Mh over 36" tank

[benthos]

Im setting up a 40 gal breeder. I want to keep sps, clams, and some softies. I just bought two 250 watt MHs and my question is two MHs too much? probably going to use 1400k bulbs and I know I can get away with one but since I have the other should I go ahead and use it?

If I use one should I posistion it horz side to side or vert front to back?
same question if I used two.

 

[jeffie]

On my 40 gal. breeder I use 2-55w actinic blue pc's and 1-250mh with a 10,000k blueline bulb in it and it has a really nice look. 2-250w might be to much, but is the saying that there is never to much light?

 

[benthos]

thats the consensus Im getting is to just use one.

anyone else care to chime in?


If Im just going to use one I would like to hang a pendant above it.
with the 14000k do you think I will need actinics or will the MH be blue enough? Can you put T5 actinics in a pendant with a MH bulb?

 

[qwiksilver]

I'd actually run two. I have a 54 with a 400 running, and I sometimes wonder if its enough. With SPS and clams they'd be happy if you had more light. Then again, i am one of those that think you can't have too much light.

 

[Len]

I think it depends on what you're keeping in the 40g. 2 x 250W MH would definitely be extreme for softies and LPS, but if you're keeping very colorful, shallow water SPS, I say go for it if you can keep the tank cool enough

 

[myreeef]

If you decide to run 2 MH on the tank get 2 different color temps. You've already got a 14,000K, I'd make the second either a 20,000K or a 6500K. (20,000K being my preference). Having a range of color temps hits the corals with more spikes of color which the corals react very nicely to.

I have 6 MH on my main tank 2 of each of the following 10,000K 14,000K and 20,000K. Since going with this scheme many of my corals have colored up much more intensely and they seem to be growing at a faster rate.

If you find that 2 MH are too much light, you could always put them on separate timers so that only one or the other is on with the overlap of both being on at the same time for an hour a day (or something like that)

 

[benthos]

thanks for the advice all. I think adding both lights at differ temps is a great idea but Ive decided to use a single pendant for heat issues and for top viewing. There will be alot of sps but I couldnt go without zoos, ricordia, and other fav softies. Unless I can find a empty pendant that holds two lamps I think Im just going to use one and make it simple. :wink:

 

[Len]

BTW, forgot to say:

 

[benthos]

thanks Len.