Lighting queston for 65g DSA

[Ross]

I am setting up a 65g DSA (36x20x20) and I am torn on what to do with lighting. The tank will be a full on sps reef with a few zoos on the bottom. I need advice on what to do with my lighting. I have pretty much narrowed it down to 2 options

1. 1x250w radium with 4x39w T5's

2. 2x250w radiums with 2x39w T5's

I think the 2 halides is going to be overkill, but I'm not sure if I can get away with 1 and keep sps on the edges.

I also need advice on reflectors. I need something narrow enough that I can put some T5's on either side of it.

Thanks!

[alton]

1 - 250w MH using a luminbright reflector or pendant. I only use 3 x 250w MH with luminbright pendants on my 300DD 72" x 36" x 27" tall and grow birdsnest on the sand in the front corners and caps in the rear corners

[BBQHILLBILLY]

LEDssss for sure. tank is 20 in tall. get soom cool LEDs and you use less than 100 watts and get full coverage. just saying:bigsmile:turn off white and blue LEDs pop them colors

my bad not an option

I like 2 DE 14k MH with blue T5s, you need to cover the sides of the tank and LR will gete in the way if you just use 1 MH

I should mention if you install reflectors throughout sides and top of your canopy 1 MH should be fine

[Ross]

Good deal, thanks Alton. I was thinking of using a hamilton cabo sun min (12.75x12.75). With this plus 4x T5's at 2.5 inches wide each, my canopy will be wider than my tank. Would you go with a different reflector (there aren't any good ones i can find with smaller dimensions), or would you try bending the T5 reflectors to be more narrow, or would you just have the canopy over hang the tank.

[alton]

Why the 4 x T5HO's? You could use 2 x T5HO's as sunrise to sunset? Also with a 12 x 12 reflector you may have to go with 2 x 175w MH with Coralvue 12K reeflux lamps (very similar in color to the radium) or 150w DE radium lamps?

[Ross]

BBQ, I have used LEDs for a few years and I love the colors you can make and the low heat, but I haven't experienced the great growth that metal halides provide.

Alton, I was planning on 4x t5's for that much more PAR, coverage at the ends of the tank, and adjustability with the color. I'd really like to stick with the 250w halides. In my experience the lesser watt bulbs don't have as much punch and I have several clams (maximas and croceas) that will be kept on the bottom.

[BBQHILLBILLY]

then get the best of both worlds; MH for growth and LEDs for the color pop; you may have to make them; piece of cake; T5s are great too

[alton]

660 watts on a 65, may have to change your username to Moon Beam or Sun Glo. It will be bright. Enjoy

[Big_Pun]

i had a 65 with one 250 in a decent pendent and it was fine grew everything from lps to sps just find, but draw back was no sunrise/sunset. so i upgraded to 250w and 2 t5 and that was the best. later i went to all t5 and 6 bulbs. color was better but growth a lil slower. if you want pics i may be able to dig them up

that being said in my current tank i havent seen a diffrence in growth between my mh-t5 fixture and the led fuxture. vivid aquarium just put out a post saying that they havent seen a difference in there tank thats lite by half mh and half radion.

[Ross]

Good info big pun. Did you have to run a chiller when you were running both halides and t5s? Were you running a canopy or fixture?

[Big_Pun]

all my tanks are topless lol!! i ran a cheap walmart clip on fan blowing from rear to front.