SPS lighting

[AC-WEB]

I'm am upgrading from a 46 gallon tank to a 75 gallon tank. I currently have a 36 inch odyssea metal halide fixture with 2x175w 14k lights and 2x65 compacts. I was hoping to use it for the 75 gallon tank, but my fans stopped working and would run too hot to be placed in a canopy. The canopy for the 75 gallon has 4x96w Current compacts. Would that be enough lights for sps coral and clams?

AC-WEB

 

[divewsharks]

The compact fluorescents alone would not be enough light for clams and SPS.

 

[wickedfish]

I think if the sps are higher up you will be fine, but you have to try to learn.

 

[nicknguyen]

take the light apart and replace fan. I would much prefer the mh over the pc.

 

[LifeAquatic]

Its a gamble runnig SPS under just power compacts. Thats is bare minimum light for SPS if even enough at all.

 

[kduen]

You don't have the old silver ballast's do you? If so i would highly recomend replacing them makes a ton of difference. I just replaced mine with the lumatek's and its probably 100% brighter. I will post Pics of the difference between the two when i get home from work.

 

[kduen]

first is before the switch the seccond is after. Bulbs and everthing else is the same the only thing that was changed is the ballast's!

 

[AC-WEB]

first is before the switch the seccond is after. Bulbs and everthing else is the same the only thing that was changed is the ballast's!

View attachment 120746
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That is a huge difference! My lights are Odyssea and it come with these big heavy black ballast. What would you recommend I switch over to?

 

[kduen]

First I would go to Harbor Freight tools and pick up a cheap Kill-o-Watt meter and measure what your ballast's are actually pulling. After testing mine they were only pulling about 142 average(mine is 250w x2 setup) I have heard that the new black ones like you have actually pull closer to what they are supposed to so i would check first before you drop $300 and find out that they look the same. Also I replaced the stock bulbs with 20k blue lifes and the above pics are with those bulbs. IMO the stock bulbs are crap. Hope this helps