stressing about 150W or 250W???????

[mopar9012]

I have a 25 gallong LONG tank.
It is 36 inches to be correct. Im currently down grading and need some help.
I have a couple different species of SPS and a clam that will be transfering to the 25gallon tank.
will a 150 watt be enough or 250W?

 

[johnr2604]

150 should be enough. How deep is the tank?

 

[mopar9012]

i think it is 12?
will my corals on the end be okay?

 

[justindville1987]

Some sps can bleach with too much lighting so I'm with john 150 would be perfect.

 

[glxtrix]

most 150W ballasts also work with 175W bulbs....need to check on the particular one though. I run 3x175W over my 140 and have no issues growing what ever I want.

 

[johnr2604]

Yeah at 12 inches 150 should be great. The only concern is the length. You really need two lights to cover the full 36". If you stick your higher light corals in the center and lower light stuff on the outside you hould be fine. The other option would be to do a 250 and raise it up but you are going to get a ton of spillover and probably heat issues

 

[weaglereefer]

Yeah, a 2x150 would be optimum if you want to go halides, otherwise, are T5's out of the picture?

 

[mopar9012]

au01st;458856 wrote: Yeah, a 2x150 would be optimum if you want to go halides, otherwise, are T5's out of the picture?

no we are talking about just one 150W Mh.

I looked up T-5s on ebay and they arent cheap.
Im downgrading because i really need some money. I have a dual 150W sunpod that would be great over this tank, but I need to cash and that sundpod will bring me in a good amount.


I will just have to go with one 150W Mh right in the middle with my t-5 actinics. I will put the light gizzling corals in the middle and my shrooms and such on the outside. Down the road i will get another 150W.

 

[dakota9]

johnr2604;458852 wrote: Yeah at 12 inches 150 should be great. The only concern is the length. You really need two lights to cover the full 36". If you stick your higher light corals in the center and lower light stuff on the outside you hould be fine. The other option would be to do a 250 and raise it up but you are going to get a ton of spillover and probably heat issues

au01st;458856 wrote: Yeah, a 2x150 would be optimum if you want to go halides, otherwise, are T5's out of the picture?

I'd disagree somewhat, as I ran a single 250watt over a 65g breeder (36" long, 18" wide) and it did fine. Worse case scenario, SPS placement in closer proximity to the lamp, with LPS and softies bordering the tank would come into play.

 

[mopar9012]

au01st;458856 wrote: Yeah, a 2x150 would be optimum if you want to go halides, otherwise, are T5's out of the picture?

oh sorry. you were just agreeing with John about the two 150s...i think. lol

 

[johnr2604]

Dakota9;458862 wrote: I'd disagree somewhat, as I ran a single 250watt over a 65g breeder (36" long, 18" wide) and it did fine. Worse case scenario, SPS placement in closer proximity to the lamp, with LPS and softies bordering the tank would come into play.

What part do you disagree with?

 

[dakota9]

He really only needs one 150 watt fixture......

 

[johnr2604]

Dakota9;458868 wrote: He really only needs one 150 watt fixture......

Gotcha, and I agree. I was just trying to say 2x150 would be best to light the whole tank evenly. But like I stated 1x150 would work if they kept the higher light corals toward the center.

 

[glxtrix]

johnr2604;458870 wrote: gotcha, and i agree. I was just trying to say 2x150 would be best to light the whole tank evenly. But like i stated 1x150 would work if they kept the lower light corals toward the center.

+1

 

[rbredding]

for the record, I've got a 30L and I've seen growth on a MontiCap that I've got 6" under the surface of the water..

I'm using 2ea 10K T5HO's.. in a Current USA Nova Extreme (4 bulb fixture, but one of the ballasts needs to be replaced) with LED moonlights...