Question about reef lighting ?

gimmiks

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Nov 15, 2008
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I am currently trying to get into the reef game. My 60g FOWLR tank right now is a little over a year old. The only thing that was holding me back was lighting prices. I was able to buy a used Geisemann Infiniti . It has 2 metal halides and 4 HO T5's . I knew it was a lot of lighting for a 60 gallon that's only about 16 " deep, but i didnt want to ever have the problem of needing more lighting and having to spend again . So my question is if im planning to have softies, ,clams , and lps (if they are capable of living in an aquarium with a canister filter ) what bulbs should i get . My plan right now is to get 3 atinic+ T5's , 1 pure atinic T5, and 2 phoenix 14k metal halides. Im hoping to run the T5's 8 hrs a day and the metal halides about 4 hrs midday. what do you guys think ??
 

cichlid_king

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What wattage are the halides and t5's? Just from your op it sounds like you would burn the carp out of any softies and lps and probably clams too with your tank only being 16" deep. You are going to have to hang your light a long way above your water level. Definately go phoenix 14k for the halides but I would do a mix of ATI and KZ for your t5's. What's the wattage

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gimmiks

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What wattage are the halides and t5's? Just from your op it sounds like you would burn the carp out of any softies and lps and probably clams too with your tank only being 16" deep. You are going to have to hang your light a long way above your water level. Definately go phoenix 14k for the halides but I would do a mix of ATI and KZ for your t5's. What's the wattage

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My tank is a standard 60gallon , and halides are 250W each x2 and T5 are 54W x4 . also what i was thinking is to put 2 atinic + and 2 aqua blue+ and only turn on halides a few hours per day ??
 

cichlid_king

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That's way too much light. You would even burn sps. I would only run one of the halides with the t5's if I were you.

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gimmiks

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That's way too much light. You would even burn sps. I would only run one of the halides with the t5's if I were you.

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I did think about that but the halides are on opposite ends of each other .it I turn on only the left one will that be sufficient light for the right side of the tank ???


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cichlid_king

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Either upgrade the tank size or downgrade - try to get like 7 watts per gal for the clam and with 500 watts from the MH get a chiller
+1 500w from a halide is going to put out a lot of heat. A chiller might be a pretty good idea.

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gimmiks

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i will consider a chiller when we get a little closer to summer right now its been cold down here so i think it will be fine ... my lights have an adjustable hanging kit do you think hanging them pretty high up would help ??like maybe 15" from the top of the tank ???
 

cichlid_king

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i will consider a chiller when we get a little closer to summer right now its been cold down here so i think it will be fine ... my lights have an adjustable hanging kit do you think hanging them pretty high up would help ??like maybe 15" from the top of the tank ???
15 at the minimum I would say

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Otherone

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Feb 2, 2009
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to get the in tank lux readings correct you'll need to use a PAR meter - that'll tell you hanging height.

summer winter don't matter 500watts is a heater no the less
 
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