How to light my 36X36X18 cube?

[arc eye]

So I recently acquired a 36X36X18 euro braced acrylic cube. I would like to keep it an open top so I have been looking into pedant and fixture setups. I have decided I want to go metal halide for sure, but I am not exactly sure what to get.

I was thinking of going with one large Lumen bright and a 400W Electronic ballast.

Any opinions? Has anyone constructed their own light fixture/rack? it would be nice to add some actinics too. I just don't want to pay close to a grand for an all in one fixture with sub par reflectors and ballasts.


Thanks in advance!

 

[arc eye]

bump...............

 

[roscoe]

with that depth 250 on a full size lumenarcs. JMO

 

[arc eye]

Yeah, definitely no problem hitting the bottom on this tank.........you think a 250w could pull off pull of the spread I'm looking for?

 

[roscoe]

JMO I think so. Lunenarcs put out some light.

 

[elmexotics]

I have a 36 x 36x 24 tank lit with 2 250w halides and luminarc minis. I will try to post pics tomorrow. It really throws off some light and i have yet to find a coral that I can not get to take off in my tank.

 

[arc eye]

thanks elmexotics, some pics would be awesome!

 

[El Salvador]

Go for the 400W MH

I got a 2' cube and I am using a single end 20K buld with a HQI B so I am over driving the light. Man I love it and so do my SPS.

I used a 250W and I was not happy with the out come.
:razz:

 

[DonW]

I say go for the 400 just elevated to get the better spread with a lumenarc or lumenbright. The 250 will be good for 2x2 not 3x3.

Don

 

[Maxx]

If you're really wanting to run just one bulb over this tank, I would go with the 400 w in either a Lumenarc or a LumenMax reflector and raise it up to get the spread you want.

Just remember the inverse square law regarding light intensity and single point sources of light, (IE the decrease in light intensity is exponential the further you get from a single point source of light. Light from a source one foot away from an object is 9 times more intense than the same light 3 feet away from the object.)

Nick