Will I regret going 150w?

[Anonymous]

As explained in this thread, I'm considering going for a 24" 150w MH + 4x24w T5 fixture (Giesemann Infiniti) over a 36" tank. I originally chose 150w because I thought I didn't want to wither away coral that prefers dimmer conditions than a 250w over a 18" tank will provide (e.g. Blastomussas and other LPS, Corallimorphians etc). However, now that I'm considering a fixture that anyway doesn't cover the whole tank, would I be better off with the same fixture, but 250w, on the basis that this would be better if I buy a clam or two or wanted to try my hand with an SPS or two underneath it? Would I still have enough areas around the edges for the coral preferring dimmer light?

Advice much appreciated.

 

[Ben1]

If it was my tank I would probably go with the 250 but thats JMO. FWIW I was reading a thread with someone tracking T5 bulbs par and loss over time. Seemed the shorter T5's had a steeper curve to how fast they lost par, and put out much less par over all. I think he concluded that every 10 months they should be changed. You could always do the 250 and run the MH only 6 hours a day and the T5 the whole light cycle. Although I am sure a 150 can grow some nice acros and clams in a short 18" depth also. I am not sure either that a higher wattage will change the spread so your really only increasing par over the same foot print? I'd still do the 250, but I seem to do things in excess.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Ben. I was thinking that the par would increase right below the fixture in a way that might help SPS/clams, but also that the par for the rest of the spread would increase (though the size of the area might not), which was making me worry that it might be a bit high for certain other coral, even around the edge. If you think 150w over 18" should give me more than enough par for SPS/clams, I might just stick with that, knowing that my placement will be important.

 

[Anonymous]

150 watt DE' will be fine on an 18" deep tank. I use 175 watt SE's on my 125 and I had clams on the sandbed and the tank is 22" deep. Just place them directly under the bulb.

 

[Anonymous]

Have you ever thought of going nonotuners or ledio?

I have seen many -a- Japanese tank using LED PAR bulbs. Due to your foot print and shallow tank they may be cost effective. There is a thread over on RC(lighting and filtration forum) that goes in depth on them.

 

[Anonymous]

Not heard of either to be honest. I'll go and check out the thread you mention, though I think I'm likely to stick with the Giesemann fixture. What I might consider doing is switching a couple of the T5s to non-actinic bulbs and perhaps using actinic-effect LED spots. I was surprised by how dramatic the effect they can achieve looked when I was at the LFS over the weekend.

 

[Anonymous]

Nanotuners:
http://www.nanotuners.com/product_info. ... cts_id=623

Ledio:
http://premiumaquatics.com/store/mercha ... Code=ledio

 

[Anonymous]

I just changed my 2x40 watt actinics for 18 watts of actinic stunner strips. The stunners do a much better job per watt. Plus they add glitter lines.

 

[Anonymous]

Here is the latest page of the thread:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthrea ... 35&page=14

 

[Anonymous]

I just ordered these 36 watters:
http://www.ledliquidatorsinc.com/PAR_38 ... t_bulb.php

They are 6500K and use 12x3watt crees. I'll let you know what the spread is and hopefully someone can get me some par readings. I may need to add some more stunner strips, but I am pretty confident that the Leds will be almost as strong, or stronger than the 175 watt halides. If not I'll add more. Per KWH the bulbs will pay for themselves in a year.

 

[Anonymous]

All useful info, Dan thanks.

I'm very tempted to see if I can add some supplemental LED actinic-effect lighting to the tank, perhaps after switching a couple of the 24w T5s to normal T5s rather than actinic (the fixture has 4 T5s in total). I think it was a LeDio LED mount/light I saw doing such an effective job at the LFS over the weekend.

 

[Anonymous]

You can probably get the Ledios cheaper in Japan.

 

[Anonymous]

They go for about $200 here...

 

[Anonymous]

They go for about $200 here...

Same here, you think they would be less due to shipping distances.

 

[Anonymous]

They go for about $200 here...

Same here, you think they would be less due to shipping distances.

Everything's a lot more expensive here, so something made here being the same price makes sense in a bizarre kind of way. I don't get the impression that the hobby is big enough to be really competitive (no real internet vendors or any size).

 

[D.W.L.]

I have a 150w Lumenmax 3 pendant powered by a 150w Galaxy electronic. Running the DE Phoenix 14k. Could not be happier with this combo so far. My tank is a 35g cube style 28l by 16w by 18h

It was lit previous with a Lumenbright pendant/250w CV 12k bulb. Sold it because of the fit and also lost many of my sps corals from another reason. IMO, with no par meter, my 150 combo which is 10in from the water is almost as bright to my eyes. My corals seem happy, just have to see how they colour up. I,m totally impressed with the spread from the Lumenmax, especially from only 10in. off the water.

And unless its just the pendant, think the electronic drives the Phoenix brighter than the standard HQI ballast on my old fixture did.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your impressions Doug - good to know. I'll post some pictures and impressions of my own once I get started up. I've yet to order my kit just yet as the £-$ exchange rate is so bad. :x

 

[Anonymous]

I have two of the Nanotuners PAR38 bulbs and am very happy with them. Besides looking really cool I dig the flexibility with them. I purchased them stock with 40 degree optics but would recommend 60 degree optics for most people. Switching the optics out was simple and cheap.

I have them over a 12" cube tank and they're growing Montipora spp. real well. PAR values are 200-300 across the entire tank so I should be able to keep Acropora spp. just fine.

Tom, have you considered investing in an Apogee PAR meter? It really takes a lot of the guesswork out of these decisions.

 

[Anonymous]

Good advice Matt, though it'd still be hard for me to be able to compare whatever I buy to other fixtures. It might just let me know that what I've just bought is not good enough! :lol:

The downside of ordering from overseas and having made a solemn vow to the wife that what I buy will not be kit I need to replace within a year...

addendum: though I guess it might mean I'd place my corals more accurately within the tank and know what I could raise, where. Hmmm...