Lighting help

dskibs · #1 01/03/2008, 10:06 PM

I am looking at a 150g, that is 72 in long, 20 wide and 24 long and am wondering if this:

http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_...unlight_Supply

48" tek t5 6 bulb will be enough lighting?

Entropy · #2 01/03/2008, 10:08 PM

Enough light to accomplish? It will definaly light your tank.

You will have shadowing at the edges on each side and maybe under the center bracing, but it will light the majority of the tank well. I am not sure what you plan to keep though.

dskibs · #3 01/03/2008, 10:25 PM

I am planning on doing a full reef with all the fixin's

What would I need to do the prevent the shadowing?

Entropy · #4 01/03/2008, 10:53 PM

Well the outside shadowing you cannot really fix with that setup. For a six foot tank, you need six feet of lighting (72 inch VHO, or T'5 staggered, or three halides). I have a 135g (similar dimensions) and run two halides but I have shadowing on the sides. It is not really too bad as it is close to the top and my sides are empty space anyway. The shadows in the middle are going to depend on what kind of center bracing you have. If it is glass and clear you can usually mask the shadowing pretty well with a good light spread. If you have two braces, then three halides will elimante any shadowing. I have a really wide centerbrace (almost 12 inches wide) made of glass and it shadows the center.