Additional Light

[Bubbles]

My tank dimensions are: 100L x 50D x 70H

I have a 250W SE halide, with the intention of getting another. However, I've started to wonder that due to the depth of the tank I should have gone with 400W instead.

Maybe add a 400W over the deeper area of the tank, and keep the 250W for the higher aquascaped areas.

I plan to add T5s in the future too, but will be using my 3' T8s in the meantime.

Any thoughts?

[lduncan]

That's an odd shaped tank.

If it's 70cm high, then i'd go with 400W if you want to keep SPS at all levels. 250W is fine for anything up to 60cm high, more than that and 400W is better.

Layton

[cracker]

why is it odd L?

[cracker]

I guess the 500mm is a bit thin, is that what you mean?

[Bubbles]

Yeah, it is an odd shaped tank.

The length (100) means that it's just too short for 4 foot fluoros. The height (70) means it quite deep, hence 400W lights, however it does open up some nice possibilities for aquascaping.

This will be my 'graduation' tank from 3 foot FO system so looking at doing things properly

[wasp]

Not a light expert, but if it were my tank I'd stay with 250's ( 2 of them ), and have softies & LPS at the bottom levels, and higher light corals higher up. In a way you are lucky you can keep a variety of corals in the different lighting environments.

My last tank was pretty much sps only as there was just nowhere in it low enough in light to keep other stuff. It has been a real pleasure to set up my new tank with areas suitable for all types of corals.

You should try to figure some way to run actinics though, to get the most punch you'd be best to use 10,000k MH bulbs, and run actinics also.

[Bubbles]

Re actinics: I'll use my current 3 foot T8 until I get some T5s up.

Thanks for re-affirming my original plan Wasp. The tank will have large pieces of rock for aquascaping. Hmmmm, maybe SPS mountain