Help, I have a 48" deep tank and want to support a reef

[georgejust]

I have an 80x30x48 inch tank (approximately 450 gallons) and installed it in my living room. I'm successfully running it as a FOWLR tank and now I want to convert it over time to support corals and other inverts and get more of an actual reef up and running -- I'm not insane and I know 40+ inches of depth is a problem.

I'm completely stuck on lighting this thing -- because it's in my living room I want the lights as close to the surface as possible, I have plenty of head room for heat dissipation but don't want a lighting rig as part of the decor, so I'll have to hide it.

Any suggestions are welcome ---- I have live rock formed up to about 24" of the surface, so I know I can reach that --- most of the graphs I've seen significantly flatten below 18" or so, so I'm also wondering how much more the 2 more feet of water depth will effect the light penetration.

Thanks all

 

[lapin]

because it's in my living room I want the lights as close to the surface as possible, I have plenty of head room for heat dissipation but don't want a lighting rig as part of the decor, so I'll have to hide it.

So are hanging lights out of the question?

 

[A. grandis]

I have an 80x30x48 inch tank (approximately 450 gallons) and installed it in my living room. I'm successfully running it as a FOWLR tank and now I want to convert it over time to support corals and other inverts and get more of an actual reef up and running -- I'm not insane and I know 40+ inches of depth is a problem.

I'm completely stuck on lighting this thing -- because it's in my living room I want the lights as close to the surface as possible, I have plenty of head room for heat dissipation but don't want a lighting rig as part of the decor, so I'll have to hide it.

Any suggestions are welcome ---- I have live rock formed up to about 24" of the surface, so I know I can reach that --- most of the graphs I've seen significantly flatten below 18" or so, so I'm also wondering how much more the 2 more feet of water depth will effect the light penetration.

Thanks all

Get 4 of these with 400W bulbs and call it a great day!

Cozumel Sun Pendant System

 

[georgejust]

because it's in my living room I want the lights as close to the surface as possible, I have plenty of head room for heat dissipation but don't want a lighting rig as part of the decor, so I'll have to hide it.

So are hanging lights out of the question?

Not completely, but not preferred