New Lights

[smelleybrad]

I've already bought two 175W Metal Halides with 20,000 bulbs and I think I'm going to buy 2 x 36-inch T5 TEK Retrofit system from Sunlight Supply.

My question is , is this enough light to pretyy much put any type of coral or clams in my 125?

[Reef69]

Hey Brad, I think that would be good enough, since your tank is not really deep

[smelleybrad]

do you you think I need the T5's?

[Reef69]

well, the thing is your tank is long, so you need to cover the whole tank...honestly..I wouldnt buy T5's but more retros..maybe 2-250 watt..but maybe the light gurus here have a better answer for you

[GaryP]

I would buy T5 actinic bulbs to give you better spectrum balance and improved color.

I'm running 2 X 250 watt MH @ 10K and 2 X 160 watt VHO actinics in my 125 gal. My clams are as happy as.... well... as clams. I have them on the bottom where light levels are at their lowest.

[Tim Marvin]

You don't need the T-5s, but I would suggest you go ahead and get them. They will be helpful. It all depends on what you are planning to keep. A lot of the really brilliant colored acroporas are closer to the surface and require intense halide light. 175w halides are not strong enough for all corals, although they should do a decent job. I have found 250w DE and 400w DE halides work best for keeping colors and getting good growth.

[Reef69]

[quote="GaryP"]I would buy T5 actinic bulbs to give you better spectrum balance and improved color.

IMO..I wouldnt really add more blue to something that already is..i believe Brad is running 20,000K's...but i dont know..I would have done 250 MH 14,000K's

[smelleybrad]

What if I add 1 250W MH to go along with the 2 175W MH

[GaryP]

Sorry, I somehow read 10K not 20K. I think a 250 watt @ 6.5K or 10K MH would be a very good idea. Your growth rates on 20K only will be slow.

[Tim Marvin]

Instead of the T-5? That will work fine. I wouldn't add actinic T-5's to 20K's either. It will look too blue.

[FSU]

Hey Brad.....Told you!!! :P

[Reef69]

Yep....I would have gone 250 on all of them, you could keep anything under those lights in your tank, since its shallow..you can go with 1-250, but you will be able to tell which light has more output though.

[smelleybrad]

So if I put my two 175W MH w/ 20K's on each end and put the 250 watt @ 6.5K or 10K MH in the middle that should be pretty good? Will the lighting be off on the ends or should it all blend in pretty good?

[GaryP]

It will be a little yellow in the middle but not real bad. it should blend in. Does your tank have a center brace?

[Reef69]

You will be able to tell..which fixture, or retro..is brighter.....

[FSU]

can you upgrade to dual 250's instead of the 175's?

[smelleybrad]

yes it has a glass metal brace

[smelleybrad]

so basically I'm screwed????????????????????

[Reef69]

can you upgrade to dual 250's instead of the 175's?

Good Question..

[GaryP]

A 250 watt 6.5K is a heck of a lot brighter than a 175 watt 20K.

[FSU]

see if they will let you upgrade to dual 250's and just pay the difference since you haven't gotten them yet!

[smelleybrad]

I got them from Aquatic Warehouse what do ya'll think?

[Reef69]

.....Nice store, good fish selection... :skeezy

[NaCl_H2O]

I don't think you will like the "mix" of 20Ks and 6.5/10Ks. MHs don't carry very far horizontally, you can see this. Turn on just one of you MHs, turn off the lights in the room, and put something in the tank (like invert food) that will reflect the light. I agree the 250W is a better addition to your setup, but 20K/175w | 10K/250w | 20K/175w is going to look considerably different in the center of the tank ... but maybe you wil like that?

I personally would change out the 175w with 12K or 14K and put a 10K 250w in the center. If you want growth over color, then go 10K|6.5K|10K - but then you probably would need flourescent acinics to bring out some color.

Again - do you have a center brace? That will screw it all up!

[FSU]

can't hurt to ask!!! I am sure since they'll still be getting your dollar, they shouldn't have to much of a problem, but I don't know....never dealt with them!

[Reef69]

ok, 3 - 250 watt 14,000k MH retros from Greg...

[smelleybrad]

I do have a glass center brace. What if I just changed my bulbs from 20K's to 10K's and added some T5's

[Reef69]

Brad, you would be spending alot of money man...

[smelleybrad]

Or how about another 175W MH. I have a very shallow tank.

[Reef69]

:innocent

[GaryP]

I do have a glass center brace. What if I just changed my bulbs from 20K's to 10K's and added some T5's

That's a better option IMO.

[smelleybrad]

does this look good

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=46314&item=4363587 695&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

[Reef69]

I dont know..Ebay is tricky..

[smelleybrad]

I think I'm just going to change out my bulbs to 10K's and then get some T5's only if I cant switch to the 250's. As long as that tank is with just the two MH's be enough to reach the whole tank?

[GaryP]

You're still going to have the problem of a bulb mounted above the center brace.

[smelleybrad]

Even if its glass? How bad of a problem? What are the options?

[GaryP]

The glass will absorb a certain amount of the light. In addition there is a problem of keeping it clean from salt creep and scale build up and everything else that manages to get on there. I hate the center brace on my 125.

[smelleybrad]

so how did you set yours up?

[GaryP]

Currently I have 2 X 250 watt 10K MH and 2 X 160 watt VHO actinic bulbs.

It was set up before T5s came along.

[smelleybrad]

I'm going to try and get hold of him tomorrow and see if I can switch to 250's. I'll just keep my fingers crossed.

[smelleybrad]

Good news, They let me switch my order. So I now have 2- 250W MH with the 10K Bulbs and a T5 to off set the color. Thanks for all the input. Brad

[FSU]

Good job! Will be a lot less hassle in the future!

[Reef69]

yep..let us know how it goes..