lighting?

[garvin]

Hi

Sorry about this post, I image it has been answered many times, but I cant get the search function to work.

I need some advice on lighting. I am setting up a 75 gal tank. Its about 18-20 deep. I am trying to decide what to do for lighting. The tank came with VHO. I am planning on running 2 110w actinics and 10000k MH. My question is what wattage for the MH. I am planning on having mostly softies in this tank with some SPS, clams etc later on. Some people are advising me to go with 250w MH. This seems like alot to me. Its over 10w/g. ( I know this isnt a definte ratio ). I've been doing some reading on how much light corals can actually use. I was thinking about going for 175's. better on the hydro bill to.

What does eveyone think?

Thanks

[M.Maddox]

If you want to use halides, 2 150w DE's with your vho should be plenty for a garden type reef.

Personally, I used the Sunlight Supply 6 bulb Tek T5 fixture for my mostly clam oriented 75.

[kevensquint]

I had the actinics with 1- 250 6500k MH over a 65. No matter how you look at it its hard to find one kind of lighting that all your corals like (mixed reef). IME, either my acros are happy or my zoo's and shrooms, thats why I'm giving away my softies and going SPS and clams only. My SPS are happy with my present lights and more of a challenge. You could save some trouble and decide what you really want to do with your tank now, or you can do like me and spend a fortune changing lights and corals until your happy. Just my 2 cents.

[garvin]

Thanks for the replies.

I dont realy want to go one way or the other, I realy like the look of a mixed reef. I'm hoping to be able to find lighting that will keep softies, lps and sps happy.

I checked the depth over the weekend. the deepest part of the tank is 18'. It vairies a bit due to the sand bed. The majority of things will be in the top 15' of the tank.

Does anyone else have any experiances with lighting they would like to share? What worked, what didn't, 175w or 250w etc?

Thanks