would a 400w cf fixture be acceptable for top mounted sps.

[mos90]

im in the process of converting my 125g 72x18x20 to a reef tank. i already own a coralife 400 w cf fixture. it has new 10k and 420/460 actinic bulbs. i hate to drop $1000.00 on a light if i dont need to.

im wondering if i could possibly keep sps corals with that light if i placed them towards the top of tank.

opinons.

 

[mos90]

another option is i could go with 2-36" 250w mh fixtures with t5 actinics.each fixture has 1-250w mh and 39w actinics. im not sure if should go with a mh in the middle because my tank has about a 4" black plastic brace in the center. i could just arrange my aquascaping so the live rock is stacked under the 2 mh's. then i could just hang the fixtures like a pendant.

 

[Dog boy Dave]

Yes sps would get enough light under a 400 or a 250 in that tank. As you get farther away from directly under the light you will have darker areas. You will also get intense shadows with only two light sources on that long of a tank. But yes, your corals will be fine underneath the lights. You are correct as well. Putting a halide directly over your center brace is a bad idea.

 

[ritter6788]

I don't think it will be enough light unless the corals are really close to the bulbs. If you do go that route I would remove the actinics and replace them with a 6500k or 10000k bulb. CF don't penetrate the water very well and due to the shape of them it's difficult to get a reflector to focus the light down into the tank. I'd go with the 250w halides and you won't have to worry about a thing.

 

[allsps40]

Not enough light. Its not the watts you want is PAR. CF/PC bulbs dont put out very good PAR. You can keep some sps up at the top. Easy ones like green or orange caps, digis, birds nest. Plus 1 on 250w halides. You can find them for pretty cheap if you know here to look.