Advice On What Light To Get?

[1entra]

Hi there, I am thinking about upgrading my lighting from a T5s to metal halide for my new bigger tank.

Tha tank will be 32" x 18" x 18" with approx 23kg LR. I have currently got zoo's, polyps, finger coral and a kenya tree in my tank. I wish to keep something abit more colourfull and challanging in the near future eg. toadstools, leathers, hammer and/or torch coral.

Which of the above lightings would be the most adequate for my tank? They both come with 2 x 24w T5 actinics and moonlighting!

Also how much would each the 150w and the 250w affect my temperature?

Thank You

 

[Adrinal]

Those sound like the perfect fixtures

Heat really depends on your home and how well conditioned/ventelated it gets. Is your pad hard to control in the summer = 150 , if not 250 is nice.

What you can do with a fixture like this is run the MH 3 hours and the t-5 for 8-12 hours (depending when you get home from work ).
Photosynthisis is like driving a race car. Punch the gass in the begining and then you can coast. Once photosynthisis gets activated it needs little energy to continue on.

In the summer if you have trouble with heat, set the photoperiod from midnight to 8 AM with the MH from 2-5AM.

HTH

 

[1entra]

Thanks for the reply Adrinal, I always find my house quite cool in the summer and so never complain about how hot it is indoors! (not that we get much of a summer over here in britian!!)

I only was checking to make sure the 250w wouldn't be overkill?!

So you dont't think I would be limited to what corals I could keep with the 150w one then?

 

[Adrinal]

Thanks for the reply Adrinal, I always find my house quite cool in the summer and so never complain about how hot it is indoors! (not that we get much of a summer over here in britian!!)

I only was checking to make sure the 250w wouldn't be overkill?!

So you dont't think I would be limited to what corals I could keep with the 150w one then?

I haven't played a whole lot with t-5 and MH mixed... though I would like to! I usually run a 20k 250 over that sized tank. At home I only have one like this and its for pictures and sps qt. Certianly the 150 will be sufficiant, but because you can run the lighting scedual I mentioned... I personally would just get the 250... the price and electricity difference should be nominal and give you more flexibility to find just what YOU like in lighting.
You probably saw my picture thread, I like letting sps grow right to the bottom and in that case the 250 would certianly help.

hehe
SO, I guess im saying you can grow anything with concern of placement with the 150 or you could just grow anything anywhere with the 250.

 

[1entra]

Cheers for the reply. I'm having a look at the 2 named halides in an auction on ebay. So since I can grow decent corals in both, I think I will go for the one that I can get at the lowest final price.

Will let you know how I get on.

Thanks

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, I pretty much agree with Adrinal's assessment of the lighting situation. I have just one concern... Do you have a center brace over the top of your tank? That'll create a tacky shadow unless you replace the brace with acrylic/glass

 

[1entra]

Yes I do have a centre brace through the centre of my tank ski but it is made out of clear glass so hopefull wont cast a shadow

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, you won't notice it

 

[1entra]

Awsome! Just a matter of getting some new MH lighting now!