i need lighting recomendations

[jascymcl]

Hello,
I am putting together a tank that is 60"L x 36" wide x 12" high and would like to know what type of mh would be the best.I was told a 400 watt mh with radium or phonenix on a light rail.I think that the tank is to shallow for 400watt mh.Will 250's work. What do you guys think?

 

[Paul_N]

With 12" depth I would only do 250W MH. A light rail would definitely work or two lumenmax elite reflectors mounted high enough to get total coverage.

 

[jascymcl]

Thanks for reply

Hello i have never use those lumenmax ,How high of the water, what type of bulbs and ballast?

 

[Paul_N]

They come in both SE and DE for types of bulbs. What brand of bulbs and ballast will be up to you as far as color. You can find a decent dual 250w electronic ballast to run both instead of having two separate ballasts. As far as how high off of the water, you would have to experiment and start say 12 or 16" and move up or down until you get the spread you need from the reflectors and get total coverage.

You could get the entire setup almost new from one of the sponsors. He is selling (2) ballasts, reflectors and bulbs.

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/f277/halide-part-out-elites-galaxy-38078.html

I just noticed they are 400w. The reflectors will work though since they are adjustable for 250w/400w

 

[stedfast82]

+1 on paul psu 250 will do the job 400 will fry

 

[Troylee]

if you plan on running the 20k spectrum i would prolly use 250w but if your gonna run 14k or 10k 175w would be more the efficiant imo.... with a sand bed and all your talking a 10" deep water coloum add rocks on top of that and your shallow as can be...175 would be my choice cheaper bulbs and cheaper to run with less heat....just my 2.....