quick advice

[Texreefer]

i am building a canopy for my 30x30x30 cube.. its 115 gal.... i am installing a 400 watt 6500k iwasaki and i want the rest of the lighting to be super actinic... problem is i can only use 2 foot lights because it is only 30" should i go with 4 vho or 2 vho and two pc.. i am going to be using an icecap 660 so it will power a number of combinations.my goal is more wattage but i like the vho output better than the compacts.. i wanted to to six vho but i can't wire 6 to a 660.. hmmm delima.. any ideas guys?

[TexasState]

There are 30" bulb out there that Hello Light sells. Many peoples in this club have ditched their 65K and went to 20K XM MH bulb(also sold through Hello Light.) Check out Jim Norris's tank run exclusively on 400Watts 20K XM MH http://www.tanku.net

[Texreefer]

so what do you think 2 400's over 30x30 tank

[TexasState]

You can use 4 four VHO SuperActinic Bulb. One bulb on each side (front,back, left side, right side.) Or you can try to line the 3 bulbs into a triangle if that fit

[TexasState]

They don't make Actinic T5 in 24 inches size. His tank is pretty deep, so he should stick to MH. Icecap 660 can run the T5 w/ the same load as T12.

[Texreefer]

at this pint i'm leaning toward two 400 watters :o Tim, JIm what do you guys think

[witecap4u]

4 96W Powerquads...

Actually, got with an XM or two, and you'll be happy

[reefer74]

If you can deal with any hear related issues with the two 400 watt bulbs being added, then I would say to go with those. Thirty inches is a good way for a bulb to penetrate effectively, so using the 400 is a good choice. Just remember to acclimate your corals to the intense light. Have you thought about running 250 watt hqi's....they are suppossedly pretty equal to the 400 watters. I have two over my 120, and I am really pleased with the light penetration, and the heat.

As far as the xm's go, I personally have yet to see a tank in person with them running. From all of the pictures that I have personally seen, they look entirely too blue for me. I like a good whitish blue light, that seems bright, and all of the pictures of the xm give everything a blue hue that I do not think I will be happy with. Good luck with the lighting, as I really like those cube tanks.


Johnny G.

[Tim Marvin]

Well, I am running 250w DE ab on my tank. I have a sunlight supply reefoptix 2 reflector and icecap ballast. I have been very happy with this combo vs. the 400 watt set up I was running and much cheaper to run as well as being cooler. I think if you want to grow a ton of acropora near the bottom of your tank though you may be better off with 400's. I have mushrooms, caps, clams, and other corals near the bottom of my tank, but it is only 25 inches deep.