Lighting Again....

[ScottM]

I am torn about my lighting and what to do for a 92g corner 34x34x~36 (its 48 but won't fit a 48" light because of the corner against the wall) tank is 26" deep.
My corals have been loosing color since i sold my 220 and lights and the 175's just aren't cutting it.....

anyone running HQI with T5's?

my choices are to run a 36" fixture that is

1. 2x250 10K HQI with 2x39T5 Actinic. and centered in the back corner angled to the front a 175w SE 20K
http://www.aqua-medic.com/products/lighting/oceanlightt5combos.shtml

2. 1000w 10k diamond luminarc Reef optic IV
http://www.sunlightsupply.com/aquarium/products/reflectors.shtml

3. or a retro 250 SE with VHO's and centered in the back corner angled to the front a 175w SE 20K Reef Optics II
http://www.sunlightsupply.com/aquarium/products/reflectors.shtml

4. 2x400 10K HQI and centered in the back corner angled to the front a 175w SE 20K
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...ode=CV-P400-P10K&Category_Code=Coralvuehalide

I am too lazy to setup a poll.
looking for people with corner tanks or people running mixed 10-20K's to chime in.

anyone have ballasts they love? Electronic? I have heard mixed reviews of the blueline E-ballasts....

lets say for the fun of it, money is no object. I'd rather do it right the first time

 

[Armando]

you know what i got. i love it wouldn't change it for nothing.

 

[Mike A]

Scott, what is the goal here, what kind of corals are you keeping ?

 

[ScottM]

SPS only.

 

[NateHanson]

Scott, I've got a 65g, with a 10K 175 on each end, and a 20K 175 in the middle, and I'm really happy with the color I'm getting from my SPS. I really like the 10K/20K mix.

 

[ScottM]

I have 2 92g corners back to back for a semicircle. they share the same stand and the same canopy (all one piece) 1 92 is all softies with a single 250 HQI. the one that needs light is for SPS Only. the sump is 40g breeder underneath, a remote 65g Fuge and a 50g seahorse/pipefish tank.

 

[Piscevore]

The lights on nates tank are quite close to the water, he is using a hood, and he has 3 175's on a smaller foot print. Scott is hanging lights and using pendants which are further from the water so he can hit a bigger foot print, so its a little different scenario currently. You could probably get away with 175's scott, if you hung 3 of them over your tank with good reflectors, but you'd have dark spots.
How about 2 250w MH's (hqi or se) @10,000-13,000k and a 175 20,000 bell pendant over the sps tank? The softy tank probably has enough light the way it is?

 

[ScottM]

The lights on nates tank are quite close to the water, he is using a hood, and he has 3 175's on a smaller foot print. Scott is hanging lights and using pendants which are further from the water so he can hit a bigger foot print, so its a little different scenario currently. You could probably get away with 175's scott, if you hung 3 of them over your tank with good reflectors, but you'd have dark spots.
How about 2 250w MH's (hqi or se) @10,000-13,000k and a 175 20,000 bell pendant over the sps tank? The softy tank probably has enough light the way it is?

softie will stay the way it is. adding VHO.
i will have it all in a canopy.

 

[Mike A]

I think you'll have success with any of the combinations you list Scott. The diamond luminarcs are really interesting. On a corner tank, those might be the best reflector for your application.

 

[NateHanson]

I doubt you'll have dark spots with three lights of any size over a 92. It's just not that much space for three lights to hit it evenly.

Doesn't Armando have three pendants over his 92?

 

[Greg Hiller]

I think a 1000 W in a Luminarc reflector would really be too much. I would go for a 400 Watter in it. Just get one with some 'punch' according to Sanjay's testing. Without any actinic supplementation you might not get the look you would want though.

 

[Mike A]

1000watt = definitely too much. I was just suggesting the use of the reflector.