New Lights

[Joshjohnson]

Ok my wife finally cave and i got my lights on saturday they
are the Current SunPod 70w Hqi's my Lfs said with the depth of my tank these would be the best. Also they said that with these lights that there is not much that i couldn't keep. Also in repies to early post my tank temp has not down up at all (temp range the same).

So with that beening said does can anybody tell me about what would not do good in my tank with those lights My tank is 30 inches deep.

thanks once agian for your ears

 

[Gimplar]

hrrm....i dunno if that will be good enough for EVERYTHING. i have about 6.3 watts per gallon for my 125 and about 10 watts per gallon on my new 29 gal. my 125 has everything that requires high light, clams, SPSs, LPS,s ect ect ect and it does fine. Alot of it depends on where you're keeping your high light demanding corals. If you keep your SPS's on the bottom, i doubt there would be enough light, but towards the top i dont think there should be any big problems........I mean 48" VHO's are 110 watts and they cant keep crocea's or SPS's alive. Becareful...keep your receipt...I just hope you didnt get this info from petmart, but i really wouldnt be surprised if you did.

 

[Gimplar]

Oh and as far as what lights i have. on my 125g, i have 2 175watt 20k (light is closer to 14k) XM mogul socket MHs (Metal halides), and 4 110watt VHO's. And on my 29 i have a 175 watt HQI 10k and 2 65 watt PC (power compacts)actinics.

And to answer your question, i dont think SPSs or croceas would do good, but im sure everything else should be ok

 

[Joshjohnson]

I got my lights from marine wharehouse.

 

[luminary]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8222458#post8222458 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gimplar
I mean 48" VHO's are 110 watts and they cant keep crocea's or SPS's alive.

Sure they can...Brian Greene (bgdiving) grows lots of SPSs quite successfully under VHOs in his coral farm down in Sarasota. Shallow tanks (I think he uses tanks like 40 breeders), but still perfectly possible. And there are plenty of people keeping them under T5s.

Like Gimplar said, that's probably not good for everything, but most things properly placed will be fine. Clams on the sand, no...SPS at the top of the rockwork, sure.

 

[DaddyJax]

I have seen Brian tanks and acros and they look good under the vho's. The key to having them and acros is that they need to be at the very top of the tank and the lights need to be very close to the water. Water clarity is a very essential key to using this lighting!

30" deep and they told you 70w hqi would be best? I disagree but that is my opinion. I think you will be able to keep anything but not at any level in the tank.
I am not saying that this a good light setup but not the best.

 

[BlueCoast]

I would agree with Gimplar & Jax, tank depth is going to be the biggest limiting factor with those. In my experience with HID's a 70 is just not bright enough to have the penetration you need for high-light SPS / clams at the bottom of the tank.

To hold me over until the move i setup a 20L. It is only 12" deep and i was debating between a 70HQI vs T5 or PC. I ended up with PC for price and coverage. I thought it might get a bit dim on the sides with 30" to cover.

Current makes a good light, and with a smaller wattage heat will be much less of an issue, ask Gimplar If Marine Warehouse is willing to work with you, i would consider an upgrade . If you have to pay out the rear for it, i would expect they will work well for most marine creatures.

Hey, look at the bright side, you have the *shimmer* that everyone rants about without worrying about coming home to a nice smell and a medium-well tank :O

 

[Gimplar]

my remark towards VHo's and clams was referring to having clams on the sand. I mean, i guess i am wrong, but regardless with the light he has i dont think he'd be able to have a clam ont eh bottom of the tank. and Bluecoast is absolutely right, the depth and placement of whatever you're keep, is essential.

Yeah, if you're alread yhanign your lights fro the ceiling, the temp shouldnt really be an issue. Now as far as your lighting system. I dunno how much you paid for it, but i know you can get some pretty sweet deals here on the forum boards. Check on the Dry goods selling forum and you'll find duel 175 watt ballasts with wiring, sockets, reflectors and used bulbs for around 100-200. Which is pretty freaking cheap. You could probably get a single 175watt or a 250 watt (what i would recommend) ballast, with socket, wiring, ect ect ect. for about 80-150. You may hav eto be patient in waiting for someone to sell their lighting system, but it'll pay off. And of course, the brand and type of ballast is a factor as well. I personally use PFO MH Ballast. But i know Icecap makes good electronic ballasts as well. Also you want to consider if you want to get a pulse start ballast. This does matter, because it will affect your bulb choices.


PM sent. about more info.

Nelly.

 

[Joshjohnson]

ok the lights have been on the tank since saturday and everything is begining to look much better. I don't have any high light demanding critters but have one small shroom and a small group of ployps and they are really begining to look good. plus the coralline algae has really begining to spread like wild fire even at the bottom of the tank.

Now in regards to my lights i like the way they look (no canpony needed, just mounted on the legs that came with them). My tank is only 20" wide and 24 deep with a depth of 30" (47 gallon). my rock comes up to about the half way point so if i do get light demanding critters would they do good on top of the rock work?

Also thank so much for all the repilies

 

[2swift]

We just got or current sunpod 2x150 for or 55g
and we noticed the corlline took off also same with the polyps

 

[Gimplar]

Ok well if your happy with what you got, then i cant say much more but as far as your rock work, it should be ok, but if your looking to get Crocea Clams or SPS's they may need to be higher.

 

[Joshjohnson]

Are Crocea clams the big ones that have the great color on the mantels that i am always seeing in my lfs and SPS's what types of corals fall in that range? Sorry for so many dumb questions been at this now for about 6 months ( tank still going all critters still alive).

also not to change the subject but i am wondering why i have never had any of the new tank problems that i have read about from some many posts here and else where. Iam i just lucky or did i set things up right from the start?

 

[Joshjohnson]

Also maybe one of you could tell me what corals would do good at the lower levels and ones that would do good half way up. if i need to add more rock to raise the base to set corals can i add dry rock and will it become live with time and how long would it take.

once agin thak very much for your help

 

[Joshjohnson]

Ok i went back to my LFS and the guy i normaly deal with thta sold me my tank was there and had a talk with him and he informed my that i picked up the wrong box 70watts instead of the 150 watts ( my bad) but they still charged me for the 150 watt light (there bad). but everything is now good brought back the 70's and they gave the 150's plus a few small blue leg hermits free. So now i have 150 watt lights , same make and brand just more power.

does this give me more range in what i can keep?

 

[BlueCoast]

Josh - glad you asked some Q's on the light... that is quite a difference for no COST. You will be much better off with the 150's, they will still limit your selection but not nearly as much as before. Same advice given earlier would still apply IMO. Anything that needs med-high light might need to wait or will need to be high in the tank. I think 250 is a more common light for that deep of a tank but let someone who owns one tell you their thoughts.

Well cured live rock with some LS goes a long way in minimizing the spikes. I got lucky as well, reading up before starting helped prevent a lot of mistakes and down right bad advice (my favorite - "you should have started by putting the rock in the tank with the lights off for a month but you will learn" - ha ha)

Still can't believe they charged you for the wrong lights.... not exactly a $1.50 mistake. glad it worked out.

 

[Gimplar]

Are Crocea clams the big ones that have the great color on the mantels that i am always seeing in my lfs and SPS's what types of corals fall in that range? Sorry for so many dumb questions been at this now for about 6 months ( tank still going all critters still alive).

Yes, Crocea clams are the super cool looking clams that have the very colorful mantels. If you threw some T5's ors oemthing onto the tank, you should be ok, but with the 150watt you're range of corals is much larger now. As far as SPS's, They are the corals that look like stone. Not alot of Fleshy meat ont hem and they usually are harder to keep anyways. LPS's are the cool ones that wave and stuff in the water. That's basically the difference lol. You should be ok with most LPS's and mushrooms and Zoathids are definetly safe with the lights you have. Dont worry, ive asked more dumb questions then probably anyone here

 

[ReefArtist]

Hi Joshjohnson
I kind of have the same problem as you, my lights are VHO total of 440W. I left enough room in my canopy to add MH's or T5's at a later date. I'm able to keep most everything except the very high demanding light corals - which for me is ok at this time. I just arrange my corals according to their light demands. Everyone should think about this when placing corals anyway, we just need to do it before we purchase .

 

[ReefArtist]

Oh and the Crocea clams are out for me as well as Millepora, Acropora and Pocillopora just to name a few. These are the ones I know I'll want at a later date and will be the reason for my light upgrade. I have plenty of time for them as all the other corals that I can keep will keep me busy for some time. Good luck with your tank and your lights were a good choice. Sometimes more is not better.

 

[cham]

I kept my croeca clam under 110w VHO's for quite awhile and it did great. I have since upgraded to T5's but there was never a problem with the VHO's. I also have 5 different kinds of SPS in the tank too that is healthy and growing.

The other side of the coin is, I believe you will get better growth, colors and results with MH but VHO will do the job too.

 

[ReefArtist]

Josh - glad to hear that things worked out and reading all the messages it seems you got the exact lights that were needed. I'm still learning and will in the next 3 to 6 months need/want to add to my lighting system. Like luminary, Cham and others stated, VHO's can do the job - placement will finish the job. My question is the difference between going to MH or T5's in addition to my VHO's at 440W's. At 75 gallons I'm at a little over 5.8 watts per gallon, so if I added 4 more say VHO's it would put me well over 10 watts per gallon. Is the difference in the spectrum that can be achived in the MH lights, heat, replacement cost, or VHO is old school?