Lighting opinion

[Ctdogdoc]

I've been getting dramatically different opinions on this one - was hoping for some of your opinions.

I've recently acquired a 400W 10KK MH pendant (ReefSun) for a BARGAIN. Want to put it over my 80g to supplement the 240w of Coralife PC (50:50 actinic:10KK)I already have. I've had a couple people tell me this is CRAZY too much light, and others say it's good. I'll hang it 10" off the water eventually - will start off higher during the acclimation period.

Anyone here want to chime in?

Hope to see some of you soon at the next meeting.

Aaron

[bdr127]

A 400W pendant is in no way crazy..... what are you keeping in your tank? If you just have fish or just have softies then it is probably overkill. But with that light you'd be able to keep pretty much anything.

[ez1ez]

Acro's, clams,monti's, take your choice you now have the lighting. I know some one who has 2 400w Mh and a VHO actinic on their 55g. The grow acro's.

[minh_han]

I think it would be fine, as long as you had a good way to cool your tank, b/c that much light will heat your tank up fairly rapidly. But, I think it would be cool.

[Ctdogdoc]

MANY THANKS.

Currently have Euphyllia, turbinaria, and physogyra for LPS and a crocea clam. Wanting to get into clams and SPS more, especially Montipora (just sings to me!). I'll gradually work the light in. Little bits at a time so I don't bleach out the corals. They won't be used to that much light.

I hear a lot about bleaching corraline under MH, but Aqua Dreams up in Feeding Hills, MA (a great store) has tons of corraline under their MH. Anyone have experience with that?

Thanks again

[minh_han]

I think the bleaching of coralline has to do with a sudden jump in light intensity without adequate acclimation. But, there are some types of coralline that do better under lower light b/c there's not as much competition from the more highly photosynthetic varieties. I guess if this coralline were growing and you added more light, it would either get bleached out or would be taken over by other types of algae.

[pncstod]

IMHO, I dont think you could ever have too much light on a tank. As much light we put on our little pieces of the ocean, it is no comparison to the sunlight corals receive on the reef. If you look in the three volume set of books "Corals Of The World" they have pictures of sps reefs with corals out of the water at low tide. I have 880 watts of light on my four foot 150 gallon tank and will be upgrading soon to 1180 watts. I am hoping my sps's will color up better. Like Minh said though your only problem will be with tank cooling. Get some fans going and put the a/c on more:D


Paul

[dburr]

A pendant won't heat up the tank as much as if were enclosed in a canopy. You may be ok at 10" above.
I ran my 175's 12" above in a canopy, never turned on the fan I installed. If it does have a heat issue, try a fan across the surface first... that may take care of it.

[Ctdogdoc]

Purchased a new a/c this year for the reef room - one that has a digital thermostat that I can set for a max of 81deg and make sure that room never overheats - it's on the west wall of the house. I do already have a fan that I blow across when the temp gets a bit warm. The humidity lately has been so horrible, you don't get much for evaporation!

Thinking the pendant shouldn't be bad up off the water and if the room heats up too much - the a/c kicks in anyway. Nothing like spending more money (on a/c) on more money (MH lights) on more money (reef and inhabitants)!! 'Tis the nature of the beast we all love.

[dburr]

LOL, I had to buy one that fits in a casement window, $$, wish I waited... their is no sun this summer.:( :mad:
Farmers allminac says 30 days of sun this summer, if you can believe that. But, they were right on all the storms this summer. (music from twilight zone playing) LOL

Dan

[minh_han]

Well, maybe we'll have sun for the rest of the summer. :) OF course that means I'll be out there watering my garden more frequently. I guess the best thing is early morning showers with plenty of sun afterwards. I don't think I'm going to get a crop of tomatoes and peppers at the rate we're going. I should have planted cat tails instead, or maybe water lilies.