frag tank lighting question

[Vmacisback]

starting a frag tank that is 20x20x12. I am somewhat limited to selection and would like to spend a credit a bluezoo aquatics that i have for $250. The only real light that caught my eye was a Cayman Sun HQI reflector. I have never run a double ended bulb and dont know if for the frag tank i should go with 250 watt or 150 watt or 10k or 14k. With all that in mind i also dont want to shock the corals when i move them into my DT where i am running a 400w 20k radium bulb with actinic supplements. Can someone please lead me in the right direction to where i can acheive both good growth and color and something decent to look at. Thanks

 

[Mrfresh]

From ur last statement go with a 14k bulb. If u want color.
I would go with the 250w fixture and just having it hanging accordingly so it doesn't kill the sps.
With a 10k bulb ur get amazing growth but.... It's all going to be different colors of brown for the most part.

When you do move it to ur dt start the corals at the bottom for a month or so and then you can place it were you want.

 

[Vmacisback]

Yea that's kinda what I was thinking. How high above the water should the light be if realistically I only have 10.5" of water?

 

[watchguy123]

I am not sure you will see measurable growth difference between 10-20 k lighting (theoretical perhaps but doubtful in practice). Enjoy the color of 20k. And 400 watt bulbs are smoking, so doubt you will need to light acclimate ( safer is better but I have never been burned either figuratively or literally by placement) when you move from frag tank to display and your frag tank is only 12 inches so will assume your frags will be pretty darn close to surface and accustomed to intense light anyway

 

[Vmacisback]

I am not sure you will see measurable growth difference between 10-20 k lighting (theoretical perhaps but doubtful in practice). Enjoy the color of 20k. And 400 watt bulbs are smoking, so doubt you will need to light acclimate ( safer is better but I have never been burned either figuratively or literally by placement) when you move from frag tank to display and your frag tank is only 12 inches so will assume your frags will be pretty darn close to surface and accustomed to intense light anyway

well 20k wasnt available in DE so i ordered a 14k phoenix 250w in a cayman sun hqi reflector. My frag tank is only 20x20x12 so im sure this will get the job done and be nice to look at as well next to my display with the 400w radium.
thoughts?

 

[SchnitzelReef]

14k Phoenix is very similar to a 20k radium

 

[Verduzco]

I disagree they are nothing alike. I had two tanks side by side and you can easily tell the difference . 20 k way bluer than 14k

 

[SchnitzelReef]

I disagree they are nothing alike. I had two tanks side by side and you can easily tell the difference . 20 k way bluer than 14k

Of course side by side u can see a difference. But if all u can run is a DE bulb, the 14k Phoenix is probably ur best bet. It's one of the bluer DE bulbs.

 

[Vmacisback]

Of course side by side u can see a difference. But if all u can run is a DE bulb, the 14k Phoenix is probably ur best bet. It's one of the bluer DE bulbs.

yea i know it will be hard to get them to run the same color and look the same side by side but i think what really r=matters is the quality of whats in the frag tank. if i can receive shipments of coral and help them color up and encrust before putting them into my display I don't think color of the bulb or tank will matter that much to me.
what would you suggest as far as the height of the light over the tank/water? the tank itself is only 12'' deep im sure the water level will only end up being around 10-11''.