Lighting requirements for a 155 gallon

[bclaveria]

I'm in the process of buying lights and have some question prior to palcing my order. I have a 155 (60X24X24) which I will stock with SPS, LPS, and soft corals. I'm leaning on 2-250 HQI Hanging Pendant either run by an icecap ballast or blueline ballast but I'm not sure if 2-250 plus 4-110 actinics will be enough light for a 155 gallon which I will stock with SPS, LPS, Clams, and soft corals. The other question I have is whether a hanging pendant can be used inside a metal halide canopy. I'm afraid it may melt the acrylic tank or will get too closed to the water. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Also are Blueline good product?

Thanks,
Ben

 

[balogh03]

how tall is the hood?

 

[Skimmy]

your best bet would be probably 2 250w inside lumenarc mini reflectors, the lumenarcs almost double the light output from your m.h. bulbs, is your canopy a 12' mh canopy?
you dont really want to put a light fixture inside a canopy, your asking for overheating...even with fans

 

[Skimmy]

and blueline ballasts are pretty good, but i think icecap is probably better.
the other thing you could consider is doing 2 250w hqi and using a pfo hqi magnetic ballast, that way you will overdrive the bulbs and get more like 300+ watts out of each bulb, and they are much smaller.

 

[CarlaW]

and blueline ballasts are pretty good, but i think icecap is probably better.
the other thing you could consider is doing 2 250w hqi and using a pfo hqi magnetic ballast, that way you will overdrive the bulbs and get more like 300+ watts out of each bulb, and they are much smaller.

I agree with that!!! The only thing about overdriving the bulbs is that you have to replace them more often.

 

[bclaveria]

Yes the canopy is 12' MH canopy. Thanks all for your inputs.


Ben