Too much light for my 120?

[AMIFL]

I'm switching from my (2)150 HQI's. The tank is a 120 (4x2x2) and I'm not sure if I should get 250's or 400's. SE bulbs and electronic ballasts. The reef is primarily SPS and some LPS. What kind of heat issues will I have with the 400's? Is the growth worth it? Thanks.

 

[Nerdy Nudi]

Every recent article will point to light intesity (par) as the main contributer to coral color and growth. So 400w is not too much, especially with a deep tank where you can stratigically place your lps.

As for cooling, Ill let others chime in with their experience.

Something to keep in mind, reflector design has come a long way in the last few years. A 250w halide will fair as well or better than a 400w if it is in a better reflector. And of course what reflector you can and want to use will vary on your application (mounting height, canopy size, highly focused or evenly spread light, etc).

Good luck

 

[AMIFL]

Thanks NN. I will be using a basic reflector at first and eventually upgrading to Lumenarcs. The heat is my biggest concern. I'm just not sure what type and size of fans I'll need. Thanks for anyone who can help.

 

[rbnice1]

I think unless your running a chiller you will have heat issues with 2 400s on that tank. 2 250s should be good tho and you can add additional par if you want it with T-5s.

 

[rbnice1]

I ran 2 250mh's 14k phoenix and 4 T-5 on my 90 for very good color and growth. If made a custom hood and used 2 120mm computer fans and the tank never went above 80.2 F.

 

[DeathWish302]

Right now I'm running a 250W in a Lumenarc on a 58gal. The room where the aquarium is kept maintains a steady 72F in summer and the aquarium runs 84F around the peak temp. Some of this is attributed to the pump (Velocity T4) and in-sump skimmer pump, but I would say I have about 3-4F swing from the halide itself. Also, you should know I'm running the bulb 9" from the water surface. The higher the bulb, the less heat tranferred. When you hold your arm under the lumenarc, after about 30 seconds it feels like your in intense sun on the beach.