Lighting system questions

Hi Reefers,

I want to make a decision about what type of lighting system is best for my 90gal Tank. I want to be able to keep LPS, SPS, Corals, and my favorites Clams. My tank is 24 inches Deep with a DSB of 4 inches which gives me 21 inches of viewing space. Is a T5 lighting system good enough to penetrate to the substrate level so I can keep Clams like tridacna, crocea, T. maxima, and tridacnids? I pretty much want to put the clams on the substrate on top of a rock, what are your thoughts? is it also good enough to keep LPS ans SPS at the higher level of the tank?

 

Hi tyslin,
I am partial to halides, if you didn't know that by now! I have three different kinds of Tridacna's(Crocea, Maxima and Squamosa) and all three are doing great in my tank! I also have sps's and zoo's which do best under intense light for best color and growth with a bulb towards the blue end of the specrum!
With a 24" deep tank, a stronger lighting scheme would be best IMO! I know that you have the flexibility to place corals etc. higher or lower within your tank for optimal results, but with my knowledge and experience with halides, I feel you and your livestock won't regret the halides!

 

Thanks Coral, What type of MH should I get, kelvin type wattage e.tc. works best.

 

Again, this is just my opinion, and I know I will get different reaction from my answer...
However, I think that 250 and even 400watt HQI DE halides will work great and are your best choice...And a bulb coloration somewhere in the 14000k-20000k range will be ideal!

 

So I should get 2-250 MH or 2-400 MH Bulbs that are 14 to 20k. So I am looking at between 500 to 800 watts, is that correct? Should I supplement with actinic bulbs?

 

I have a 110 gallon with 4 10k 54w T5 and I can tell you that I wish they were MH. In a 90gal like yours, I'd personally go with 2 400w MH. As far as spectrum it's a matter of choice. 10K is bright white, 14 K has a bluish/white, 20K would be very blue. I'd choose 400w over 250w due to the depth of your tank. Especially if you get 14K or 20K spectrum. JMO.

 

i use t5 in my 55 gallon with great success.t5's are more ideal on a shallow 55 or 75 gallon tank.i'm sure you want metal halide,maybe t5's for your actinic.i use true blue actinic.

 

If you go with the 14000-20000k bulbs, you really don't have to accentuate the actinics as their is an immense amount of blue in the lightbulb.

 

That's right and I've yet to find a T5 Actinic that I like.

 

Well T-5 suck period and you can hem and haw around it all day But you get yourself 2. 250 M/H's and 2. 48 inch VHO actinic and you can keep all you want of anything and you can not find a better lighting combo with todays lighting technology that will out do this set up. Now 2. 400's may be a little over the top But I helped a friend do his 75 Gal and He went that route 2 400 M/H;s with SPS 1400 k and tow URI super Actinic VHO's and s very happy . P/C's came and went as will the T-5's although a little better. But still lacking

And you can not have to much Actanics and with the VHO's I run them 16 hrs aday and that way I run my 14 K M/H just 7 hrs a day