Pc lighting for sps

[robertpower3]

I have 6 55watt pcs (4actinic and 2 50/50) on my eighty gallon is this going to be enough for sps corals. My lps corals seem to be doing well. If not what kind of mh bulbs should I get. How do I install mh in my canopy?

[RedDragon]

You can get a Norris Retrofitted kit for a MH and your PC from Hellolights, LOL, it feels cool saying that, NOrris Retrofitted kit, has a ring to it,LOL

[Jimnorris]

You can grow sps corals under pc lighting. Most (if not all) the sps corals from GARF are grown under VHOs. They have wonderful colors to them. But this is limited. If you want to be able to have the full spectrum then MHs are the way to go. There are many ways to install them on your tank. What type of tank and set up do you have. Of course installing MHs have a negitive affect that you will have to deal with, that is heat.
Jim

[Bigreefer]

I have four 96W PC on my 125. I was able to keep SPS's and a Cocea, 2 Deras and a small Maxima just fine for about 6 months. Then the intensity of the PC's seemed to drop off. That's when my favorite SPS's started to brown and die off.

I imeaditly ordered the Hello lights ARO eletronic 250 W MH ushio 10,000k retro kit. The SPS's are happy now and the clams are really starting to calcify. I'm looking into buying two more but with the XM 20,000k bulbs this time.

[matt]

Probably 6 55W PC tubes would provide enough light for most corals, but if you're running 4 "actinics" and 2 50/50 bulbs, you're not providing anywhere close to the light you'd get with 6 "daylight" or 10000K bulbs. Also, the reflectors make a huge difference. ahsupply has good reflectors for PC bulbs; they specialize in PC lighting. Most PC "actinic" bulbs are just blue bulbs that serve for color correction only. With the set up you described, I bet your tank is very blue.

Depending on the size of your tank, especially depth, you might consider adding some MH; maybe 2 250W bulbs. You could use iwasakis, then some of your PC actinics for color. If you're staying with just the PCs, I suggest you make all of them, or at the very least 4, daylight or 10000K bulbs with good reflectors.

HTH
Matt