someone please ease my mind.... or tell me im wrong.....

[nemofish2217]

is my 150 HQI DE coralife pendant and one 65 watt 20" pc actinic enough for my sps? the tank is a 45 gallon(2' long, 18" deep, and 2' tall). I have about 22 different sps frags....and would like to be certain that my light is adequate... the light sits about 10" off the water, and most of the sps are under the light and are from about 20" below the light to about 15.

i have heard that a 150 watt HQI DE bulb puts out about the smae amount of light that a 250 watt SE does, so i think i will be okay, but i just need someone to give me peace of mind!!!! thanks guys...and sorry this is such a winey post....

 

[nemofish2217]

btw the bulb is a 10k

 

[Horace]

Under the most optimal conditions,(magnetic ballast, 150w 10k HQI bulb) it only will put out 61 PAR. The optimal 10k 250w SE bulb setup will put out 182 PAR. So I dont know where you got your facts about 150w DE = 250w SE, but that is simply not even close to true. Perhaps your 10k may come close to some of the worst 250w setups with high kelvin bulbs, but if you are comparing apples to apples your not even in the ball park my friend.

On a different note, I would wager that you MAY be able to keep some SPS anyway. I think you need to get them closer the the top of the tank, but some will do just fine. However, dont expect them to grow like they do under 250w nor for them to color up like they will under better lighting. Just my .02

 

[Weatherman]

The only way to know, for sure, is to get a PAR meter (Quantum Meter). I recommend Model QMSS-SUN.

http://www.apogee-inst.com/pdf_files/qmss.pdf


Coral are remarkably adaptable to lighting conditions, but a good target to shoot for is PAR of 200-350 for around six to eight hours a day. You can get by with less light, but then it has to be of longer duration.

 

[mntl]

just for reference, i have a 12" tall tank with a 175w se (iwasaki aqua2 14k w/luminarc reflecter) this is one of the brightest set-ups in this wattage range, it has no glass shield on the reflecter and the bulb is just over 6" off the water. My corals sit about 8-14" below the light depending on coral and in my opinion this is "just" adequate. The more I lower the light the better the corals respond so that is telling me I am not at their peek light yet. For you depth of tank, I think you are going to be ok but some of the more light hungry acros may dissapoint color-wise. you also, most likely, do not have total flexibility to set any acro at any depth. This is not necessarily a problem, you may not want acros at every depth in you tank. If you eventually want all sps or a tank full of sps, I would recommend upgrading your lighting.

just my .02c

-John-

 

[Qwiv]

For all SPS, No. For some SPS, no problem. You need to remember that not all SPS need the same amount of light. Read this:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-03/cj/index.php

By reading that you will understand that you asked a question that cannot really ba answered.

I think you will be fine with the digitata and monti corals typical in the hobby. Growth will be so so, but more dependent on your water quality. You can keep some of the acros but don't be upset if they loose their color.

I would add another 150 watter or some T5s myself.

 

[nemofish2217]

would this be enough of an upgrade? i want to have more than enough light.... i want the corals to have the most light possible without "burning" them...

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=AQOL5

if this would not be a good upgrade, then what would you guys reccommend for a upgrade? i am looking for one HQI DE bulb, in a pendant... any suggestions?

 

[nemofish2217]

btw, this is what i have now

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium...oralife_aqualight_pro_hqi_pendant.asp?CartId=

 

[mntl]

A 250 would work for your depth, with a single one you may have minor shady areas on the side but I think it would work fine. A 250 would be the route I would go given your tank. I do not know the spread on the reflecter set though.

-John-

 

[nemofish2217]

hey, thanks for your reply.... so would i ever "outgrow" a 250 HQI? I was also thinking of maybe this pendant by icecap...

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=IC3711

this way i could either go with a 250 HQI or a 400 HQI.... what do you think? I want to never have to upgrade on this tank again....

 

[gregm5]

i would go with the 250 because of how shallow your tank is. from what i've read, 250 is enough for a for and 2' cube area. which is pretty close to the dimensions of your tank. just be careful when you introduce the new light so that you don't light shock the corals you already have. i've had good luck using the screen method. or you could just raise your pendant up and slowly bring it closer to the water's surface.