How much light do I need?

[sstainba]

Had a 75G stocked with a few (4?) fish, 3 anemones (LT, bubblex2), a bunch of mushrooms, glove polyps, button polyps and such. We had 48" combo hood with 2x150 10k + 4x96 PC on there...

We just upgraded to a 125 and right now are using the same lights. We've added two or three small corals. We want to upgrade the lights since there are some darkish areas on the sides. This time I'm looking to use pendants so it will be more flexible. We'll mostly be keeping some soft corals and LPS.

How much lighting should we go with?

Is 3x 250 14k too much ?

Everything we have is spreading and splitting. Just wondering if that would be too much light. I was looking at 3 lights because the tank is so long (72"). Suggestions are welcomed.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Since you have the two 150s, how about add a third 150, or brighter.

 

[sstainba]

Those 2 150s are made into a fixture (CurrentUSA) along with the 4x96. Can't separate them. It looks like the 150s are lighting enough as far as I can tell. Would 3x150 be enough light for a 125?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

How deep is the tank and what do you want to grow in it?

 

[sstainba]

I believe it is 20" deep... whatever a standard 125G is. We have lots of polyps and mushrooms, a frogspawn, very small leather coral and some fish. I don't imagine we'll keep any SPS. I like the soft corals and LPS more.

 

[Curtswearing]

Take the fixture apart and see if you can remove the fixtures and ballasts. Then add a third one in the middle (maybe 250W 14k).

Look at how Marc Levenson did his near the bottom of this thread.
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23366

Also, make sure your bulbs go from front to back and not side to side so that each of the lamps overlaps each other. This drawing I made is quite crude but it should give you the idea.

 

[sstainba]

I never though about taking them apart... I guess that would save a few hundred $$$. So, if I have 2x150 10K... Should I go with another 150 in the center or step it up to a 250 ? Also, I want the animals to fluoresce a little more than they do with the 10K. Would a 14K or 20K be better?

 

[Curtswearing]

I never though about taking them apart... I guess that would save a few hundred $$$. So, if I have 2x150 10K... Should I go with another 150 in the center or step it up to a 250 ? Also, I want the animals to fluoresce a little more than they do with the 10K. Would a 14K or 20K be better?

When you go up in spectrum, PAR decreases substantially. If you went 14k, 250W should be sufficient IMO. If you go 20k, move up to a 400W in the center.

You can also mount the PC's, put all actinic bulbs in there to supplement the 150W 10k's

 

[sstainba]

Hahaha. I am amazed that I didn't think of this on my own. I'm usually all about taking things apart or DIY'ing. For some reason I didn't even think to do it with the lights. Thanks.