[IU2468]

I CURRENTLY HAVE A 58G TANK AND AM TRANS TO A 90G. MY PROBLEM IS THE LIGHTING I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS MORE TO KEEPING CORALS THAN JUST LIGHT. BUT I AM UPSET WITH MY CURRENT LIGHTING SYSTEM WHICH IS HAMILTON 150HQI W/40WATT ATINICS. SINCE I HAVE MOSTLY SPS I WAS THINKING OF GOING WITH 250HQI. MY QUESTION IS HOW MANY SHOULD I GET AND WHAT RATING 65K, 10K, ETC. I WAS THINKING OF GOING W/ 2X250 @ 10K AND 1X175 65K. MY PROBLEM IS DO I GO WITH 1 20K FOR THE ATINICS OR DO I GO WITH FLORESCENT LIGHTING. ITS JUST THAT I HAVE ASKED SO MANY PEOPLE AND GET TO MANY ANSWERS. SO I WAS LOOKING TO SEE WHAT SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE DONE AND THE SUCCESS THEY HAVE HAD BECAUSE EVERYBODY ELSE I TALK TO CAN'T SHOW ME ANYTHING OR GIVE ME MUCH BACK UP TO IT. SO ANYBODY THAT COULD HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

[charlie]

If the 90 is a 4' tank, a couple of 250w bulbs should do the trick for you. I am running 2-250w 10K Ushios on my 80 with vho actinics, and it seems to work for me. What types of corals are you planning on keeping?

[IU2468]

currently i have about 12 colonies/frags of sps. part of my problem is that i am losing color in my corals. I have had people tell me that I don't have enough light in my tank right now. i am planning on having mainly sps in the tank and i don't want to s/u the tank and the lighting to find out that I need more light.

[charlie]

Originally Posted by IU2468

currently i have about 12 colonies/frags of sps. part of my problem is that i am losing color in my corals. I have had people tell me that I don't have enough light in my tank right now. i am planning on having mainly sps in the tank and i don't want to s/u the tank and the lighting to find out that I need more light.

Have you tried moving the frags up a little in the tank? Like I said before, I think that 2- 250w halides will give enuf lite for what you want to do. The 250's will go down to about 22"-24" easily. I used to have a bunch of sps in my 80, and they kept their color just fine with them. You should only need 2 of them for good coverage. HTH

[IU2468]

Another Question I Have Is About The Atinics How Many Watts Do I Want For Them Also In Your Experience Did You Like The 10k Or Would You Go With Another Rating. I Have Just Seen People Talk About That Different Ratings Of Bulbs That Help Give You A Full Spectrum For Your Corals. I Know I Saw Something On Steven Tryee, Talking About This In One Of His Last Speeches. I Just Can't Find The Info Right Now. But It Was Something About 20k And 65k Being The Best Bulbs To Hit All Three Spectrums, For Corals. Once I Find That Info I Can Show You But I Just Didn't Know What You Thought, Or If You Have Had Any Experience With Different Bulbs.

[charlie]

Originally Posted by IU2468

Another Question I Have Is About The Atinics How Many Watts Do I Want For Them Also In Your Experience Did You Like The 10k Or Would You Go With Another Rating. I Have Just Seen People Talk About That Different Ratings Of Bulbs That Help Give You A Full Spectrum For Your Corals. I Know I Saw Something On Steven Tryee, Talking About This In One Of His Last Speeches. I Just Can't Find The Info Right Now. But It Was Something About 20k And 65k Being The Best Bulbs To Hit All Three Spectrums, For Corals. Once I Find That Info I Can Show You But I Just Didn't Know What You Thought, Or If You Have Had Any Experience With Different Bulbs.

I use the 110W super actinics (vho). These are 4' bulbs. I believe the 3' vho bulbs are 95 W.
I run the 20K radiums on my sps reef, I like blue. On my softie reef I run the 10K ushio bulbs. On my frag tank / refuge, I am running a couple of 14K coralvues, they are a really crisp white. All of my halides are driven with PFO ballasts.
HTH

[IU2468]

well i just went and looked @ the tank again to see how i wanted to do my lights. i really like the 20ks but i was wondering do the sps grow just as well as if they were under 10ks. the reason i ask is because i have never had any experience w/ 20k and didn't know if they were better for the sps or would i have to add some day light. using mabey one 175 hq. on your 14k does that just give you the white or does it have some blue to it? i am basically wondering what a 20k looks like because everyone tells me that it is really dark. i just didn't know if mabey i should run 1 20k and 1 14k or 10k. the reason i ask if i would need a 10k or 14k for day light because the cross member on the tank is right in the middle and is brown plastic if i was to put one right over it i didn't know if it would not be worth it since the cross member would block the light. somebody told me i could cut the plastic piece and put a piece of acrylic there instead and just glue it in and should do the same thing but i am worried about the glue expanding or not holding and having another problem. basically i just want to make sure that if i got 20k that they would be fine without 1 10k or something to supplement the day light or white light?

[charlie]

Take a look in my gallery if you want to see what a 20K looks like. Of course I am running 6 of them on my 300. The 14K does seem to have a tinge of blue, but I really like it.
I wouldn't put 3 MH over your 90. You will get good enuf coverage with 2, since each one will cover a 2'x2' area.
I have had no problem with growth with the 20K lites. Alot of it will run down to personal taste. Are there any other people in your area that have a reef tank? You could possibly check their tanks and see what they are using for lites.

[IU2468]

first let me say you have a great tank. i like the 20k they still seem to give off enough white lite but also give off a nice blue. i don't have anyone that runs 20ks around me most of them run the 10k which i like but i personally feel that the blue looks better but also gives more of a spectrum for the corals do to the intesity of both the blue/white combintation. now if you are saying to run 3 mh would you just not center the 1 in the middleor put it off just off to the right or left or do i put it right in the middle. the only thing that i was thinking was since my overflow is on the left side and the cross member in right next to it that i would put the 20k on each side and then run the 10k right in the middle or off to the righ a little bit. figuring that the cross member wont block the light as much

[charlie]

I am saying that you probably shouldn't run 3 MH on your 90. It would be a little overkill, (look whos talking about overkill?). I wouldn't risk putting a halide over the center brace.

[IU2468]

Also Do You Think That I Should Run A Calcium Reactor On A 90g. I Dont Have One Currently Just Wondering If You Have One On Your 80g. I Know It Isn't Sps. Just Wondering If You Have One And If It Gives You Any Benefit Over Doing It By Hand. Or Does It Just Make Life Easier.

[IU2468]

Ok I See I Just Mis Read It My Fault. I Was Worried About The Center Brace And Even When The Guys And The Fish Store Told Me To Cut It And Replace With Acrylic I Figured That It Something Would Happen Sooner Or Later I Appriciate Your Info Sorry Misread What You Said But I Think I Am Just Going To Go With The 20k They Look Really Nice On Your Tank I Going To Try And Find Somebody W/20ks So I Can Seem Them In Person. Again Thank You For The Info It Has Helped Me With My Decision Making.. Now I Just Have To Get It Up And Running, Which Shouldnt Be To Bad. One More Question For You Do You Get Your Live Rock From A Local Fish Store Or Did You Order It Online And If You Did Order It Online I Was It When You Recieved It.

[charlie]

I'm not running a calcium reactor on any of my stuff. I have one that is ready to set up, just haven't found a need yet. I do everything by hand, top-off, calcium adds, buffer. I guess I'm kind of old-fashioned!!! I am not going to say you should or shouldn't run one, that to me is a personal choice. Any choice you make has it's own list of headaches that go with it.

[charlie]

We were typing at the same time. . I bought my live rock for the 300 from a shop in Spokane Wa. The lr in the 80 was purchased online. Either way, I made out real good!!! The best part about being able to go to a LFS is that you can pick out your rock. You have a basic idea of what you want to do, and being able to pick out your own stuff really helped my aquascape. The guy let me set the rock out on the floor and basically 'scape my tank right there.

[IU2468]

That Is What I Thought The Guy I Get Live Rock From Lets Me Do The Same Thing But He Only Has Fiji Which By No Means Is Bad Rock I Have It In My Tank Now. But I Have Seen Other Tanks With Diff. Kinds And Am Interested In It. My Problem Is In Chicago Everyone Carries The Same Either Fiji Or Hawaii Rock Which It Is Great But Just Like Anybody Wants To See What Is Out There So They Get What They Want. I Have Seen Marshall Island Rock And Tonga Branch Which Both Of Them Are Really Nice But The Marshall Is Just Expensive And I Thought I Heard Somebody Say You Can't Get It Any More. But I Have Seen Rock From All These Places And I Was Going To Order It, But Nobody I Know Has Any Expierence With Ordering It. The Only Question I Have Is Did You Order Yours Online And Got It Cured Or Uncured. My Problem Is Having The Space To Cure The Rock. But Don't Worry About Being Old Fashion Because I Like Doing It By Hand As Well. I Guess Atleast I Know How Much And What I Am Putting In Everytime. Just Gives Me More Reasurance That I Am Giving The Right Amount For What I Have. So I Don't Blame You Equipment Just Makes Life A Little Easier

[charlie]

Whether you get cured or uncured online, you are going to experience a die-off. My suggestion would be to put the rock you get in a large container, plastic garbage can, with a few powerheads and a skimmer, and let 'er rock for about 2-3 weeks. Or you can just cure it in your tank when you set it up, if you are short for space. This will probably extend your cycle a bit, but it works just the same.
Just a question, are you gonna have a sand bed?

[IU2468]

Yes Currently In My 58 I Have 2-3 Inch Sand Bed Which Has Worked Out Great But I Have Been Deciding How Deep I Want In This Tank. I Was Thinking The Same But I Might Also Move It Up To 3-4 Inch What Do You Think. I Have Heard That It Is Good To Have A Deep Sand Bed And Some People Say Not To Have A Sand Bed At All. But I Personally Like The Sand Bed Just In Debate On How Deep.

[charlie]

Originally Posted by IU2468

Yes Currently In My 58 I Have 2-3 Inch Sand Bed Which Has Worked Out Great But I Have Been Deciding How Deep I Want In This Tank. I Was Thinking The Same But I Might Also Move It Up To 3-4 Inch What Do You Think. I Have Heard That It Is Good To Have A Deep Sand Bed And Some People Say Not To Have A Sand Bed At All. But I Personally Like The Sand Bed Just In Debate On How Deep.

Man oh man, we could open up a whole new can of worms with these thoughts, but I'm not gonna go there. I personally have a dsb, and I like it!!!
When I set up my lites, I forgot to even take into consideration the depth of the sand bed, so it is good that you are thinking of this. Keep us updated as to your progress please!!

[IU2468]

Well I Went To The Lfs And Checked Out The Sand I Am Thinking Of Going With Sugar Sand And Then A 2 Bags Of Live Sand It Is Just So Expensive To Buy Live, I Have Also Thought About Just Putting Sugar Sand In And Buying 1 Bag Of Live Sand And Seeding It. My Problem Is I Have Gobies That I Am Going To Be Putting In The New Tank And I Want Food For Them In The Sand Even Though They Eat Brine Shrimp. So Right Now I Am Thinking Of Even Going Higher Than 4 Inches I Am Thinking Of Going More Like 5 To 6 Because I Have Had Great Success With My Current Sand Be Which Is 3 Inches So I Think I Might Go To 5 Now.

[IU2468]

The Only Other Question I Have For You Is I Might Even Just Take My 58 Down And Move That Since I Have All The Equipment And Everybody Knows How Expensive This Hobby Is. So I Thought About Getting New Live Rock And A New Sand Bed Because I Have Indo Pacific Sand With The Black Chucks Of Sand Or Rock Which The Gobies Have Problems With. So I Was Thinking Of Making It A 4 Inch Sand Bed(increased By 1 Inch) And Then Instead Of Getting 250's I Was Going To Get 2 175 20ks. Which I Don't Think It Would Be Over Kill On A 58g. Would That Be Correct Or Would I Be Better Off Just Running 1x250 20k. I Was Thinking By Getting 2x175 That I Would Have Much More Coverage Over The Whole Tank? ALSO WHO DID YOU ORDER YOUR LIVE ROCK FROM?