Suggestions on lighting for SPS dominant setup

[RickG]

So im starting an sps dominant tank. The tank is 95 gallons 40 inches long by 20 wide by 30 tall. I wanted to run two 400 Watt Luxcore selectable ballasts with either radium 20k or hamilton 14k bulbs or two used radions G2 pro. What do you guys think is best for SPS in a 30 inch deep tank. Should i go with 250W or 400W. Hope you guys can help and thanks!

 

[Diesel]

2x 400 watts is a lot for a 95 gallon tank.
IMO if you still have a choice run T5 if it is SPS dominant.

 

[twilliard]

2x 400 watts is a lot for a 95 gallon tank.
IMO if you still have a choice run T5 if it is SPS dominant.

Agreed! How many lamps do you think Ben?

 

[Diesel]

Agreed! How many lamps do you think Ben?

His tank is 20" wide so 8 will be to big.
In this case 6 bulb fixture is great.

 

[twilliard]

His tank is 20" wide so 8 will be to big.
In this case 6 bulb fixture is great.

Thanks Ben! I am trying to keep track of T5 threads to soak up info.

 

[RickG]

Yea I forgot to mention i am supplementing them with 4 t5 ati bulbs. So what do you guys think 250w instead?

 

[RickG]

2x 400 watts is a lot for a 95 gallon tank.
IMO if you still have a choice run T5 if it is SPS dominant.

Yea I forgot to mention i am supplementing them with 4 t5 ati bulbs. So what do you guys think 250w instead?

 

[Diesel]

I would go than with the 2 radions LED's you mentioned before.

 

[RickG]

I would go than with the 2 radions LED's you mentioned before.

they would be used G2s; you think ill still get good par even at that depth?

 

[andrew james]

30 inch deep id go with the 250w mh

 

[RickG]

I would go than with the 2 radions LED's you mentioned before.

to be more specific it would be a G2 pro and regular G2

 

[Diesel]

to be more specific it would be a G2 pro and regular G2

Either way they are strong enough for a 30" tank

 

[RickG]

Either way they are strong enough for a 30" tank

ill see what I end up doing, gonna see whats more affordable. Thanks for the advice and input btw

 

[gacolt]

I would run 400w mh or a ati t5 fixture

 

[RickG]

I would run 400w mh or a ati t5 fixture

Im supplementing with 4 bulb 36 inch fixture. Would you go with 400 or 250 W?

 

[nervousmonkey]

I'd go with 250W if you are going to use the T5's. I like the growth with the 14K bulbs. Look into the ReefBrite twinarc bulbs. Dimmable bulbs and ballasts from RB. I'm running that setup on a 135, works great. I like Ben's advice though too. Running an ATI on another setup and both work really well. Just depends on what you know the best IMO, sounds like you know halides.

 

[Rick.45cal]

Get a 6 bulb ATI powermodule, my 27.5" deep tank 27.5" wide tank with and 8 bulb powermodule pumps out 375-385 PAR on the sandbed, and it generates much less heat than metal halides. Definitely a top notch fixture.

 

[RickG]

Get a 6 bulb ATI powermodule, my 27.5" deep tank 27.5" wide tank with and 8 bulb powermodule pumps out 375-385 PAR on the sandbed, and it generates much less heat than metal halides. Definitely a top notch fixture.

thats pretty good par! im running a 4 bulb ati t5s and idt it would be worth the cash for two extra bulbs. A buddy said he could give me two of his 150 ballasts. What do you guys think of that combo, 4 bulb ati t5s with two 150 mh both running a 14k bulb?

 

[RickG]

thats pretty good par! im running a 4 bulb ati t5s and idt it would be worth the cash for two extra bulbs. A buddy said he could give me two of his 150 ballasts. What do you guys think of that combo, 4 bulb ati t5s with two 150 mh both running a 14k bulb?

you guys think ill have enough par for sps in 30" tall tank

 

[Rick.45cal]

I honestly don't know. It's hard to say without it all set up and having a PAR meter handy. Maybe someone with a similar set up can chime in. I know the PAR output of the MH's will be dependent on the the ballast used and the bulbs used. There's no escaping the "you get what you pay for" in lighting. MH's waste alot of energy on heat, I used them for many years and loved them but they are very wasteful.