High Tide Aquatics

1 or 2 halides over a 4 - 5 foot tank?

rgonzalez said:
If you're buying another halide, keeping one of them on at a time, and hating the way a single light looks, then why not keep them both on at the same time? Or are you saying you hate the way your tank corals are growing?
Click to expand...

I currently have ONE light over my tank. Working on setting it up with either two, or one plus supplemental on the sides of some sort because I hate both the way things are growing and the fact that one of my corals on the edge is receding.

Also, this is a three foot tank, and the OP is considering one light over a 4 foot, so I'd encourage him to go with 2.

Previously, I had a 40G Stretch hex and one light was ok. With a rectangle it's not.
 
anathema said:
rgonzalez said:
If you're buying another halide, keeping one of them on at a time, and hating the way a single light looks, then why not keep them both on at the same time? Or are you saying you hate the way your tank corals are growing?
Click to expand...

I currently have ONE light over my tank. Working on setting it up with either two, or one plus supplemental on the sides of some sort because I hate both the way things are growing and the fact that one of my corals on the edge is receding.

Also, this is a three foot tank, and the OP is considering one light over a 4 foot, so I'd encourage him to go with 2.

Previously, I had a 40G Stretch hex and one light was ok. With a rectangle it's not.
Click to expand...

What fixture, reflector are you using, how high is it off the water?
 
not quite.
The two fixtures are over a 6 ' tank.
Each fixture is centered 2 feet from the end.
If I recall the fixture is 22 inches so, for the lights to get from end to end it only moves about 16 inches.
If I wanted the very center of the bulb to be over the very end of the tank then I would need it to move 2'
 
As far as ballasts for MH, consider the newer electronic ones that you may select the wattage, if you go with 150W initially then the 150-250W or if you shoot straight for 250 and have plans in the future for 400W bulbs then the 250-400W.
I think Lumatek is the brand.
 
anathema said:
rgonzalez said:
If you're buying another halide, keeping one of them on at a time, and hating the way a single light looks, then why not keep them both on at the same time? Or are you saying you hate the way your tank corals are growing?
Click to expand...

I currently have ONE light over my tank. Working on setting it up with either two, or one plus supplemental on the sides of some sort because I hate both the way things are growing and the fact that one of my corals on the edge is receding.

Also, this is a three foot tank, and the OP is considering one light over a 4 foot, so I'd encourage him to go with 2.

Previously, I had a 40G Stretch hex and one light was ok. With a rectangle it's not.
Click to expand...


I too have a 36" tank and another one on the works also 3 feet; for that other one I placed two small retro reflectors with 250W bulbs, that's way too much for a 3' tank IMO but the purpose was to have one on at certain time and try to simulate a high noon Sun by having both on for a certain amount of time, then switch off the one that lit up first to have the second MH for a shorter period of time compared to the one firing up fist; 5 hrs L-MH on, 2 or 3 hrs R-MH on; the later depending on what I want (ed), one hour of full blast or up to 2 hours.
I could have done well with a single Lumenarc dead center then I saw a motorized rail unit and liked the effect BUT it works better on longer tanks, at least 48"
Wish a light mover was available in a "dead snail like" speed.
 
I had essentially planned to do what Mario is doing, with two 150W pendants side by side, running on different timers with about an hour overlap. However I am using a PFO mini pendant with a Medium Socket, not only do they not make them any more, but the SE ones are hard to find. I probably ordered the only medium socket PFO pendant ever.

I had free electricity on Treasure Island years ago, and had a tank with 2 400W Halides, 4 55W Pc's and a 150W Halide. I staged the lights throughout the day, they were never on all at once. I had a very bright hour in the middle with both 400W Halides on, fading out to about an hour of actinics only before night. This was over a 36X15 65G tank, and it produced the best color/growth of SPS corals I've had in any of my setups, in addition to no dead spots. It was also in the middle of the bay on a windy and cold island, and if I tried to do it today I'd go broke.

I'm currently trying to decide between a big type reflector, which might not work with the small EYE 150W SE bulb I like, or adding "wings" to my PFO pendant and adding two of the 96W Quad PC bulbs. I'm really thinking multiple sources of light is the way to go, the shading I am getting with one bulb is pretty ridiculous.
 
I just spotted one on RC, will pm you if I find it; one thing is that might be mogul instead of medium but the socket would be the least thing to worry, a quick trip to the electrical store...

Pendants hanging off the ceiling with nice stranded steel wire look just great particularly the Sfiligoi XR something.
Whatever rgonzalez chooses a picture will be due; going rimless ?! RC says you are, will ?
 
xcaret: Def going rimless. That look is just so clean and I can see it now with 2 pendant MH's hanging right above it :) Man, this feels like making out with a girl for the first time - hahaha!

I really want a 6 footer, but my new apartment just won't have space. So 4 or 5 feet is the plan. I've found classcages.com, but they only deliver to LA.

Oh, and I'll def start a tank thread once I figure it out :)
 
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