SPS, Clams, and some 175 watt MH's.

[antony1103]

I am thinking of getting some new metal halides for my reef and want to know if SPS corals and clams will live under 2-175 watt 14000K metal Halides. My 75 gallon tank is about 22 inches deep.

[xcreonx]

i think you're gonna get mixed responses here about this...

i'd say yes, however you might be happier with 250w bulbs. SE or DE.

but that's just my opinion.

i have a 24" deep tank with a 250w DE and i have no prob keeping clams on the sandbed.

[MiddletonMark]

I too would say, yes you can ... but also likely would be happier with 250's. Not that much more [cost wise] yet gives you more freedom.

I have 2 175's on my 58, which works pretty well given it's only 36" long. But ... without an overpowered skimmer and attention - nutrient issues can make your Acropora coloration less than perfect from time to time.

If you do go with 175's ... let me know, I'll upgrade for you :)

[saltywater180]

Go with the 250's, in most cases the bulbs are the same price and the 175's look dim to me anyway. For the $ go with the 250's.

[reefdood]

On my 30 I have a 175 14K and three 3' VHO. I had been keeping Derasas, Maximas, Montis and Acros under it until my tank crashed from a broken POS burn in hell Rio 3100 return pump while on vacation. It scared mushrooms and that's a good indication that I had good light for clams and SPS. ;)

BTW no return pump = no chiller for that hot as he** tank.

[Saltz Creep]

Originally posted by antony1103
I am thinking of getting some new metal halides for my reef and want to know if SPS corals and clams will live under 2-175 watt 14000K metal Halides. My 75 gallon tank is about 22 inches deep.

Don't think 4.6 watts per gallon is gonna cut it. Get 2-250W.

I'm building a clam tank from a shallow 20gal long. I'm using 1-175 MH and 2x75W VHO. 16 watts per shallow gallon. :smokin:

[MiddletonMark]

Here's a good example that it can be done ... but I would call this guy quite a `blue thumb' as everyone in his area seems to have frags from him.
http://mistressreef.homestead.com/ else http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-02/totm/index.htm

It's a good `175w' inspiration tank, IMO :)
Not there yet, personally ...

[Froggy]

I use 2 X 175 Hamilton 14 K's on my 75 and I am happy with them. I have a mixed reef and get very good growth from my SPS and LPS. The frogspawn on the left started the size of a baseball and now takes up much of the left side of the tank. All of the sps were started as small frags and the Millepora on the top left mound has doubled in size over the last couple of months. It is directly under one of the 175 watt halides. The red montipora cap on the lower right started as a small chip and is now starting to form seperate plates. The pocillipora on the right side has doubled in size. In the middle of the tank there is a cream colored merulina that started as a small chip about a year and a half ago. It is now a very large plate and continues to grow. I also have a Derasa clam that has about an inch of white growth on its shell that took place over about a 3 month span under the 175's. I agree that the 14 K 175's look a bit dim when they stand alone and need a good reflector. I guess it is your choice on using 250's or 175's but I just wanted to share that a nice tank containing SPS, LPS, clams etc. can be had using 175's. I have been happy with the Hamilton 175 14 K's and will be using the same bulbs when it is time to replce the current bulbs.
here is a pic of my 75 under 2 175 watt 14 K's and 2 55 watt actinic PC's
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v252/robertsonjoe/DSC00479.jpg

[xcreonx]

Nice!

[Leviathan]

FWIW,

I had a 75 gallon mixed reef for aprox 4 years, that I kept everything from SPS to Clams ( Squamosa, Crocea, Maxima, Derasa ). I had no problems at all keeping clams on the sand bed, and SPS would grow just fine.

However, now that I have a 90 gallon and run dual 250's I see that I was missing the coloration in SPS that I am getting now.

It can be done with 175's as stated above, but for the slightly different cost I would personally go with 250's.

HTH