Lighting upgrade - Need advise

[95Harley]

I am taking the first steps to convert my 240g FOWLR to a reef.
I need some things cleared up about lighting. The tank is 8'x2'x2'. I am current running 8x65w PC's under the canopy.

I want to start off with some soft corals: Xenia, Colt, Kenya, shrooms, etc.
Then move into Star Polyps, Zoos, Leathers.
And eventually into SPS like Montipora Capricornas, staghorn, etc.

I started to take off my PC's and replace with T5's. But when I ran the #'s Watts per Gallon I would need 16 bulbs (8 on each side).

I also thought about leaving my PC's and adding a single 250W MH on each end over the LR ledges. But I worry about the heat it might put out. I don't want to buy a chiller.

I also thought about LED arrays on the ends. Now I'm just confused.

Can someone help and give some advice on the best lighting for what I need without overdoing it?
HELP..

 

[cichlidman1888]

If u wanna stick with DIY stuff ya may wanna go to that forum, but myself I use oceanic's dual compact floresents it has lunar lights for night and depending on which one you get they even have halide's in them! Halide option is what I would go with on your tank being size and depth

 

[acanman]

i would go halides with t5's.. its not so much about watts per gallon anymore its all about your par in the tank for corals...

 

[95Harley]

i would go halides with t5's.. its not so much about watts per gallon anymore its all about your par in the tank for corals...

I was worried about water temp. Does anyone know how many degrees each 250W MH will raise the water temp? Anyway to calculate this?

I really don't want to have to go out and buy a $1000 chiller + pump too.

 

[acanman]

i have a 175 on my 46 gallon and i dont have a prob with the water getting too hot in the summer.. guess it depends on where you live.. im in tn and in the summer my tank runs around 80... and if it gets too warm you can always raise the halide up away from the water more. mine is about 10 inches about the tank

 

[95Harley]

you can always raise the halide up away from the water more. mine is about 10 inches about the tank

That's the issue, I have a canopy on the tank and the bulb would be about 10-11" off the water surface.


Are you running any other lights? I was worried about 2 - 4' (4 bulb) T5 HO's + at least 2 MH's over the LR and corals.

Maybe I would need fans on the ends of the tank.

Just wonder if only having 2 MH's would look wierd with the center a little darker.

 

[acanman]

That's the issue, I have a canopy on the tank and the bulb would be about 10-11" off the water surface.


Are you running any other lights? I was worried about 2 - 4' (4 bulb) T5 HO's + at least 2 MH's over the LR and corals.

Maybe I would need fans on the ends of the tank.

Just wonder if only having 2 MH's would look wierd with the center a little darker.

t5's dont really put off any heat per say in the water they run cool.. and most fixtures have fans(t5's).. ya the center would be a lil darker but you can just put corals that dont need alot of light there like mushrooms,zoas and other softies.. or could go with sun corals they dont use light at all.. you have to feed them..

 

[acanman]

what kind of corals are you planning on keeping. ya i run 2 36inch t5 ho actinics also.. gives the corals that "pop".. and i turn the halide in the moring and evening to give my tank the dawn and dusk affect..

 

[mr.reef24]

well the corals you plan to start with really don't require special lighting but when you get into the SPS and LPS corals they'll need at least 4-6 watts per gallon of light halides would work good T-5's if worried about heat problems sometimes a fan they sell to mount on the tank can solve that or positioning your halides 12 inches above the tank works good too.

mr.reef24