2x 250watt to much for 90g?

AngeloM3 · #1 07/09/2007, 04:28 PM

Hey hey everyone....

Well I'm building a 90g from scratch... and I've now come to the part to select what kind of lights I'll use.

The tank is just a plain-ol AGA 90g with overflow... I want to keep mostly LPS and softies... with a couple SPS. Is 2x 250watt MH's overkill? Should I run 2x 150w? 2x 175w?

RichConley · #2 07/09/2007, 05:06 PM

what are you planning for on reflectors?

AngeloM3 · #3 07/09/2007, 05:39 PM

Spider Reflectors.......... SE bulbs...... IceCap ballasts.

jeffgp · #4 07/09/2007, 05:49 PM

i have thoes reflectors and use a pfo ballast with 2 250's

AngeloM3 · #5 07/09/2007, 06:00 PM

ok cool... just wanted to make sure i wasnt going to boil the water

RichConley · #6 07/09/2007, 06:07 PM

Honestly, if theres one thing you should spend the cash on with lighting, its reflectors.

You'll be much happier with something like a pair of lumenarc Minis, and either 175s or 250s.

You'll be much better off with great reflectors and cheap ballasts than good ballasts and cheap reflectors.

Ti · #7 07/09/2007, 06:07 PM

nah you'll b fine for a 90

theatrus · #8 07/09/2007, 06:09 PM

I'm running that on a 55g, so you'll be fine on a 90g

(also upgrading to a 90g, tank is already bought! :-D)

AngeloM3 · #9 07/09/2007, 06:26 PM

theatrus... do you have any problems with heat with that lighting combo? do you run a chiller?

theatrus · #10 07/09/2007, 06:35 PM

I don't aircondition the aquarium room, so yes I run a chiller (when the room hits 90 the aquarium tends to follow

). No major heat problems encountered though. When ambient is low enough, a fan sufficies for heat control.

RichConley · #11 07/09/2007, 06:37 PM

FWIW, I'm running 2x250 on a 58g, and have never needed a chiller.

Seriously though, reflectors are more important than ballasts. If you cheap out and buy spiders, you're looking at 50% loss or more. You'd be better off running 175s in lumenarcs.

AngeloM3 · #12 07/09/2007, 06:51 PM

i thought spider reflectors are pretty darn good? guess i'm wrong... i'll look into the lumenarcs............ they dont come in SE if i remember correctly.

Tennsquire · #13 07/09/2007, 06:56 PM

I have 2 250s on my 75, and they work just fine. Reef Optix III pendants on Ice Cap ballasts, about 8 inches off the water in a canopy. The fixtures get hot, but the water doesn't heat up too badly.

klam114 · #14 07/09/2007, 07:15 PM

perfect 2x 250w MH

JCTewks · #15 07/10/2007, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AngeloM3
i thought spider reflectors are pretty darn good? guess i'm wrong... i'll look into the lumenarcs............ they dont come in SE if i remember correctly.

The Luminarc was originally designed for SE bulbs...I believe they were first created for the hydroponics industry for MH and HPS bulbs. And yes, they still make them for SE's...I just got 2 Luminarc L3's for my new 120. You'll want the mini's for the 90....the full size are 19 5/8" square...I think the mini's are 14" square.

jeffgp · #16 07/10/2007, 08:15 AM

i like the ones from PFO thsat i got at marine DP
it gives a good light spread for the tank and mine are 10 in off the water ..

yes my apt is warm to start with .. so i use a big fan to keep thinhs cool

trmiv · #17 07/10/2007, 08:30 AM

I ran 2x250w DE's on my 90. For SPS it's great, but I always thought I had too much light for most of what I was keeping. If you really are going to do just LPS and softies, two 150 DE's or two 175's in lumenarcs would probably be fine.

DarG · #18 07/10/2007, 08:40 AM

I'm running 2 x 250 watt DE's + 4 x T5 on a 90. Plenum and DSB. It's overkill. I'm probably going to back down to dual 150 watt for the halides. The experts feel I have enough light with the T5's alone. Either that or lower par 250 watt bulbs but that still wastes 200 watts woth of energy and extra heat.