I`m just touching base for now

[Old Man Of The Sea]

Hi people, I would have to believe that this has to be the best location for me for when it comes to corals. In time to come, I will have many questions for the brightest and most beautiful corals for as for right now, I am heading back to the drawing board as the saying goes for even that most the tanks equipment is in place, I not feel as happy with it all.

For one thing is the MH lights, on the 240 is four 175 watts and as I know, that is the bare minimum for the corals, that requires the most light that I will look into that if the boxes in place if they can handle a bit higher in wattage like 200 watts or so.

This will be slow going, so I have plenty of time to ask many things, so that there be no rush about anything for as it is, I will not start any corals until both tanks are as I wish they to be in setup.

So for now, I only wanted to touch base with some knowledgeable coral people :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

Welcome aboard!

As per your lighting question, what kinds of corals do you intend to keep?

 

[Old Man Of The Sea]

Well John, I be looking for being capable to keep to coral which requires the strongest lights for I guess you misunderstood me on that? For since that I still have plenty of time, the type of corals is still in issue for even that I know of a good many, I be looking to manage a brightest of corals, if I may that is

For what the question is for now is, will 175 watts be good enough for the one coral that would need strong lighting? Or is it that I should look too upgrade it still? Then the question will be if the boxes for the MH lighting be ok or it too would need a better and stronger capability lighting box?

I'm a person who likes to do something once and do it right for it only cost double or more in upgrades and so and I've been in the hobby to long not too want to do it right the first time around, only in that there is a long story and I no more wish to go into it.

Lets just say that im not able to do these things myself anymore as in the setting up goes and I have too count on some people to do this for me and you have no idea in how disappointed I been in this.

So to recap the main issue here, is the four 175 watts bulbs good enough, or that I may be needing a bit stronger? Also on the 180 is three 175 watts bulbs.

 

[Len]

For a 24" deep tank like the 180 or 240 you are looking at, I'd strongly urge to move up to 250W. 175W will be sufficient for lower and moderate light organisms, but it will not be enough for the high light stuff like most SPS.

:welcome:

 

[Old Man Of The Sea]

Len, that is what I was thinking for the person I been dealing with in all this has for the most part done things in his own way and that I will be possibly going elsewhere to do the things I wanted to be done for I did tell him who was putting these tanks together that I wanted 250 watts MH that he assured me that 175 watts would be sufficient enough.

Now I need to change that to where I wanted it in the first place and i`m guessing I will need to do the whole thing or most of it from cost, the boxes that powers the MH lights or whatever they are normally called (sorry, I'm no electrician), and I'm guessing that the wiring as well would need rewiring.

I spent much already on these tanks and I guess that it is part of life of being taking at some point from another that a lesson is indeed in the works. And as is, I'm not happy of the reactors he selected for these tanks in which is another thing which will be replace.

As well the sump he put in on the 240 for it is a customized 60 gal, but it is too tall and I told him and as that part was, I first said that I wanted a 70 gal sump and he picks what he wanted to put in. For as the sump that is there, it is too tall as I told him and the skimmer could never be fitted in the sump and then he goes saying that we would need a second skimmer and I was more of so looking that even a third skimmer be needed in this sump.

For as it was, I told this person that I spent too much to have crap as they say that I wanted a sump more appreciable of spending more then $15K on any one system.

Len, this person who been doing this for the most part of after moving down from NY area was saying he was concerned of algae and I told him that I was no idiot in it that in these reef tanks I would have things such as sea cucumbers, urchins sea stars (sand sifters) etc..

As I said Len, this will be slow going for I'm not a rich person, I will for the most part later into next year be going to a new lfs that opened some two years ago and I will not allow this other person to do as he wants it for I was very concern of his idea on the 175 watts MH for which at least I know many have their MH is at 250 watts.

It is as you said, I would still be doing the near same corals as I done before in the 180 from what your saying. And I did express it as I am here to the person who has been doing these tanks that I wanted to be able to keep the type of corals that required the brightest of light and not to point that I would be into still most soft corals.

I will Len get this done as I wanted it for if not the person been doing this, I would later get it done by the new lfs and if it is that I will have to spend more money at it, I will just have to do it for I had plan this for too long to accept less from what I wanted.

So Len, being that he has put in MH 175 watts, I will most likely be needing to upgrade the whole lighting system then or is it I be needing only the 250 watts bulbs? And if you need to see the boxes for these two tanks to give a better answer, I would then take some photos of them and their serial numbers if able too.

This is the first step to better in what I been looking to do

 

[SnowManSnow]

By "boxes" I think you mean ballasts

And in order to put in 250w bulbs you will need 250w ballasts, so the ones you have for 175w won't work. No pictures of the ballasts are nessissary.

As far as lighting goes you may consider doing some of it yourslef with retrofit kits. Check out www.hellolights.com They are a sponsor here and are very helpful over the phone. You may want to give them a call and see what they recommend. (have your tank specs and what you want to keep ready).

From what you describe it sounds like you basically want a nice clam lighting system IMHO.

Good luck!

B.

 

[Old Man Of The Sea]

Say B, you look cute Yes, I always much the times have much difficulties in best of explaining myself for my typing would draw me no prizes for a good while ago I was putting together a article on a certain marine species and that one the members at one site was too assist me in touching up this article. For if I was to write me a book on the subject, I would be needing the best people to make this book look as someone who fully better understands in what he or she is talking about.

So yes, the word is ballasts and I thought correct that new ones would be required for the ballasts in place now is not used (new). Also B my main problem is my disability which is why I have the problem I have now. I guess at most it all depends much on whom I would come into contact with to do this for me.

So the wiring in place like running to the canopies or so, they be no problem, just the ballasts?

Also I wanted everything nice as I can get it, it still not guarantee one no problems for it will however depend on what I can do myself in the tanks maintenance and so on. I can tell you stories in the delays I had with the person who has been doing this for me and for the most part of it, I believe that he thinks I not know what it is I'm looking best in looking to do here.

I will just the same buy new again the ballasts for the task for which these reef tanks were placed together for, for I have been planing on these tanks, the 180 which is a older system and after the moving was upgraded, as well the new 240 were in plan from five years ago.

Thanks

 

[SnowManSnow]

The wireing that is for the smaller lights should be ok for the 250s. The only thing I can think of that you would need to change is the ballasts and the sockets.

 

[Old Man Of The Sea]

So a long with upgrading to 250 watts MH and the ballasts is also the sockets, I will make a note on that Thanks