lighting/bulbs

[Dubge]

I have on my tank a 4x55 strip with 2 10K and 2 blue I want to add another strip (4x55) and my question is what should I put for bulbs in each? Should I do 4 10K in one and 4 blue in the other? That way I can set each strip on a timmer and have the blues go on one hour before and shut off one hour after? Or would there be a more benificial combo of bulbs that I could do? What would this put me in for lighting on a 75G tank that is 20" deep? low/Med lighting or med/high? Total would be 440W 8x55

thanks
Ray

 

[ChrisRD]

Your plan (half blue, half 10K lighting) sounds good to me. That should look nice. IMO that should be enough light to keep a wide range of corals.

 

[Len]

I'd alternate the bulbs (actinic to daylight) so that the spectrums are evenly distributed. The truth is most reef organisms can't decipher upper spectrum so a daylight doesn't look that much different then an actinic bulb except perhaps the intensity. Turning on half your lights looks about the same to your reef critters regardless of whether they're all actinics or half actinic half daylight.

8x55W over a 75 will be plenty for most clams and corals, including some hardier SPS.

 

[Dubge]

So if I alternate the bulbs should I set the timmers so one set with half and half comes on first then the 2nd set an hour later or dose that not matter?

thanks
Ray

 

[ChrisRD]

Sorry, I didn't read your post very carefully (actually, that's being kind - I missed whole point!...LOL) - I was thinking 8 lamps with several ballasts.

Just to clarify, I assumed you were going to stagger the lamps (ie. blue/white/blue/white) as Len suggested. When I said half white/half blue I was referring to 4 blue lamps and 4 white lamps - not lighting half the tank blue and half white...don't know how I missed that part. Now that I read my post again it sounds funny...

As for turning the light fixtures on one at a time, it probably doesn't make much difference. That's what I do with my two halide pendents but I don't think it matters much...

 

[Dubge]

So should I worry about the dusk/dawn effect? Do they need to be turned on an hour apart?

Ray

 

[ChrisRD]

I wouldn't worry about not having the dawn/dusk thing. I really doubt it has any effect on corals.

I turn my pendents on/off one-at-a-time because some of the fish freak out a little if all the lights go off together. Switching off one at a time might be less stressful for them so that's what I do. Not sure if it really helps them or not, but it makes me feel better...LOL.