new to large tank

[gholtmeyer]

Ok, I have had a reef tank set up for past 8 years. But it was a standard 75. I am going to set up a 220 gallon tank. It is 72" long, 30" deep, and 24" front to back.

My question for you is this. Do I need to switch to 400 w bubls to light that tank? Or will 250w provide enough light for some corals at the bottom of the tank? I will be putting about 1.5" of sand in the tank.

I plan on going mostly lps with some sps -in particularly, I want to grow some monster monti caps. But, mostly lps, rics, zoos, etc. I am going to go with a modified pillar system for rock work.

So, your thoughts on what lighting I can go with? Thanks.

 

[Haxer]

I have the exact same tank. mine is a perfecto 220 (same dims) and I find that the 250's I have are barley sufficent for SPS and only at the top third of the tank. However I am running old spider style reflectors. I plan on making the DIY style LumenArc or LumenBright reflectors and that should take care of things. By the way I upgraded from a 72 Bow Front, I'm kinda in the same boat... IMO

Regards,
Eric

 

[gholtmeyer]

I have the exact same tank. mine is a perfecto 220 (same dims) and I find that the 250's I have are barley sufficent for SPS and only at the top third of the tank. However I am running old spider style reflectors. I plan on making the DIY style LumenArc or LumenBright reflectors and that should take care of things. By the way I upgraded from a 72 Bow Front, I'm kinda in the same boat... IMO

Regards,
Eric

How many bulbs are you running? Also, are they single end or double ended?

 

[brycerb]

I have the same tank and am running a 3 250w MH plus 8 36" T5's. It is right on the line of being OK. I can put low light things on the bottom. If I didn't get such a good deal on my lights I would have gone 2 400w MH's and some T5's.

 

[discus510]

if the dimension of tank is 72 x 30 x 24 72 being length 30 being depth (front to back) 24 height top to bottom tat would be better is a pain to reach to the bottom when its 30" high unless u got really long arms

 

[tozzi]

I have a 215..... 72" L 24" wide 27" deep. i had 4- 250w se 10k's n 2-6'vho actinic. Wasnt happy with the growth on all my sps and the overall brightness of the 250's. Now i have 4- 400w se n the 2- 6'vho. Its perfect. I can grow sps anywhere! The only thing i dont like about it is my electric bill!

 

[dzfish17]

I just took down my 220g and I ran 3 250s and it was sufficient for my lps. I dont know if it was bright enough for sps.

If you go with the 400s they will really heat the tank up. Are you installing a chiller?

Dave

 

[sasharotty]

Being 72x30x24 24" is the depth 250's should work fine imo.If your going to have pillars just stack sps top 1/3. Lps and zoos will be fine near bottom on a 24" depth imo.

 

[gholtmeyer]

The tank will be 30" deep -from bottom of tank to top of tank. It is 24" front to back of tank. So, it sounds like I need to go with 400w MH then. So now the question is, will three 20k XM's work? I have a chiller. The tank will be set back in a wall in the basement family room. The entire back of the tank and the 150 gallon stock tank will be sitting in the same room as the furnace/ac unit in a room that is 20'x30'. I was hoping to not have to use the chiller and get by with just using fans and an ATO unit.

 

[tozzi]

U can use 3 400w. Most people do. I chose to do 4 cause i didnt like how the middle one was directly over the center brace. I havent needed a chiller and the tanks been through 2 summers already. I do have the sump in the basement with about 30 gallons of water in it. I actually havent even used a fan yet. Bought 1 but never set it up. Hottest my tank got was 84 and thats when it was about 110 degrees outside! 2-Vho's r on for about 2 hrs in morn and 2 at night. Mh's are on 6 hrs a piece an hour between each other

 

[gholtmeyer]

U can use 3 400w. Most people do. I chose to do 4 cause i didnt like how the middle one was directly over the center brace. I havent needed a chiller and the tanks been through 2 summers already. I do have the sump in the basement with about 30 gallons of water in it. I actually havent even used a fan yet. Bought 1 but never set it up. Hottest my tank got was 84 and thats when it was about 110 degrees outside! 2-Vho's r on for about 2 hrs in morn and 2 at night. Mh's are on 6 hrs a piece an hour between each other

I am not sure I understand your lighting schedule. So you have the lights coming on one after another with an hour between each one? so for only a few hours, all four lights are one, then they start shutting off one every hour? That would kinda give the sunrise/sunset effect. It wold also account for your temps staying steady vs. all four of your mh being on at the same time. What bulb do you use?

 

[tozzi]

12k / 10 k reeflux. At 1 my vho comes on. at 2 , 2- 400w come on. at 3, 2- 400w come on vho go off. At 8 , 2 400w go off. at 9 vho comes on and 2- 400w go off. 10 vho off.

My tank is around 82 -83 when lights turn off.by next morn before they go on tanks about 78-79. The temp swings some but my tank doesnt care all corals are growing crazy with the 4- 400w. I really only went wit 4 - 400's cause of the center brace, i seen them break from a 250 mh being right over them. I wasnt about to chance a 400w above it and have 200 gal of water on my living room floor!