MH Lighting for a 5 foot

[brownsugar]

My tank is 5ft x 2ft x 2ft


Can i get away with a 4ft light which has 2x 400watt metal halide fixtures ?

That 1 foot difference is worrying me.

I intend to keep SPS corals

 

[sirreal63]

Retro with LumenArc fixtures and I would think 250 watt bulbs would be fine. The LumenArc's put out a wider coverage.

 

[jimsta]

2x250w 10k's with LumenArc fixtures and 2-3(preferably 3) VHO actinics and the tank would be looking GOOD!

 

[brownsugar]

I don't have access to LumenArc fixtures in Australia

Forgot to mention I also have my current lights which are PC

2 x 96 watt double tubes & 2 x 55 watt double tubes which i plan just run them as my actinics ? Also has a moonlight built in.

The 400 Watt MH's use single ended 14000K bulbs supplied already.

 

[brownsugar]

How blue can i go in terms of kelvins ? If i have my actinics & 20000k bulbs will it be too blue ?

 

[brownsugar]

?

 

[Mel-E-Mel]

If your running 20k bulbs i dont think you will need actininc supplements. imo i think 20k bulbs are already too blue by themself. go with 10k if you want actinic supplement or better yet 14k which will give you a balance of white and blue so no actinics needed. you can still supplement with vho's to get the flourecents to pop a little more but i really dont think its needed. i have the same footprint tank as yours and im going with 2 250w reef optix with 14k bulbs.