Who is the local SPS expert
- Thread starter kwalls
- Start date
walkerbrody
lost ball in high weeds
Im no sps expert. Personaly I would use 3 250w halides for lighting. You might get by with 3 175's with the more light demanding sps near the top.
Tomoko Schum
New member
I recommend three 250W metal halide lamps as well for SPS's. One metal halide bulb can illuminate 2' x 2' area. Acropora tends to have better colors under stronger lighting (more PAR.)
As you probably know, most SPS's like pretty good current in the tank. You also need to keep your tank conditions (alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, pH, temp, etc.) very stable for SPS's to thrive.
As you probably know, most SPS's like pretty good current in the tank. You also need to keep your tank conditions (alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, pH, temp, etc.) very stable for SPS's to thrive.
gflat65
New member
I'm a MH fan, too. I run 250W DE's (Phoenix 14K's) with VHO supp on my SPS tank, but know someone running T5's and having great growth and color.
As Tomoko mentions, stable parameters, esp. Mg, Alk, and Ca (assuming NH4, NO2, and NO4 are well under control) are important for SPS. Invest in some test kits (I like Salifert). PO4 can also cause issues for SPS. Unfortunately, hobbiest test kits aren't the most reliable for PO4. Good, alternating current is also important (tons of flow, but in all directoins and not directly on anything). Nothing like colored sticks...
As Tomoko mentions, stable parameters, esp. Mg, Alk, and Ca (assuming NH4, NO2, and NO4 are well under control) are important for SPS. Invest in some test kits (I like Salifert). PO4 can also cause issues for SPS. Unfortunately, hobbiest test kits aren't the most reliable for PO4. Good, alternating current is also important (tons of flow, but in all directoins and not directly on anything). Nothing like colored sticks...
KniLLifer
Premium Member
I think I have pretty good results with T5 so I would normaly recommend them. In your case though with a 6 foot tank I would run 3 (250W) MH's like gflat and Tomoko recommended as T5 only come in a maximum size of 5 feet.
With 3 250's I would worry about heat in a 125 Gallon though unless you have a chiller.
Maybe you can get best of both worlds and run (3) 150 Watt 10K MH's with (4) 60" ATI Blue+ T5's on a IceCap 660 Ballast. It all depends on your budget but that would look pretty good and have nice color and growth. In my 20Gallon frag tank I ran a 10K 150W Ushio along side with T5's and growth was great. The only reason I eliminated the MH is I wanted to have the same light in my Frag tank as in my Display witch is all T5's.
Good Luck. There are just way to many options.
~KniL~
With 3 250's I would worry about heat in a 125 Gallon though unless you have a chiller.
Maybe you can get best of both worlds and run (3) 150 Watt 10K MH's with (4) 60" ATI Blue+ T5's on a IceCap 660 Ballast. It all depends on your budget but that would look pretty good and have nice color and growth. In my 20Gallon frag tank I ran a 10K 150W Ushio along side with T5's and growth was great. The only reason I eliminated the MH is I wanted to have the same light in my Frag tank as in my Display witch is all T5's.
Good Luck. There are just way to many options.
~KniL~
Tomoko Schum
New member
As far as the heat issue is concerned, I have not had any issue with my MH lamps. It depends a lot on how high you install your lamps and how high you have your house temperature at. You can install fans above the display tank and another one or two over the sump to cool your water.
I have been using 14K (sometimes 20K) MH lamps without any actinic supplement (less heat imput). I have three fans but no chiller on my 180. I had a high capacity fan over my 120, again with no chiller.
I know a lot of people worry about a high temp with MH lamps, but SPS's can take temperature above 84 pretty well as long as the rise is not a big sudden spike. My SPS's are used to the tank temp ranging gradually with seasons (from 76 to 86.) I recall H@rry's saying that his tanks can go even higher sometimes in the summer time without any problem.
I just noticed that 125 comes in a few different dimensions. Is yours 72 x 24 x 17 ?
If it is only 17 inches tall, three 150 or 175 lamps should work fine. If the tank is 24 inches tall as in the case of 72 1/2 x 18 1/2 x 23 3/8, I'd go with 250's. You will have some light spilling regardless of the wattage you use on this, though.
I have been using 14K (sometimes 20K) MH lamps without any actinic supplement (less heat imput). I have three fans but no chiller on my 180. I had a high capacity fan over my 120, again with no chiller.
I know a lot of people worry about a high temp with MH lamps, but SPS's can take temperature above 84 pretty well as long as the rise is not a big sudden spike. My SPS's are used to the tank temp ranging gradually with seasons (from 76 to 86.) I recall H@rry's saying that his tanks can go even higher sometimes in the summer time without any problem.
I just noticed that 125 comes in a few different dimensions. Is yours 72 x 24 x 17 ?
If it is only 17 inches tall, three 150 or 175 lamps should work fine. If the tank is 24 inches tall as in the case of 72 1/2 x 18 1/2 x 23 3/8, I'd go with 250's. You will have some light spilling regardless of the wattage you use on this, though.
Tomoko Schum
New member
gotdesl -
I remember that the blue Tort frag you took to Fishtail/Philip was so brightly colored up and stunning!! Boy, that seems so long ago....
I recently lowered my 250W MH bulbs and Lumenbright reflectors by about an inch in my canopy. My SPS's responded positively (brightened up more) to the increase in the light intensity.
I remember that the blue Tort frag you took to Fishtail/Philip was so brightly colored up and stunning!! Boy, that seems so long ago....
I recently lowered my 250W MH bulbs and Lumenbright reflectors by about an inch in my canopy. My SPS's responded positively (brightened up more) to the increase in the light intensity.
Similar threads
