Thinking about starting a new fish tank

[ouling]

Would it be overkill to have the 355W 24'' version on a 24 X 24 X 17 tank?http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+15486&pcatid=15486">http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+15486&pcatid=15486</a>

Would a 150W be better?

What if I was to go for a 24 X 24 X 13 tank? 150W would be alot better right?

Thanks

 

[ouling]

There isn't too much difference between the prices. The 250W also comes with 4 X 24W T-5 which will do just fine, I can supplement the 250W HQI on holidays for the corals. Altough still ambigious about which light to get, I'm leaning somewhat towards the 355W setup mostly because there will be no need to upgrade.

 

[sagent3000]

dawgdude;190665 wrote: Never need to upgrade? didnt you have 2x400w halides on your 65g? Haha man just get a freaking 400w HQI and be done with it!

won't he liquify all the corals with that much light on such a shallow tank?

 

[darren24]

I have the same light (36" 2 x 150W and 4 x 39W T5) over my 24 inch deep tank and I have SPS on the top half and LPS / softies on the bottom half and they are growing well with nice color.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Not to stir the pot or anything, but it is a gross misrepresentation, and quite legitimately a fallacy to claim that LPS cant take higher light, and SPS need it. There are MANY LPS that tolerate and thrive in just as high a light as SPS. And there are MANY SPS that cannot tolerate the high light.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

So be it. I have seen many Euphyllias and even leathers getting above 600 PAR and they were explosively beautiful. Acans are another perfect example. Nonetheless, Ouling, I would go with the brighter lights if it were me.

 

[soarin']

I would go with the brighter lights myself. You'll be able to turn the MH off and just have the T-5 if the heat becomes an issue, and you have a lot more control over your light levels.

Also, you will never get the full benefit of your possible wattage -- salt creep, yellowing water, bulb age all will lower your PAR to some degree, and with this setup you can go longer without changing your bulbs before your corals need new ones.

My 30g has 380 watts of light (250 MH + PC) and while I would never have thought of getting that on its own, it came with the tank and I really like it -- I would buy the same unit now if I had to buy it over again.

 

[xyzpdq0121]

jmaneyapanda;190725 wrote: Not to stir the pot or anything, but it is a gross misrepresentation, and quite legitimately a fallacy to claim that LPS cant take higher light, and SPS need it. There are MANY LPS that tolerate and thrive in just as high a light as SPS. And there are MANY SPS that cannot tolerate the high light.

Don't forget the soft corals that have been shown to have much high light demands then many SPS.

 

[jetchris]

welcome back ouling