the light. If you want to curb operating costs then go LED, 9x AI Sol Blues at 675watts. If you can't swing LED, it's either 2x 36" T5 8bulb fixtures or 3x 400watt halides with t5 supplementation.

so im assuming the difference between the MH and T5 is just preference?

First off i love the dexter avatar... Currently watched season 1-4 in 2 weeks and on the 5th.

To your point i agree with harlequin. T5 is tough to light that deep of a tank. What do you want to grow in the tank? To be honest your best route is MH or LED'S. Preferably get 5-6 A150w Kessils and all your needs should be covered. They are slick, nice, and slime. Would be enough lighting to grow pretty much anything and for the operating cost they are prefect. T5 would be a lot of bulbs to light that tank, MH would be hot and may need a chiller, LEDS just have a clean look. If i could switch i would.

I love Dexter, ran through the first 4 seasons like it was nothing and switched to Showtime to watch season 5 on demand and now 6 is on!

I will look into these suggestions. Anyone else

 

[TruespeedEM1]

265g is such a deep tank to light, not to mention the distance from the top of the tank to the light. If you want to curb operating costs then go LED, 9x AI Sol Blues at 675watts. If you can't swing LED, it's either 2x 36" T5 8bulb fixtures or 3x 400watt halides with t5 supplementation.

you are saying 9 units right? arent these roughly 400$?

 

[harlequinacro]

you're going to need atleast 9 AI Sol Blues, 3 units per square frame opening on the tank. If you don't want to spend the upfront costs on leds, then it's either halide or t5. If you go halides you're going to have to deal with heat, bulb costs & electricity costs. I just noticed you're in NC, heat is going to be a big deal even if you have central air so plan on a chiller if you go halide. T5's you're going to deal with the same thing but with a lot less heat issues. LED's will give you an awesome look and be Very efficient, Halides will give a you great look but operating costs will be very high for the whole system, T5's will look ok but operating upkeep will still be an issue.

 

[harlequinacro]

Heat, Electricity, & bulb costs that's what you have to consider when lighting that tank. It's a beast of a tank!

 

[pmrossetti]

for 30" deep i'd do AI. they have the optics and power to go that deep. i think 7 would work. or maybe 5 mounted parallel. 400watt halides are beasts.

 

[caliking]

I use 60" ATI Power Module 10 bulb. I have a 240 gallon tank 72x30x30 and my par is in the 300's on the sand bed, 600's by the surface.

Hope that info helps..

 

[pmrossetti]

I use 60" ATI Power Module 10 bulb. I have a 240 gallon tank 72x30x30 and my par is in the 300's on the sand bed, 600's by the surface.

Hope that info helps..

awesome

 

[TruespeedEM1]

Heat, Electricity, & bulb costs that's what you have to consider when lighting that tank. It's a beast of a tank!

Thats what im trying to weigh vs the LED

for 30" deep i'd do AI. they have the optics and power to go that deep. i think 7 would work. or maybe 5 mounted parallel. 400watt halides are beasts.

I will check it out. I think im going to contact AI and see what they suggest compared to what's been said here, not that I dont trust you guys, just to get another perspective!

I use 60" ATI Power Module 10 bulb. I have a 240 gallon tank 72x30x30 and my par is in the 300's on the sand bed, 600's by the surface.

Hope that info helps..

That helps alot. Do you have pictures of the tank? I just want to see how the outer edges look compared to the 12" difference between the light and tank

 

[TruespeedEM1]

So I spoke with AI SOL and they told me I would need 4-5 fixtures for that size tank, and that they're getting ready to release new mounting brackets to mount the fixtures length ways, not width, and said I could probably get away with 4.

Opinions?

 

[TruespeedEM1]

So I spoke with AI SOL and they told me I would need 4-5 fixtures for that size tank, and that they're getting ready to release new mounting brackets to mount the fixtures length ways, not width, and said I could probably get away with 4.

Opinions?

 

[TruespeedEM1]

anybody?

 

[bkvreef]

Sorry, I don't have any suggestions. I am looking at getting a tank the exact same dimensions and like you am leaning toward the ATI. I was contemplating starting with 4 fixtures and over the next year add 2 more.

I am hoping that that will be enough for some clams and possibly SPS.

Thanks for the research!!!!!

 

[Kshack]

I went to a lecture by Jake (from Reef Builders fame) and he said LED's are not there yet for large tanks. He loves them for small tanks.
I would put 3 MH 250 with a good (great) reflector. Get the selectable ballast and you can change you bulb choices. Generally for a 30" deep tank you need 400W, but with the selectable you can do whatever you want for that area of the tank (ie, chalice like lower light, so no need to have 400W over that part of the tank).

 

[FraggleWhat]

I seriously have to counter what he says about LED's not being there for large tanks. I live in Mobile, AL and three of the LFS here are running LED setups on their display tanks that are all over 400 gallons and they look amazing. It all depends on what LED's and optics you use. Everyone is going to have an opinion, because everyone likes what they like. It is up to you to take all the advice you recieve and make the decision that is going to be best for you. It is after all YOUR tank. You will be living with the joys and consequences. I prefer LED's simply for the fact I live in the deep south and Halides are CRAZY hot and you will definitely need a chiller. Mix in what you will pay to run Halides, purchase a GOOD chiller, not some chinese knockoff and replace bulbs and you can understand why alot of people are going LED. I prefer to build my own fixtures, but prebuilt are nice as well. Just my 2cents. Hope it helps.