250w or 175w

poopsko24 · #1 04/01/2005, 09:34 AM

What wattage lights would you guys choose for LPS corals? I'm going to have 2 lumenarc reflectors over my custom tank that measures 54" L x 30" W x 24" H, I will be keeping the following corals: frogspawn, hammers, torches, bubbles( these will be in the rockwork, middle and high) open brains, lobos, favias on the bottom on the sand. I currently keep them under 150w DE and they have done great over the last couple years. I'm thinking of going with either 2-250w ushios' or 2-175w ushios'. I'll have the lumenarcs to cover the width of the tank so light coverage should'nt be a problem, I'm leaning towards the 250's but will my corals not like that much light. I will not be doing any SPS in the future at all so as to not let that be a deciding factor.

Orochimaru · #2 04/01/2005, 10:07 AM

why change at all if things are doing great? Especially if you are not going with sps at all, what is the point? IMO, you should just stay with the current setup and not waste any more money.

I have 2x250 right now on my lps, but I am just in a transitional stage to sps again. If it weren't for that I would just keep my pc.

poopsko24 · #3 04/01/2005, 10:54 AM

well my new tank is a custom size. My old tank with the 150 DE is a aquaspacelight and its over a 90 gallon. It wont look right on a 54" long tank, and its definitly not enough to cover the 30" width on my new tank, plus I'm going to do a canopy on this new tank. So I got these lumearc reflectors that need either 175w or 250w, I'll supplement either w/ 2-4' actinics.

greenfroggiespawn · #4 04/01/2005, 02:25 PM

i have a 90, always get bigger incase.. thats imo and ime

so just get 250s.

poopsko24 · #5 04/01/2005, 02:49 PM

thats what i'm thinking, I just don't it to be too much light for my LPS that they wont' be comfortable. I thinking the 10k XM's or 10k Ushios in 250 watts with 2-4' actinics.

gcrowptc · #6 04/01/2005, 05:02 PM

250mh as the par on the 150de is higher than the 175w, all the xm's I have seen also seem to burn on the yellow side, ushio, hamilton and coralvue all good bulbs

poopsko24 · #7 04/01/2005, 05:48 PM

so I'm leaning back to my original idea of going with 2-250 SE Ushios', with the 2-vho's . I was going to go with the magnetic pulse start ballast as Ushios recommend, or should I go with the electronic PFO's ?

Orochimaru · #8 04/01/2005, 05:57 PM

I have 2x250 elec. PFO ballast. I had 14k hamilton-nice color when combine with 1x110w vho 10kk and 1x110 vho actinic. Loses intensity quickly. Now I run 10kk XM with 2 actinic VHO, a lot brighter

poopsko24 · #9 04/01/2005, 06:33 PM

do youre XM's look yellow to you , I ve seen alot of good looking tanks with xm's on it, i would not do the bluer bulbs, but thats my opinion. How high from the lights can you have euphyllias?

bkztrini465 · #10 04/01/2005, 09:02 PM

I run the 175watt 10XM and I get a very nice colored white light from it. There is no yellow tint on the bulb. Its the only bulb on the tank and the color is great IMO.

-Kris

T-$$$ · #11 04/02/2005, 02:04 PM

i owuldn't worry about your softies, i have tons of softies, many like you said in the thread, iand i have 3 400 over my 65, talk about overkill, bet they all are doing wonderful, so don't stress about the intensity of your light, they'll al be fine.
tim

bkztrini465 · #12 04/02/2005, 02:19 PM

I forgot to mention I have my softies under the 175watt MH too. Some are only 3 inches from the surface directly under the bulb and are fine.

poopsko24 · #13 04/02/2005, 03:41 PM

i'm not doing any softies, I dont' believe in mixing softies and stoneys.

gcrowptc · #14 04/02/2005, 09:35 PM

The XM's do have the highest PAR ratings, but everyone I have known using them switches them out after a few weeks and goes to either ushio, or hamiltons the xm's just seem to shift colors depending on the position of the nipple and in an se bulb loosening it or overtightening it to get the right nipple position is just not safe in my opinion. I really gave alot of thought to going xm but after seeing many tanks running them in person was not impressed with the coloration, I currently have a Hamilton 10k and love it the par is lower but it is a very stable bulb, I am going to be trying a coralvue 14k soon as par is higher the bulb is good priced and people I know running them love them

spamin76 · #15 04/04/2005, 11:22 AM

Do you really think you need MH for LPS?

Most people seem to do so well with VHO why use MH?

poopsko24 · #16 04/04/2005, 06:36 PM

As far as VHO goes, I do like the look of a tank lit up by vho's . I think lps especially look good under vho. My tank is 54" long , 24 tall, and 30" wide, what vho combination would , could, I do? How many vho bulbs would be good. I've always liked the look of vho's.