Im getting ready to start up a second reef aquarium and I need some help choosing lighting. First of all Ive read a lot on lighting and I really dont understand the lumens per inch loss. Im going to start a 72 GAL. oceanic bowfront and I would like to use metal halide / PC DIY combo. Im going to have mostly softies but I might throw in a few SPS. I know from past experience that the softies do great under PC but I really want the rippleing affect. Ive tossed around the Idea of 2 150W. 10K MH's and 4 96W. Actinic 03 PC's but that would put me at 9.5W. per gallon and I dont know how to determine the lumen output of the bulbs. How much of this light would actually reach the bottom half of the tank. I would like to have mushrooms at the bottom, softies from the bottom up and maybe some SPS or hard corals at the upper portion of the tank. I know mixing soft,SPS and hard corals is not recomended but I've seen a ton of people be successful doing it. Would this lighting combo be to intense for what I'm trying to do?
Lighting
- Thread starter mikey b
- Start date
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kevinpo
Expert
For a 72 bowfront I would recommend using 250W 10,000K to 15,000K halides. I think you would be happier in the long run. With proper placement you would be able to keep anything you want.
HTH,
Kevin
HTH,
Kevin
Really ! Ok maybe you can answer these Q's. Could I use One 500W. metal halide Ballast and what is the difference between ballasts at the home depot that are cheap and ballasts used in aquatics. I know reef keeping isn't cheap and Im prepared to spend the money but I see no need in paying more for a ballast if I can get the same thing for less.
kevinpo
Expert
No, you must use 2 - 250W HQI type ballasts to run 250W double ended bulbs. It would be nice if you could just go to the hardware store and use the parking light type ballasts. Of course if it were possible everyone would be doing it by now 
For the lowest cost keep looking in the used equipment forums. The magnetic type ballasts last for years and years (I have several of them still running since 1997).
HTH,
Kevin
For the lowest cost keep looking in the used equipment forums. The magnetic type ballasts last for years and years (I have several of them still running since 1997).
HTH,
Kevin
