SPS Lighting -Lets get specifics-

[mntl]

I know (particularly in this forum) questions regarding lighting are constant. I think it would be useful to have a single post that addresses multiple variable regarding lighting schemes. In this thread I would like to ask a set of questions regarding most of the more important (or at least commonly asked) variables involving our specific lighting schemes. This is to hopefully make it easier to relate others tanks to our own and maybe recognize successful trends. Try to keep experiences sps related.

What bulb(s) do you use: brand/wattage/color?


What brand of ballast do you use?


What Brand of reflector (if any) do you use?


How high off the water do you keep the bulb?


What are the dimensions of your tank (specifically height)?


How long of a photo period do you use?


Where within the tank do you keep sps (top/bottom/middle)?


Can you keep sps on the bottom? Do they bleach near the top?


What is the biggest issue (problem) with you lighting scheme?


What is your favorite aspect of you lighting scheme?



Thanks in advance, I think this relatively specific information can really help people find what they may or may not be doing wrong with regards to lighting, or at least find base-points to relate to their own systems.

-John-

 

[mntl]

I'll start:

What bulb(s) do you use: brand/wattage/color?
-Iwaski aqua2/175w/14k

What brand of ballast do you use?
ice-cap

What Brand of reflector (if any) do you use?
-luminarc mini/no glass shield

How high off the water do you keep the bulb?
-7"

What are the dimensions of your tank (specifically height)?
-20"l / 20"w 12"h

How long of a photo period do you use?
-8 hours

Where within the tank do you keep sps (top/bottom/middle)?
-middle to bottom

Can you keep sps on the bottom? Do they bleach near the top?
-yes most are near the middle/bottom. I have had problems with them getting to light at the top

What is the biggest issue (problem) with you lighting scheme?
-I am finding that corals seem to slowly bleach at the top of the tank, I am undecided on how high to keep light off of the water.

What is your favorite aspect of you lighting scheme?
-it's adjustability and simplicity. I have enough light to keep more demanding acros in this shallow of a tank.



-John-

 

[eckrynock]

2x 250w Coralvue 10k Reeflux bulbs / 2x 110w URI Actinic VHO

Advance M58 magnetic ballasts / 2 lamp ARO VHO ballast

Hellolights.com polished aluminum reflector

8"

24"

10hr VHO, 8hr MH

middle to top

sps "survive" on the botton, no bleaching on the top

Heat is the biggest issue

LOVE the color of the 10k Reeflux

 

[JB NY]

Re: SPS Lighting -Lets get specifics-

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7198046#post7198046 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mntl
Try to keep experiences sps related.

What bulb(s) do you use: brand/wattage/color?
SE 250-watt XM 10K

What brand of ballast do you use?
IceCap

What Brand of reflector (if any) do you use?
Spider reflector

How high off the water do you keep the bulb?
8 Inches

What are the dimensions of your tank (specifically height)?
72x24x24

How long of a photo period do you use?
9 hours

Where within the tank do you keep sps (top/bottom/middle)?
bottom/middle/top

Can you keep sps on the bottom? Do they bleach near the top?
Yes on the bottom. No bleaching on the top.

What is the biggest issue (problem) with you lighting scheme?
No real issues too much growth if you count that as a problem.

What is your favorite aspect of you lighting scheme?
No thought involved.

So many different lighting schemes can work. It's not about having the brightest bulb on the greatest reflector. It's about providing good light to the corals. After that it is all about creating a healthy stable environment for the corals to grow. Good circulation and stability will pull the colors out of the colors more than just lighting alone.

I am using good lamps, but my ballast does not drive the lamp to the highest PAR and my reflectors do not reflect the highest amount of light back into the tank. I am also using SE not DE bulbs. I can get very good coloration at the top middle and bottom of the tank.

Here are some pics of corals at different levels in the tank.



Top
4"-7" from the surface.

Middle
10"-15"

Bottom
15"-20" (tank is 24" but the bottom 4"is the sandbed)

 

[RichConley]

Re: SPS Lighting -Lets get specifics-



What bulb(s) do you use: brand/wattage/color?
250w DE Aqualine Buske 10K (my xm 10K wont light on eballasts)

What brand of ballast do you use?
Icecap Eballast (although I've switched back and forth between an ARO I have, and havent seen any difference)

What Brand of reflector (if any) do you use?
Reef Optix III. Its been polished heavily, and the glass was replaced with much thinnner tempered. The inside of the hood has also been covered in polished aluminum, to increase efficiency

How high off the water do you keep the bulb?
The bottom of the fixture is probably 6-8" off the water, so the bulb probably 12"

What are the dimensions of your tank (specifically height)?d
36x18x22. 58G.

How long of a photo period do you use?
My halide runs from 7-8:30am, and 6pm to midnight. It give me the opportunity to check up on the tank before i go to work, and gives me viewing time when I get home.

Where within the tank do you keep sps (top/bottom/middle)?

Pretty much everywhere. Although my rock only goes about 1/2 way up the tank, so nothing is really on the top.

Can you keep sps on the bottom? Do they bleach near the top?
Yes, can keep SPS on the bottom. I dont know if they'd bleach on hte top becaues my rocks only go about 1/2way up, so no corals are really at the top.

What is the biggest issue (problem) with you lighting scheme?
The corners in the top of the tank are slightly darker.

What is your favorite aspect of you lighting scheme?
Its simple, easy, and gets the job done.

 

[KEEPERZ]

Re: SPS Lighting -Lets get specifics-

What bulb(s) do you use: brand/wattage/color?

400w reeflux 10/12k

What brand of ballast do you use?

pfo hqi

What Brand of reflector (if any) do you use?

lumenarc

How high off the water do you keep the bulb?

very bottom of reflector 4" so bulbs about 10"

What are the dimensions of your tank (specifically height)?

96 x 30 x 36 tall

How long of a photo period do you use?

8hr mh only-no supplementation

Where within the tank do you keep sps (top/bottom/middle)?

all of the above

Can you keep sps on the bottom? Do they bleach near the top?

1. yes- 2. no

What is the biggest issue (problem) with your lighting scheme?

being happy with the color scheme- most bulbs are either good growth/bad color or bad growth/good color-reeflux 10k is good growth/ok color and the 12k is good color/ok growth -so I may try phoenix 14k or radium 20k before switching to the new tank

What is your favorite aspect of you lighting scheme?

3 bulbs cover the whole tank= less power

 

[SunnyX]

What bulb(s) do you use: brand/wattage/color?
SE 250W XM 10K

What brand of ballast do you use?
ARO Pro Series M58

What Brand of reflector (if any) do you use?
Lumenarc III

How high off the water do you keep the bulb?
5 Inches

What are the dimensions of your tank (specifically height)?
60x36x24

How long of a photo period do you use?
9 hours

Where within the tank do you keep sps
All over

Can you keep sps on the bottom? Do they bleach near the top?
Yes on the bottom. No bleaching on the top.

What is the biggest issue (problem) with you lighting scheme?
I am more of a blue bulb person so the color is not really to my liking.

What is your favorite aspect of you lighting scheme?
Growth and the fact that it only takes two MH's to cover my big tank

Here is a picture of the current lighting:

 

[jiggy]

What bulb(s) do you use: brand/wattage/color?
hamilton/400w/14k


What brand of ballast do you use?
hamilton hqi

What Brand of reflector (if any) do you use?
hamilton reefstar pendants

How high off the water do you keep the bulb?
8-9inches


What are the dimensions of your tank (specifically height)?
60lx18wx24h

How long of a photo period do you use?
6hrs

Where within the tank do you keep sps (top/bottom/middle)?
top, bottom, middle

Can you keep sps on the bottom? Do they bleach near the top?
yes. no.

What is the biggest issue (problem) with you lighting scheme?
heat.

What is your favorite aspect of you lighting scheme?
par. color crispness.

 

[Kip]

What bulb(s) do you use: brand/wattage/color?
400w Radium 20k SE

What brand of ballast do you use?
PFO Magnetic HQI

What Brand of reflector (if any) do you use?
spiders from hellolights

How high off the water do you keep the bulb?
10"

What are the dimensions of your tank (specifically height)?
~26" tall

How long of a photo period do you use?
8hrs on halides

Where within the tank do you keep sps (top/bottom/middle)?
top to bottom

Can you keep sps on the bottom? Do they bleach near the top?
yep, nope

What is the biggest issue (problem) with you lighting scheme?
heat and bulb replacement frequency

What is your favorite aspect of you lighting scheme?
i get nice growth.... i get the nice coral colors as you'd expect from 20k, but a whiter overall appearance by "overdriving" the bulb

if i were to change... I would go with a combination similar to JBNY's

 

[KEEPERZ]

bump this thread up- good info

 

[G-money]

Re: SPS Lighting -Lets get specifics-

On my 120:

What bulb(s) do you use: brand/wattage/color?
2 x 250w Radiums, 2 x 250W XM 20K (all SE bulbs)

What brand of ballast do you use?
Radiums on PFO HQI, XMs on Icecaps

What Brand of reflector (if any) do you use?
4 x PFO Optimal reflectors

How high off the water do you keep the bulb?
All bulbs ~8" above the water


What are the dimensions of your tank (specifically height)?
48"L x 24"W x 24"H

How long of a photo period do you use?
Radiums 8 hours/day, XMs 2.5-4 hours/day

Where within the tank do you keep sps (top/bottom/middle)?
everywhere

Can you keep sps on the bottom? Do they bleach near the top? Yes, can keep on the bottom below bulbs. A couple have bleached toward the top (but recovered). Most do very well.

What is the biggest issue (problem) with you lighting scheme? Electrical cost and heat, but that comes with the terrtory.

What is your favorite aspect of you lighting scheme?
Blend of 10K and 20K bulbs is my favorite, haven't really had much "color-shifting" in new corals.

 

[Rendos]

What bulb(s) do you use: brand/wattage/color?
250 watt XM SE bulbs

What brand of ballast do you use?
PFO M58 magnetic ballasts

What Brand of reflector (if any) do you use?
PFO (spider like) reflector inside PFO hood

How high off the water do you keep the bulb?
10"

What are the dimensions of your tank (specifically height)?
48" X 24" X 24"

How long of a photo period do you use?
10 hours on MH staggered

Where within the tank do you keep sps (top/bottom/middle)?
all over

Can you keep sps on the bottom? Do they bleach near the top?
yes...they do not bleach

What is the biggest issue (problem) with you lighting scheme?
heat...but handled with a chiller

What is your favorite aspect of you lighting scheme?
Color and growth of all SPS

 

[mntl]

Great responses!!

-JBNY- I totally agree! imo light is blamed for more problems than it actually causes. By showing the ranges that have been successful people can better rule-out lighting as the cause of a potential issues and move on to the (imo) more important stuff ie: parameters/flow-patterns and feeding. This is one of the few areas in this hobby that we can really make solid/accurate comparisons numerically from tank to tank. Unlike things like water parameters that we really have a hard time testing for all of the variables (just the few trace elements and basic nutrient (phos/trite/trate)loads).

--For example, lately I have been having issues with my colors slowly lightening up on a majority of my acros. I was raising my light to try and fix this but by looking at the place-ment of corals and the specific bulbs/reflecters in the rest of your tanks, I can use sanjay's site to compare par and I have noticed that some of these other tanks have higher par/same photo-period/ and corals just as close to the light, but not the same issues I am having. This leads me to believe it is most likely a lack of some food source that these other tanks (your included) have that mine does not. Before seeing this information I was stressing my lighting, now I can focus elsewhere.

For the people who read this but are not posting because they may think their systems are not ideal or are flawed somehow, PLEASE post. If people find shortcomings in the way they have their lights set-up this information is as much or possibly more useful for diagnoseing light related issues than success stories. The more variables that are covered the more accurate our understanding will be!!!!!

Thanks All!!

-John-

 

[MiddletonMark]

What bulb(s) do you use: brand/wattage/color?
Currently 10k AB, 20k Radium [was 14k AC] ... SE.
Also 2 x 96w VHO actinic

What brand of ballast do you use?
Icecap

What Brand of reflector (if any) do you use?
36" PFO parallel reflector

How high off the water do you keep the bulb?
7"

What are the dimensions of your tank (specifically height)?
58g - 36 x 18 x 21" tall

How long of a photo period do you use?
VHO 11.5 hours
MH1 - 12am to 7pm, MH2 - 3pm to 9pm

Where within the tank do you keep sps (top/bottom/middle)?
Pretty much anywhere that's not shaded. Have success with things placed fairly low in the corners.

Can you keep sps on the bottom? Do they bleach near the top?
Yes on the bottom.
At the top, only in a few locations for a few light-sensitive varieties. IME many reflectors have `hot areas' that you want to observe ... where I'd put a light-loving variety.

What is the biggest issue (problem) with you lighting scheme?
Power/heat. But IMO, no big issues.

What is your favorite aspect of you lighting scheme?
I like the mixing of whiter [10k] and bluer [14/20k] bulbs ... also I like the variance across the day [one bulb on for 3 hours, then both for 3, then other for 3].
I also like the reflector + 2 MH on a 3' tank ... I have far less shaded/not-as-nice-colored areas than with 1 - looks better, IMO light-cover is better, can place more under 20k for some, more under 10k for others - depending on where they seem to color best.

 

[rutz81]

What bulb(s) do you use: brand/wattage/color?
Aqua2/175W/15K x2

What brand of ballast do you use?
ARO Electronic

What Brand of reflector (if any) do you use?
Mounted reflective sheets inside canopy.

How high off the water do you keep the bulb?
6"

What are the dimensions of your tank (specifically height)?
75G - 48L x 18W

How long of a photo period do you use?
VHO 11 hours
MH1 - 8 AM-5:30PM, MH2 - 9pm to 7:30pm

Where within the tank do you keep sps (top/bottom/middle)?
Pretty much anywhere.

Can you keep sps on the bottom? Do they bleach near the top?
Not completely on the bottom, but, about 1.5" up.
At the top, I haven't noticed bleaching in my corals. I have a two frags of the same coral(Cali Tort) on top and bottom, and both have very similar, if not the same coloration.

What is the biggest issue (problem) with you lighting scheme?
Heat, no room for a good reflector inside my canopy. Not much room to work inside of my canopy, either. Would consider a hanging unit next time around.

What is your favorite aspect of you lighting scheme?
Overall color of the tank is great, IMO. My growth seems to be pretty good, as well.

 

[mntl]

great responses, keep them coming!!

 

[smatter]

Aqualine Buschke 10K DE 250W

Giesemann

Giesemann Nova

12"

24x18x21

9 hour photoperiod

Top, middle, and bottom

No Bleaching on top, growth on the bottom

Beams me in the eyes when I sit near the tank, but I kinda like it

It is small, good looking, well made, and powerful. There is something to be said about simplicity.

 

[elephen]

Re: SPS Lighting -Lets get specifics-

What bulb(s) do you use: brand/wattage/color?
250w 20k Radium

What brand of ballast do you use?
Sunlight Supply BlueWave 7 dual 250w HQI

What Brand of reflector (if any) do you use?
Sunlight Supply Reef Optix I but soon to be Lumenarc III

How high off the water do you keep the bulb?
6"

What are the dimensions of your tank (specifically height)?
120, 48x24x24

How long of a photo period do you use?
6hrs

Where within the tank do you keep sps (top/bottom/middle)?
all over

Can you keep sps on the bottom? Do they bleach near the top?
Yes, no

What is the biggest issue (problem) with you lighting scheme?
I want 400's

What is your favorite aspect of you lighting scheme?
The color

 

[nwrogers]

What bulb(s) do you use: brand/wattage/color?
- 2 Radium/400w/20k

What brand of ballast do you use?
- PFO pulse start

What Brand of reflector (if any) do you use?
- Spider reflectors

How high off the water do you keep the bulb?
- 8"

What are the dimensions of your tank (specifically height)?
- 72"l / 18"w 21"h

How long of a photo period do you use?
- 8 hours

Where within the tank do you keep sps (top/bottom/middle)?
- top/middle/bottom

Can you keep sps on the bottom? Do they bleach near the top?
- yes I can keep sps on the bottom and no they do not bleach near the top (disclaimer: my tank is only three months old, so far so goodââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦)

What is the biggest issue (problem) with you lighting scheme?
- Heat and the electric bill

What is your favorite aspect of you lighting scheme?
- Radiums look great! Color is great, growth is good, I like.

 

[concept3]

What bulb(s) do you use: brand/wattage/color?
SE 250W XM 10K

What brand of ballast do you use?
Ice cap electronic ballasts

What Brand of reflector (if any) do you use?
Generic $27 reflector from hellolights

How high off the water do you keep the bulb?
9 inches

What are the dimensions of your tank (specifically height)?
Standard 75 gallon RR (20" I think)

How long of a photo period do you use?
9 hours mixed (dusk dawn with VHO's)

Where within the tank do you keep sps
Every where possible, almost 65-70 corals in a 75 gallon tank!

Can you keep sps on the bottom? Do they bleach near the top?
They're everywhere! Top, sides, bottom. No bleaching at top, one growing 2 mm under the water's surface.

What is the biggest issue (problem) with you lighting scheme?
Too much growth, too small of a tank and the occasional heat

What is your favorite aspect of you lighting scheme?
Too much growth , and everything is on a timer so everything is thought free. When the halides turn off at 1:00 am, I know it's time for nite nite.