Lets talk about lighting an SPS tank - Page 10

fishdoc11 · #**226** 04/25/2005, 07:22 AM

What were you using before Mark? I'm currently using Ushios and am very happy with them but have been thinking about switching to AB's. The only thing I don't like is I run 2 55 watt PC's to take out the hint of yellow. This is for my eye, the coloration coralwise I'm very happy with. I also run 2 110 VHO atinics. I wouldn't mind taking the PC's offline because IMO they don't add to coral coloration and also to save electricity.
thanks, Chris

JB NY · #**227** 04/25/2005, 08:39 AM

I agree. Actinics can really add that punch to really make some corals glow.

MiddletonMark · #**228** 04/25/2005, 01:28 PM

Chris, on 175's [last fall and prior] I used mostly 10k hamilton and 10k XM, used 10k Ushio too.
When I initially bumped up to 250's I started with one AC 14k + I think a CV 10k. Haven't run Ushio 10k, but I liked the #'s on the AB with my ballast + went that way.

I dunno, I like the AB. Recently upgraded to 2 96w VHO instead of 2 x 55 PC actinics + without that I might not like it as much - but a nice color. IMO, took about 2-3 weeks to get past it's slightly yellow starting color ... now it's quite nice.

fishdoc11 · #**229** 04/25/2005, 07:01 PM

Thanks Mark

sellout007 · #**230** 05/03/2005, 01:28 PM

Man this thread has so much information, and its all confused me. SPS under NO lights?!?!

I just bought a 250w DE Ocean Light MH. My tank is 36" x 36" x 15" high. Did I just spend alot of money on a light that is not right for me? *lol* I also plan on adding some blue T5's down the road as well.

Im jsut so confused and overwhelmed by light periods, par readings, etc etc etc.

bubareefer · #**231** 05/25/2005, 12:47 AM

I think that the only bad light set up is the one you do not like. So many people get confused by what is good and bad. I have see so many set ups that lit by different bulbs and fixures. It is a hobby that you can do so much with and what makes RC so specail is how every tank system is different. I use 3-14k phonix HQI 250 DE with PFO pendents and Icecap pendents. My sps look great but some look out of place like they would do better under VHO. With that said, I think that we can all talk about bulbs, photo period, par, ect... till we are blue in the face but I think that the truth is that one bulb, photo, period, is not going to work every sps or tank even. What makes it even more confusing is how you can take a coral from one tank put it in a different one and it will change colors. A good one is Middletonmark gave me a frag of blue tip millipora. I put in my tank and I have had it for about 6 months and it turned a pinkish/orange and green.
I have tried PC's, VHO, and MH. The HQI 250's are what works for me and I run them for about 10 hours. My corals are happy and so am I. The nice sps setup I have ever seen was run by VHO's on a 8 hour cycle. I tryied to copy it and it didn't do the trick for me.
So sellout007 only take the information you find here as advice. Do what you want and try different things. You have a good fixure the t-5's are not a bad idea. I am going to add some to my 210 soon too. It is a hobby enjoy it don't worry about if you have the same peice of equipment as everyone else. Besides six months from now there will be new things on the market for lights and all the new hot items will change.

mwood · #**232** 12/29/2005, 12:58 PM

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I can't find it and the search function never works.

Is there a benefit to running a Iwasaki/Radium or Iwasaki/xm20k mix over just running a 10k or 15k bulb? I'm not sure PAR would be much of a benefit as xm10k's put out par similar to an iwasaki.

Marcus

bubareefer · #**233** 12/29/2005, 03:10 PM

I think that running 3 10k's or 14k's would be the best to do. Personally i do not like xm bulbs they do have nice par but that is you can get a working one. Out of shipment of 10 xm 10k DE that my store recieved only 3 worked. It took us 3 shippments of bulbs to get everything right.

I like the phenoix bulbs personally. They have a good par and they come in properly functioning. The XM 15k stinks for par as well.

mwood · #**234** 12/29/2005, 03:26 PM

Can't run 3. I am running 4, 2 400w Iwasaki's and 2 250w xm20k's. I thought about getting better reflectors, like a lumenarc or lumen max, and running 2 400w 10k's or 14k's. I'd have to give up the Iwasaki/20k mix and don't know if I be really giving up much. Here's an old pic of my tank.

RedEyeReef · #**235** 12/31/2005, 03:41 AM

mwood,

Very cool, what are the dimensions of your tank?

mwood · #**236** 12/31/2005, 10:29 AM

4'*8'*15"tall. It's an old shark and ray table tank I bought used and made a reef. I'll eventually finish the room like rainforest cafe. For now I'm working on getting the reef the way I want it. Half sps and half lps/softy with a clam bed in the middle/right. Lighting is my consern lately. I saw a lumen max reflector that was made for a 4'*4' area, but I'd have to go down to 1 bulb per side. I kinda like the iwasaki/20k blend and even thought about adding another 250w 20k to each side. I just don't know if I gain anything with all those bulbs or if I would be better with 2 400w 10k's or 15k's and be done. The way it is I have a blend of more light specturms. Does that really benefit, I don't know.

dwdowney · #**237** 01/08/2006, 07:17 PM

If I go with just 2 250 watt 10ks over my 72gal bow will I loose a lot of color. Or shouls I go with 2 250 10ks and 1 110wat VHO atinics? OR 2 250 MH 20k?

JMBoehling · #**238** 01/08/2006, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mwood
Can't run 3. I am running 4, 2 400w Iwasaki's and 2 250w xm20k's. I thought about getting better reflectors, like a lumenarc or lumen max, and running 2 400w 10k's or 14k's. I'd have to give up the Iwasaki/20k mix and don't know if I be really giving up much. Here's an old pic of my tank.

Very cool tank..

mwood · #**239** 01/08/2006, 07:38 PM

Thanks. Filling it takes time and patients. I'm hopping to add more sps on the left soon.

Wiskey · #**240** 01/09/2006, 01:39 AM

I just found this thread, some very interesting information.

I have a tank that measures 48 long *12 wide *18 tall (bad size I know) It is lit by a single 250W XM 10K, and I have had nothing but problems, tons of bleaching, but the bulb has very poor covrage on the ends. I don't want to upgrade to 2*250 because of the bleaching I am having on the corals directally under the bulb.

I had been dropping the photo period to avoid the bleaching, but I am questioning this action now.

I just raised the bulb from 10 inches, to 16 (can't be in the hood to do this) and turned it front to back (spyder reflector), then streched the reflector. Now I have even covrage, but less intence light.

I am betting that I was burning some corals with lots of light (right under bulb), while not giving others the light they need (ends of the tank).

Any ideas, suggestions? I will keep you all posted.

Thanks,
Whiskey

Wiskey · #**241** 01/09/2006, 01:40 AM

I just found this thread, some very interesting information.

I have a tank that measures 48 long *12 wide *18 tall (bad size I know) It is lit by a single 250W XM 10K, and I have had nothing but problems, tons of bleaching, but the bulb has very poor covrage on the ends. I don't want to upgrade to 2*250 because of the bleaching I am having on the corals directally under the bulb.

I had been dropping the photo period to avoid the bleaching, but I am questioning this action now.

I just raised the bulb from 10 inches, to 16 (can't be in the hood to do this) and turned it front to back (spyder reflector), then streched the reflector. Now I have even covrage, but less intence light.

I am betting that I was burning some corals with lots of light (right under bulb), while not giving others the light they need (ends of the tank).

Any ideas, suggestions? I will keep you all posted.

Thanks,
Whiskey

ATJ · #**242** 01/09/2006, 05:33 AM

Wiskey/Whiskey,

In a tank that is 18" high, in my opinion you could easily go with 2 x 150W lamps. I have two 36x18x18" tanks, each lit by 2 x 150W lamps and I get good colour and growth. My lamps are 6" from the water surface.

JB NY · #**243** 01/09/2006, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ATJ
Wiskey/Whiskey,

In a tank that is 18" high, in my opinion you could easily go with 2 x 150W lamps. I have two 36x18x18" tanks, each lit by 2 x 150W lamps and I get good colour and growth. My lamps are 6" from the water surface.

agreed.

Wiskey · #**244** 01/09/2006, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ATJ
Wiskey/Whiskey,

In a tank that is 18" high, in my opinion you could easily go with 2 x 150W lamps. I have two 36x18x18" tanks, each lit by 2 x 150W lamps and I get good colour and growth. My lamps are 6" from the water surface.

That is what I wanted to do origanaly, but I found a deal on a single 250W MH balast/reflector, and I really like XM 10K bulbs. I thought it would work, at the time I was not sure I even wanted MH so I decided to try this.

I don't have the money right now to upgrade to 2*150, so I am looking for something to get by with for now.

I will keep the 150's in mind for when I have a little extra spending money, what bulbs would you reccomend? keeping in mind I think XM 10K's on a magnetic balast give a perfect look. Are there any retrofit kits that stand out as a good choice? Are there any extra problems with HQI fixtures?

Thanks,
Whiskey

johns · #**245** 01/09/2006, 11:25 AM

How about for a tank that's 14" high, like a frag tank.

Which wattage would you recommend? How about if you were interested in running higher K bulbs, like 14K or 20K?

ikn0xl · #**246** 02/23/2006, 09:22 PM

What no mention of T-5's

JB NY · #**247** 02/26/2006, 09:05 AM

You can run T-5's. I've seen more tanks with MH with great colors than T-5 though. I also like the look of VHO actinics over T5 so it makes it hard to recommend T5 just for the main lights and VHO from actinics.

But really I like the look of MH more than T5. But you can use T5 if you want. As long as there is enough light you are all set.

Vins Fins · #**248** 02/26/2006, 02:03 PM

I went back and forth for weeks on which bulbs to relamp with. Was almost set on Xm 10K's. I was running 14 hamiton 250 watt version on the HQI ballast. I decided to go backwards and try a fairly new set of Iwasaki's that i used years ago. On the HQI ballast I hated the color, so I brought out my old regulal pfo ballast. I was surprized on how nice my tank looked under these lights. Yes it was yellow, but not over powering yellow, which made my system look natural. So then I installed 2 more light sockets within 2" of each Iwasaki bulb. I put my hamiton 14's in them and fired them up on the HQI ballast. WOW what a super crisp nice white color with a hint of blue and a small hint of yellow.
Very bright. So i've found a new light system that covers everything. I start out with 280 watts of vho actinic, then the Iwasaki's come on, 2 hrs later the 14K hammy's come on with the Saki's, then 2 hrs later the saki's go off and the Hammy's are on for one hour, then i'm left with the vho for 2 more hrs. All day long my system looks different and I find that I like all the color sequences. In the last week since runing the Iwasaki's i've noticed my sps tips are shooting up quickly, and most of all my softies are starting to show polyp extenision, which is somthing they haven't done in a while.

mwood · #**249** 02/26/2006, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Vins Fins
I went back and forth for weeks on which bulbs to relamp with. Was almost set on Xm 10K's. I was running 14 hamiton 250 watt version on the HQI ballast. I decided to go backwards and try a fairly new set of Iwasaki's that i used years ago. On the HQI ballast I hated the color, so I brought out my old regulal pfo ballast. I was surprized on how nice my tank looked under these lights. Yes it was yellow, but not over powering yellow, which made my system look natural. So then I installed 2 more light sockets within 2" of each Iwasaki bulb. I put my hamiton 14's in them and fired them up on the HQI ballast. WOW what a super crisp nice white color with a hint of blue and a small hint of yellow.
Very bright. So i've found a new light system that covers everything. I start out with 280 watts of vho actinic, then the Iwasaki's come on, 2 hrs later the 14K hammy's come on with the Saki's, then 2 hrs later the saki's go off and the Hammy's are on for one hour, then i'm left with the vho for 2 more hrs. All day long my system looks different and I find that I like all the color sequences. In the last week since runing the Iwasaki's i've noticed my sps tips are shooting up quickly, and most of all my softies are starting to show polyp extenision, which is somthing they haven't done in a while.

If you like retro, here's another blast from the past. I run an Iwasaki Radium blend. That will get good color too. Now, I only run the Iwasaki's for a few hours and run the radiums all day, but it still works. I get several hours of blue light and a few of white.

Out of curiosity, what reflectors are you using to blend the light?

Vins Fins · #**250** 02/26/2006, 11:04 PM

My reflector is a home made version that I had custom built at a sheet metal shop. it's just under 6' long and about 20" wide with a 45 deg bend on the sides. 1/8" thick aluminum. My vho are mounted on the outside just before the 45 deg bend, and the halides are perpendicular to the vho's. two bulbs are only 2" from each other on each side of the tank. The center has no halides due to the oceanic glass brace.
The Hamilton 14K's remind me of the 20k Radiums, Ialso use to run that set up on the 400 watt hqi ballast. The saki's and radiums sounds like a great combo. In the future I think most will use a combination of halides. It would be great if someone comes up with a bulb that changes it's Kelvin and par output on a manually timed ballast that could follow sunrise to sunset.