Lighting suggestions

[mtrcyclefish]

After a shorter than expected break from the hobby I'm finally setting up a new tank. This time around I'm setting everything up right the first time instead of piecing things together as I go along. I'm starting off with a 115 gallon tank, 48x18x31. I'm going to run 2x 250w MH. My question is what should I use for supplemental? PC? T5? VHO? And what color bulbs should I run for the best coral color and growth? Any pics you might have as examples would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks


P.S.

Dave and Jeff, I'm gonna be looking for a couple of frags of the corals you guys got from me soon!

 

[NewSchool04]

31" is going to be tough. I would think about getting a 120 that is 48 x 24 x 24. Gives you an extra 6" of width and not as high. You can easily use two 250W MH with supplement VHO or T5's for actinic. I would't mess with PC's.
With the 31" I think you'll be getting into the 400W MH's, lot's of heat, lot's of extra $$$ when that monthly bill shows up.

 

[aaronpentz]

My 110 has two 400's on it and sometimes I think that may be too much. But I have tried two 250's and that wasnt enough. I am using two 55 watt PC actinic 03 bulbs for supplement. It all depends on what you are keeping in there

 

[mtrcyclefish]

I know that with 31" tank I won't be able to keep SPS's on the bottom. That's tough to do in any size tank. My thoughts were to keep higher light corals in the top 1/2 of the tank and with the softies and such more toward the bottom. I'm confident that I can do this with 2 x 250w MH, but i'm trying to figure out what supplemental lighting will give me the best color and growth from my corals.

Aaron, any problems with 3 tangs and that demon, I mean damsel, in the tank?

 

[aaronpentz]

The tangs are great. the black piece of future fish food. sucks Just waiting for the right time to change the rock around then i'll get him out. I need to upgrade soon. Getting a little cramped in there. I think im going to go large.

 

[BreadmanMike]

IME T5's offer you the best supplemental lighting. I just went three weeks without a ballast on the center of my tank, and still got great growth in that part of my tank. I use 2 54w UVL Super Actinics and 2 54w ATI Blue+ on triad ballasts for my supplemental. You could run 10k XM's and one blue+ and one Super Actinic.

BTW are you a Wilmington cop? I deliver bread there. I drive the Rosen's truck.

 

[sugartooth]

My vote is for T5's or VHO's.