Watts per Gallon?

[nc87]

Hey guys, i remember reading a forum that said you should have so many watts per gallon and was wondering if anyone know what the amount was. I currently have one 10K 175W MH followed by four 20K 40W florescent lights. I've bought one more 175W MH and want to change both bulbs to 14K. Am i overdoing it or will this be ok?

Thanks
Nick

 

[Wryknow]

Thew watts/gallon is more of a rule-of-thumb than a rule. I think that 2 x 175W MH plus 4 x 40W flourescents will be a good amount light for a 55 gallon tank for most reef set-ups.

 

[hairymushroom]

dont go by the watts per gallon rule as its more about light spectrum, intensity and PAR that really matter , that set up you have sounds good to me .

 

[hairymushroom]

Wryknow, too fast for me

 

[Wryknow]

LOL Too many people trying to help I guess

 

[Kaiser Tang]

"Rule of thumb" 3-5 watts per gallon. But it really is about specturm, intensity, tank depth, and what you intend to keep. with two 175w MH on a 55 gal. you should keep just about whatever you want. I have only one 250w MH and 375w VHO and deep 92 gal. tank. I keep three crocea clams with other corals as well. Crocea clams need the most light out of almost everything. They're thriving in my tank.

 

[reefer_for_life]

that setup sounds good. if it were me, i would switch out the 40watt bulbs, go with a 4x110 watt VHO actinics for color, stick with the 10k MH's for growth and have a really sweet setup. thats what i have except i have 4x95watt VHO's. looks good and get good growth. good luck

 

[skeeter_ca]

i have 3 175w 14000K over my 75 tall. It's diffently not bright enough. I'm thinking of switching to 3 250w 14000k when these bulbs run out. That would put me at 10watts/gal. It just is not as bright with the 14000k as it was with my 5700K, but the 5700ks where way to yellow.

 

[MCary]

Although PAR covers it a little, one thing that is hardly ever mentioned is coverage area. If you put a 250 w light over a 55, don't you have scatter front and back of the tank? Would the same light work just as fine on a 75 gal which is the same length and depth of a 55 only wider? So you would have less watts per gallon, but just as good of light right? Just wondering.

Mike

 

[kevensquint]

I would flush the old watts per gallon idea down the toilet. Imagine a frag 18" under the water with a MH bulb over the frag giving it " what people would consider the right amount of watts per gallon" Now imagine the same coral at the same depth with the same bulb over it, only this time its in a tank with 10x more water. According to this rule, your frag now does'nt get enough light. See the problem. I prefer using general experiences of reefers, which is in a shallow tank 175 watt bulbs are OK, and when you get to the 24" depth or more your moving into 250-400 watters. How many bulbs depends on tank length, each MH will do 2 square feet.

 

[hairymushroom]

well put keven.