 Lighting my 29" deep 150G
Originally Posted by Covey
I am setting up a new tank most likely a 150G All-Glass RR. Its 72"L X 24"H X 18"W. I was wanting to still run T-5HO. I was thinking 6X80W 60" long bulb running the SLS reflector overdriven on two IC660s. I want the IC SLR but they still don't make 60".
Anyway from your par testing and your own expierence do you think that is enough to keep acros happy?
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The Salt Creep:
That is really close to the deminsions of my 125, you sure that aint 26" tall?
Contact Ice Cap and see if they would cut you a deal on 12 3 foot reflectors. Make sure you tell them you are planning on creating a 5 foot long relector and mention that Steve Larsen is working with you on a way to clip them together. See if they maybe have some that have one boogered up end on them. Like I said you might score a deal.
I used a 2 and a 3 on my 5 foot lamps and they were about 4 inches too short. What I would do is overlap the 3 foot reflectors in the middle and use a 3rd lamp clip to hold them together. You would just have to get the length figured and drill through both reflectors in the center and the bolt for the lamp clip will hold them together. Instant 5 foot IC reflector. You should be fine with SPS but I would keep the high light stuff up in the tank a bit.
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Covey:
Your right it is 29" good lord that going to be big. I guess it might be a good thing my LPS can only be on the sandbed now at 18" There is really no off axis dark spot for lower light stuff when you run T-5s. I am going to go talk with ASH on the IC forum about the reflectors.
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The Salt Creep:
Contact Andy through e-mail or PM to talk about it, not in an open forum.
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Covey:
Didn't the Brand X one do close to the SLR.
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The Salt Creep:
Brand X did close to ice cap but keep two things in mind. They are wide, just over 3" and if you are going to use 60" ones add a 3rd lamp clip in the center. They are so heavy they flex a little which affects the output.
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Covey:
I forgot about that until I reread the glarathon. I already own 6x4' SLS reflectors. I think I might buy a couple extra, cut, and glue or double-sided tape them together.
Back to the original question do you think that overdriven T-5 will cut it in a tank that deep?
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The Salt Creep:
Why don't you just use your 4 foot system on it? When overdriven the 4 foot T5's are WAY more bright than the 60" units. 6 80 watt lamps including a GE was good for 145 UMOL's at the sand in my tank. 4 54 watt T5's with 2 aquablues and 2 actinic plus (no GE) was 183 with the lamps about 1/2" lower than the 60" lamps were.
If you were to stagger the lamps so they are about
6" from each end you would have about 3 feet in the center of the tanks for clams and SPS all the way to the sand and the outter ends of the tank would be good for shrooms and other lower light stuff. I am not sure how much you would see the difference in intensity but I think it would look cool. If you are running 2 660's you could even throw a 7th lamp in the mix.
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Covey:
The lighting is the last thing I am doing in the setup. So I will change my mind a dozen times in between then and now but I finally saw one of those 150G in person, the LFS didn't have it in stock, good lord thats deep! I think I am going to use that 4' of light and then add a 400W MH over the last 2' I want to compare the light output first hand then decide on what I want to use.
Do you care if I copy and paste all this into a open thread I would like to get the general forum opinion?
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The Salt Creep
thats fine
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Covey:
So I am looking to ideas on how to light my 150G as it say in the above I have been PM'ing back and forth Grim...err I mean the Salt Creep and I thought I would open it up to the rest of you guys. Thanks alot for the help Steve. My club GIRS just had Mike Paletta come and talk to us the topic was "SPS coloration". Very informative and at the same time troubling since I now think my lighting is going to be nuts on this tank.
Any opinions are welcome.
Last edited by Covey; 03-18-2006 at 11:07 PM.
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