LPS build advice - lighting

[OCEAN SIZE]

Hey all - my new 220g build will be dedicated mostly to lps (some monti's and very spare acro maybe).

I've been reading how to feed acans and keep the lighting moderate and flow the same.

What I have to work with are 2 retrofit ballasts -
* 250w x3 + 2 VHO
* 250w x2 + 2 VHO

I can get a third 2xVHO in there without buying any more lighting.

What lighting recommendations do you have (bulbs, placement, timing)?

Muchas gracias

 

[Xavier613]

The lighting is indeed T12 VHO's. 330w UV 50/50 Actinic White and 220w UV Super Actinics.



-A local reef club member's light setup
http://www.njreefers.org/forums/gallery/297_07_07_08_9_00_23_1.jpg

(its a 75gal tank)

 

[discocarp]

I run 3x175w halides (iwasaki 15k) with no actinic on a 265g tank for 8 hours a day. The tank is LPS dominated. Acros grow great up top, but the few test frags I put in don't hold their color (brown out). Montis seem to grow great and retain their color.

I think you'd be great with 3x250 and 2 vho actinics.

 

[OCEAN SIZE]

Thanks for the input guys.

Would it be beneficial to run the 2x 250w halides with different spectrums perhaps?

I was thinking maybe the corals would respond with 2-5 different kelvin ratings bulbs? That way they could get a powerful range (different light cycles too), using maybe:
* single 6500k just for yellow / growth
* a 10k or two
* 15k or two
* 20k or two

Not sure if they LPS particularly prefer any given spectrum or more the whole range?

If the 2x 250w MH / 2 VHO retrofit is useless, I could sell it of course. I was thinking of maximizing variety and options. Very solid feedback guys - I appreciate the convo.

 

[seapug]

If you have the option, mixing different spectrums and brands of MH bulbs is always a good idea. You can create some really nice effects. I've found mixing 12K Reeflux and 14K Phoenix bulbs looks really nice to my eyes.

 

[OCEAN SIZE]

If your avatar is any indication of how good your tank looks...



Case made!

I'm thinking of using the 3x250w fixture for the more yellow ends of the spectrum for growth (not sure if I'll do a 6500k or 10k as the lowest end), and running it on a short cycle in the very early morning. I don't like yellow light much.

Then I can run the 2x 250w at 20k w/actinics most of the evening for viewing. I think that might look best, provide a short period of intense growth lighting at a time I'll rarely be viewing, which is also the coolest part of the night/morning.

How does this sound?

 

[RyanEG]

My only question is where are you going to find room to put all five MH? Sounds great in principle though.

 

[RyanEG]

And if you are going to run the low end of the spectrum I would go 6500k

 

[OCEAN SIZE]

Thanks for the input all.

I have a 7' long tank, with a canopy that will be 2 x 15" wide halves.

I figure one retro (the 2x MH bulb) should go on one of the halves (hinged at the top for easy access), and the other should go on the other half.

The 5 sockets give me a wide range to cover, so I'm curious what everyone else might use in this case.

 

[blange3]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12908214#post12908214 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Xavier613
The lighting is indeed T12 VHO's. 330w UV 50/50 Actinic White and 220w UV Super Actinics.



-A local reef club member's light setup
http://www.njreefers.org/forums/gallery/297_07_07_08_9_00_23_1.jpg

(its a 75gal tank)

Wow! Never thought I'd see someone using my tank as an example. Thanks Xavier! Just wish I were a better photographer.

I'm in the process of upgrading to a 180 and will continue to go all VHO. The plans for the 180 are six 6' VHO's. 1 UV Aquasun, 2 UV 50/50's and 3 UV Super Actinics. If I find I need more PAR I'll swap out a Super Actinic for another 50/50. They will be powered by 3 IceCap 660's.

Since it's a mostly Euphyllia tank, I prefer the flouresence I get with the VHO's.

VHO only has also kept me chiller free.

 

[OCEAN SIZE]

I'm still blown away you can keep LPS with VHO. Thats great you're successful and its a really nice tank.

I used to live in Parlin NJ - too funny.

I should be able to use my VHO's for viewing and a short light cycle of MH's for growth.

 

[LPS_Blasto]

I think you can tell that I like LPS from my username.

I have a 55g "nano" thats dominated with Acans, blastos and favia.

That tank has about 650w of T5 lights in the 10K too 12K range and 260w of PC in actinic.

The turnover in the tank is 2200gph. Yes, about 40x per hour. It's a regular "tropical storm" in there.

Most people would call me crazy and tell me to put SPS in it.

Total rubbish. The tank is CRANKIN' ! and my corals are huge.

Ignore the "expurts" and traditional methods. Dump some light on that sucker!!

 

[blange3]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13008915#post13008915 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LPS_Blasto


Ignore the "expurts" and traditional methods. Dump some light on that sucker!!

To each his own.

I'd love to see a picture of your tank. How did you manage to get thay much light over a 55?

 

[jadeguppy]

With 5 mh, what do you plan to use for reflectors?

 

[OCEAN SIZE]

LPS_Blasto - " Location: Middle Earth"
You live in New Zealand?

jadeguppy - they are retrofit reflectors, the basic long rail kind. Very simple. I imagine people use more focused ones these days. Mine allow a wide dispersal, which is good since the tank is 30" front to back and a full 7' wide. Plus, they will be in a canopy so they will be close enough to the water to really have an impact.

The tank is only 24" deep.

I figure I can regulate the intensity and spectrum. I can use 6500k to 20k on any of the 5 MH sockets.

I can use 2 fixtures to control what spectrums are on at what times.

I figure I can also aquascape to create shaded areas, which allows me to further stratify my layers between LPS on the bottom and hopefully a few nice montis or turbinaria near the top of the tank.

The flow is probably going to be from a hammerhead gold with an eductor on it as my return, with a crossing stream coming from a Koralia 8 (3000gph powerhead due out soon... ). Both will be pointed towards the top of the tank in opposite corners, and there will be a wavebox.

I'm considering building little step shaped rocks throughout the custom rockwork to allow more display options for the LPS, but don't want to put them close enough to burn them.

Heck, I'd be happy running 500w of 6500k lighting on the tank for only an hour a day if it helps them grow.

I appreciate the questions and thoughts guys. Keep em coming.
Let me know - is my flow appropriate? That plan would put me at closer to 80x turnover or more total displacement, not counting the wavebox (though only 20-25x to the sump).

 

[blange3]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13015332#post13015332 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by OCEAN SIZE

Let me know - is my flow appropriate? That plan would put me at closer to 80x turnover or more total displacement, not counting the wavebox (though only 20-25x to the sump).

Depends on what LPS you are keeping. This is another area where I buck the trends.

I keep mostly Euphylia and my turnover is about 13x. 5 of that is to the sump. I have a mag 7 for a return and two MJ1200's. The Maxi Jets cycle on for 1 minute out of every 4 for one of the powerheads and 1 minute out of every 5 for the other.

This gives me nice strong surges every so often and a gentle flow in between that allows the large polyps to gently float on the current.

Other LPs will be happy in higher flows. I have blastos, acans and candy canes that are doing just fine in this environment as well. The tank has been running this way for 2 1/2 years.

 

[Xavier613]

haha just saw this thread again. Yeah Blange, your LPS 's were just too insane to not show em your light setup

 

[OCEAN SIZE]

You've got a nice tank Blange.