Opinion on lighting please

H

hawgman_98

[I have a 58g tank that is 36" long X 18" wide X 22" high ( or something like that ).
Wanting to set it up primarilary as a SPS tank, maybe a clam or two, and just a couple of LPSs or shrooms to fill in the gaps.

Currently, I have a single 175w MH in my canopy, that sits about 8 inches or so from the surface of the water, and a 40w NO on the tank. About ready to add more lighting so I can start populating.

Here is the question. Would I be better off putting a single 400w MH over this size/shape tank, or adding a second 175w MH to it. I understand the 2' coverage "rule" of MHs, but with the tank only being 36" wide, it's not like I am going to have drastic dark spots with a single 400w MH. Plus I will probably keep the 40w NO or possibly throw a couple of 36w or 55w PCs in to suppliment some color ( have not quite decided on that yet ). The other question is, is there any truth to what I have read about the placement of a single 400w MH. I have read several places that you get better coverage with a single 400 than you would with two 175s by positioning a single 400 perpendicular to the front of the tank rather than using two 175s running parallel to the front. Obviously this is going to depend on the shape of the reflector. I can say that right now with the single 175 in the center of the canopy, it does light the entire tank.

So, what do you guys think? Should I add a second 175, or go with a single 400?]
 
[I would put the 400 dead center, and put a blue PC on either end of the tank to provide (lower) light for corals that are less demanding.

The center of your tank will be the brightest and your light-hungry SPS would need to be in that vicinity for maximum success.]
 
[The problem with the 175 MH's is that they just do not have the PPFD required to use in a SPS dedicated tank. You could certainly grow some SPS near the top, but the intensity of the light will drop off markedly toward the bottom. It still drops off with a 400W, but since you start with more, you end with more for any given depth. Even if you added another 175W, the light from the second bulb is only gonna penetrate in the quantities required, at the same depth as the other one.

Two 175W are definitely better than one, but neither will do as good a job as a single 400, if SPS is what you are after. I've tried to run an SPS tank with 175W, and while it did keep some alive, the difference when I moved up to 400W was staggering.

I'm not down on the 175's, in fact I'm thinking about tearing out my 400's and going back to my 175's since I'm not really into SPS anymore. I think the 175W Ushio 10K is one of the best "colored" bulbs I've seen. But for your application, I'd tend to go with Marc on a 400W with a good reflector. Also, if you haven't already...be thinking about your cooling strategy...]
 
[I also agree a 400w will put out alot of heat. if you go 400 and everyone says you should, a couple fans or a chiller maybe needed.]
 
[fans are definaly in order, aslo a sump, unless yuo plan on getting a chiller. I can't wait until winter because everyone can gather around the tank to keep warm :)]
 
[Now I am anxious to see just exactly how much of a difference in temp a 400 will make. The back of my canopy is completely open. When I installed the 175, I expected to have some sort of temp issue, but it made EXACTLY NO difference in the tank temp. I know a 400 is a completely different animal, but still pretty curious now.]
 
[Doc, are you currently using a sump? As Mitch alluded to, I found that a fan blowing across the sump did a lot for cooling. Actually about 2 degrees in my 110g set up. That's not too bad for $8 box fan from Walmart.

FWIW, I know a guy who used to have a 400W and 2 PC's over a 29 gallon. He used no chilller, but had a couple of really good fans hooked up to it. It also evaporated alot of water, and since he had no sump, had to rig a float switch inside the tank to allow for auto top off during the day.

Water level fluctuations, and the resultant salinity changes, caused by evaporative cooling are another gotcha in the smaller tank big light scenario.]
 
[BTW, the 58g is among my favorite tank sizes. The 40g breeder, the 58g, and the 120g because of their proportions of length to width, are really nice commonly found sizes for reefs imo. I've got a 110g, and don't really care for the size at all.]
 
[No sump on the 58. Just a pretty big ( actually too big for the tank, but it was what I had lieing around ) wet/dry.
Don't get me wrong, I wish I had put a sump under it. Just didn't.

You want to talk water evaporation, geesh. My 135 goes through about 2 to 2 1/2 gallons a day.

I sort of preplanned this when I built the canopy, and have the accomodations for the fans. Just have not had the need to put them in there yet.

I guess the next question would be any recommendations on types of ballast. I see probe and magnetic all over the place, but electronic ballast for 400s seem to be somewhat hard to find ( or i'm just not looking in the right places ). Which is going to be more economical?]
 
[The electronic ballasts are supposed to be the most econmical in usage, but cost more upfront. I saw some Blue Line ballasts at Macna, which Champion Lighting had on display. The feature I found most appealing was the RCA Jack-like connections.]
 
[If you go with the blue lines, get two. That's so when the first one goes out, you will have a back up. Ap's on his third in less than a year. Good thing they have warrantees. ???]
 
[I've not seen a dual prepackaged 400W e-ballast(like what PFO does). Not saying they don't exist, I've just never seen one. You might call Perry at Champion and see if they have them.]
 
@mmiller40 wrote:
[I don't think you can get a 400 watt electronic ballast.] said:
[I've seen one or two places other than Champion that has electronic 400s, but they are few and far between. Oddly enough, didn't seem that expensive in compairson to the 175s and the 250s. In fact, seems they were cheaper than the 250s. But I definitely have not seen a dual 400.]
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[Personally I think 2 250w would be plenty for a 58 show. And as far as 400 electronic ballasts I have read many reviews on how bad they from champion lighting. Now Icecap has now started the process of plans for the new electronic ballasts for the 400watters. Icecap is hard to beat as far as quality. And I do believe they have 250 electronic ballasts.]
 
[@wrasseman1 wrote:
Personally I think 2 250w would be plenty for a 58 show. said:
Hummm.....2X250. Well, I would consider that. Like I said in my original post, I am somewhat concerned with realestate in the top of the canopy. I would rather go with a single in the center than have 2 on the ends and be dumping light out on to the floor.

Besides! You say you have 2x400s over your 55 in your sig! :)
So the can't be all bad!!]
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