lighting help for my 65reef

[Osse]

I have a question on lighting for my reef tank. I have an all-glass standard 65 gallon (36x18x24) as pictured below...click on thumbnail. Tank is comprised of octocorals,mushrooms,and zoanthids,gsp only.





Right now I have two 175watt 20k xm single end bulbs running 11 hours a day.

I know alot of octocorals reside in shallow water and prefer intense light. Do you consider two 175watt 20k bulbs over the 65 intense?

I do have a pfo 250watt hqi ballast and a aqualine 13k bulb currently not in use. Do you think I would be better off using the 250watt setup on one side and the 20Kxm the other?

Or would you guys suggest I sell the 175watt ballast and bulb and throw on another 250watt aqualine bulb?

Would two 250watt bulbs be overkill?

I just want the corals to be happy,but I want to simulate the light they would get in the ocean.

thanks all! very curious to hear your thoughts.

 

[matts125]

I would say the 175's are just fine for your reef, that is over 5 watts per gallon. I wouldn't say it is intense though, 250s would not be an over kill but some of the softies like your zoas and shrooms wont like that much light.

All in all I would say the 175's are your best bet..


Matt

 

[tike]

Two 250 watters is definately overkill! If everything in your tank is doing fine....stick with the lighting you have. I once placed a SE 250 watt 12" over a twenty gallon and promptly fried two of the corals before i backed it out with t-5's.
As for color....it all depends on what pleases you or if you want greater growth go with 6500K or 10000K.

HTH

willie

 

[Osse]

Thanks for the replys guys! I do appreciate your input very much so! Yeah perhaps going with two 10K 175's will give a bit more par and be the best of both worlds.
Thing is...I need to feel better about blowing more money on bulbs...have u guys ever had a perfectly good halide bulb and then spent money on a new one just for the different spectrum?
hehee

thanks again for the feedback guys.