[Reef Man]

HI !

Well, I am deciding on what is the cheapest light for a reef and the best to keep softies an LPS. I really want a clam, so I can think on the future.

My tank will be 1mts-45cm and 50cm tall. = 3´4", 18" and 20" tall.
It will have a refugium lighted by a LOA fixture in reverse daylight light.

I am thinking on the following options:

1) A pair of PC´s 96 watts

2) A pair of MH 175 watts 5500k with NO fluos actinics

3) One Iwasaki 250 watts at the center.

4) 4 NO fluos

5) A pair of 175 watts MH only. suggest a bulb and °k here !!!

Maybe I can skip the clam and go in another way, so I need your opinions on this.

BTW, I really appreciate if you can post pictures of your tanks with this kid of setups mentione above, I am trying on get an Idea of how will the tank looks with the setups I am thinking on.

TIA !!!

[Reef Man]

Sorry !!

Option 6) One 150 watts HQI

7) One 150 watts HQI with 2 NO actinic fluos

Thanks !!

[Ninong]

Option 8) Two 150w 10,000K HQI dbl-end and two 30w NO actinic fluorescents.

Ninong

[Reef Man]

After research some information, I am seriusly thinking on the best and cheapest way to go, and I think It will be a MH in the center of the tank of 10,000k and 250 watts. one 30 watts NO actinic only to the dawn and dusk effect.

What do you think.

Ninong,
Do you think I can keep LPS, softies and maybe clams under this setup ? or Is it very intense for LPS and softies?

Thanks !!!

[Ninong]

OK, to recap, this is what you will have:

Tank dimensions: 100 cm X 45 cm X 50 cm tall.

One 250w 10,000K metal halide lamp in the middle of the tank plus one 30w NO fluorescent actinic lamp for dawn/dusk effect and to add a bit more actinic with the metal halide.

Yes, this sounds like an excellent plan. You should have no trouble keeping a wide variety of corals, plus Tridacnid clams, under such a lighting setup. The center of the tank will be ideal for SPS and clams and the sides of the tank will be ideal for lower light corals.

Good luck,

Ninong

[Reef Man]

Thanks Ninong.

More questions.

Let supose i chang the 250 for a 175 watts. Can I keep clams under it?

My pln is keep a wide variety of LPS, softies and some clams. I think the 250 will do the job, but I am worry on burn the softies or LPS. Maybe i am wrong on this idea.

So if a 175 can do the job, Maybe I can add another one in the near future.

Please, let me know about this.
TIA again.

[Reef Man]

up

[Ninong]

Originally posted by Reef Man:

Thanks Ninong. More questions. Let's suppose I change the 250 for a 175 watts. Can I keep clams under it?

This would be marginal. OK for T. derasa and T. squamosa, but inadequate for T. crocea and T. maxima. The problem here is some 175w metal halide lamps are really not that strong. The 175w 5500K Venture MH lamp puts out only about 20 PPFD, whereas the better 175w 10,000K Ushio/BLV mogul base MH lamp puts out 63 PPFD--three times as much. Compare that with 128 PPFD for a 250w 10,000K HQI double-ended Ushio/BLV lamp.

My plan is to keep a wide variety of LPS, softies and some clams. I think the 250 will do the job, but I am worried about burning the softies or LPS. Maybe I am wrong on this idea.

You are wrong. The 250w will not burn anything. Soft corals can adapt to higher light if properly acclimated.

So if a 175 can do the job, maybe I can add another one in the near future.

A good 175w 10,000K, like the Ushio/BLV mogul base lamp, could do the job but a 250w 10,000K would be much better. In fact, with your size tank, you could get by with just one 250w lamp in the middle. This would leave the sides of the tank with lower light areas.

Ninong

[Reef Man]

Ninong:

do you think it could be better option the # 8) ?
That was your first recommendation and I am looking for less energy consume and more lighting distribution on the tank.

what about 2- 175 MH? A lot of people told me these are not working, but there is alot of tanks with 175 watts succesfull around.

Thanks again Ninong and all the team !!!

Regards

[Ninong]

Yes, I still like my "Option #8" best.

It all depends on what you can get down there and how much you want to spend. Also, does your tank have any sort of center brace across the top of the tank that would be just under a single lamp over the center of the tank? If so, you would be better off with two lamps.

Good luck,

Ninong

P.S. -- A 150w 10,000K HQI double-end lamp is much more intense than a 175w 10,000K mogul base lamp.

[Reef Man]

Thanks Ninong !

I don´t have a center brace in my tank, so that i not a problem.

If I go with two HQI 150 watts DIY setup, what kind of material do I need to use as UV filter? Is it necessary? Can I skip it?

Thanks again.

[Ninong]

Yes, I think it is necessary to use a UV shield with HQI double-ended lamps. It will protect against the lamps breaking from water splashes and protect you and your animals from excessive UV radiation.

I believe that 3/16" tempered glass might be sufficient but I urge you to seek professional advice down there about what to use.

Ninong

[Ltspd]

My vote is for option 8 also.

[Reef Man]

Ltspd:

I know that you have experience on DIY HQI hoods.
My question for you is about how far of the watersurface does it need to be pleced? 4" is enough or more is better? and what do you use for UV filter?

There are alot of HQI home use setups here in Mexico with a glass cover. Do you think they can be used? is that glass an UV filter?

I wil try to post a picture about that pendant.

Thanks !!!

[Reef Man]

I found the setup.
Let me know what do you think.

[Ltspd]

Reef Man, Mine are in a DIY canopy and the bulbs are approx 12" above water line. I use standard tempared glass as my "UV" shield, which is nothing more than the big boys use. Ask Ninong, who has a AB setup (I think its AB) and they used Schott Durax glass as a shield. I contacted Schott and spoke with one of their Engineers and was told there was nothing special to filter out the UV, only temparing to handle the heat. The question was raised with Borneman about the UV and corals, and his reply was that the corals didnt need UV protection IHO, they didnt get any in the wild. As far as us Humans, I think, and its MY opion only, that as long as we dont try to get a suntan under the bulbs its ok. I dont have any data to back that up, nor have I seen any data to suggest otherwise. Sanjay did reviews of the bulbs but did not specifically test for UV.

Here is a shot of the inside of my hood.

[Reef Man]

And this other.

I don´t know is the glass on these setups are uv shields, does anybody knows??

[Ninong]

Reef Man,

I have seen a lot of the fixtures like the black one that you just posted on Japanese and Hong Kong websites. I'm sure the glass is an appropriate UV shield.

My AB-Aqualine Aquastarlight Future fixture has 3/16" tempered glass as the UV shield. Since it's a German fixture, the company that made the glass is a German company, Schott.

Ninong

[Reef Man]

Thanks Ninong, I was investigating about this fixtures and it is correct, they have a UV filter.

And for all the DIY people, th fiture ballast and 4100°k bulb will cost me only 75 dollars.

BTW, do you think I can start with the 4100k bulbs before introduce any coral?

I know this espectrum is not the correct, but can be usefull?
I will use Blue actinics to make a better look.

Any information about this 4100k espectrum to be used on a reef will be welcome.

Thanks in advance.

[Ninong]

Reef Man,

I would recommend that you investigate the same fixture with a higher Kelvin rated lamp. They probably offer it with at least 5500K, or something close to that, but 10,000K would be much, much better.

Ninong