New tank, Lighting help

Just got a new 180g wide 72 x 24 x 25 with canopy, need help with the lighting the canopy has a middle support so i was thinking going with
Lumenarc IV or Lumenarc A3 Mini(b/c of center brace in canopy) so any thoughts on that and what setup from there, what ballasts and bulbs??

 

Wow a 72 and a 180 wow!

 

Congrats on the new tank first of all!
As for the lighting, what kinds of coral do you wish to keep?
An electric ballast and a "full-spectrum" bulb is important and your best bet!
I would go with either a 10000k-14000k bulb (kelvin) and accent that with an actinic bulb!
Halides are the way to go IMO!
Let us know what you decide!

 

Well at the minimum 3. 250 M/H with 2. 72 inch VHO's for actinic would allow you to keep 90 % of the corals . But 3. 400 w M/H along the with the 2 VHO you can keep anything . Not sure what you mean about the center support ? And 180 I ever had with a full canopy never needed a center brace ..

 

Tangster i posted a picture of the canopy without the fronts, so you can see the center brace.

 

on a 25" deep tank, 400w MH's are overkill. I would go with T5 HO lights, 8 of them. For those of you who dont think T5's are just as good if not better then metal halides..... Read this article

This guy uses 8x54w T5 HO's on a 110g 24"s deep, and its a SPS tank WITH CLAMS. Read the section on lighting... Also read his coral list if you all still seem to think you cant keep the more light demanding SPS.

 

is it worth looking into a all in one unit such as Aquarium Lighting for Reef Aquariums: Outer Orbit Pro Series HQI/T-5/LED Lights
model:CD-2721572" 1062W

 

most people who talk down T5 HO's have never used them and usually know nothing about them. 4x54w T5 is equal to a 400w MH without the heat caused by MH's. If you get MH's, plan on buying a chiller too, also plan on topping off the tank every day or so.

With T5's, you dont need a chiller, virtually no heat nor UV problems.

I would go with 16x39w T5 HO's, 8 actinic, 8 10,000K. Go with a retro kit with individual reflectors. Another good thing about the retro kits, you dont have to buy them all at once. Since its a new tank, and you will be cycling for the next 4-6 weeks, start with 8x39w or 4x39w. Upgrade with more kits as money allow's.

 

also... is that a glass cages tank?

 

thanks geekdafied for the info if anyone else has anything to offer please do.

yes the tank is a glass cages, with starphire fronts and sides, why do you ask??