HM light system question

[Milez803]

I'm trying to get some information about HM lighting system, i was wondering for a 40 gallon tank (36') with 20' depth....with one 150 watts HM light, is it possible to maintain SPS and LPS corals? And if anyone has a good website for DIY HM light system, i would appreciate the help. :eek2:

 

[shallowreef]

First off welcome to Reef Frontiers.

I know people that have use 400w MH on tanks that size so i think 150 should do the trick but i think you could go higher if you wanted. SPS need bright intense light like that of a metal halide so i would say that yes, you can keep SPS and LPS in that tank with the 150. I would start by putting them about half way up in the tank and see how they do. From there you can either move them up or down. I would imagine that you would have decent luck keeping those types of coral under that type of lighting.

As for a DIY halide? Check the DIY section on here and see what they have. I'm sure that more people will chime in to help you out.

WELCOME!

 

[Cwazy Clown]

i would have to say yes and no.

yes being the part where you CAN keep sps but wont see much growth and when you are limited to the upper half of the tank for placement.

no being that a 20" deep tank will receive low light and for a 40g 150watts mh is too low for a sps tank

but, if you want lps on the bottomish and sps on the top half, then it would work for you.....for me, i have a 250watt mh on a 40g and mine if only 16" tall

also keep in mind that mh covers an area of 2'x2' and the 40g is 3' so the edges of the tank will be dimmer and i would keep only lps there. stick the sps in the center upperhalf and you will be golden!

HTH

 

[Milez803]

thanks for the info guys..i'll try to go after 250 watts of HM for the tank..

 

[Scooterman]

thanks for the info guys..i'll try to go after 250 watts of HM for the tank..

FYI
MH = Metal Halids