Question for all w/6ft 200gal and up tanks

[Skimmerking]

Originally Posted by Skimmin

So 2 mp 40s are plenty in your tank on 1/2 flow? Doyou have lots of SPS? Because if thats enough for you in an SPS tank @ 1/2 power then that should be enough in a 6ft LPS/Softy tank. Either 2 MP 40s or two Tunze 6105s. I believe the vortech has a more diffused flow and they are smaller then the 6105s, but the 6105s put out more flow and have been proven over years to be reliable. Vortechs are still pretty new but seems like their second gen are fairly reliable. I'm still undecided on lighting though. T5s or Halides and T5s? Even though the tank is 28" deep I'm starting to think the t5s will be sufficient for the livestock I'm looking at. Just found this fixture. It has 14 t5s and looks pretty nice.

IMO and IME that T-5's are not good for sps at depths of 24and greater I really dnt see them having the punch like MH i have had a 8 bulb on my tank a `120 gal and my sps had to be put at the top and the clam had to be pushed up to the top too. DOug can chime in here since he took care of my tank when i was in Afghanistan and saw the results. as for the flow i had the tunze's and the vortechs i really like my 40's for the size of the unit in a tank not much space they are slim and small not big and bulky. and yes they have alot of random movments on the unit for different flow. ya they are a bit more but hey aren't we in this for $$$$$$$ and wicked equipment and fish..
Like i say i have 3 250's on my tank the 2 outer lights are reeflux 12K and the middle one is a20 K reef optic bulb my lighting is started at
6AM- 11am morning light its a blue flood light.
11am -2PM actinic are on
2pm-9PM out side MH are on
4pm-7pm middle is on then its in reverse order...
so not all are on the whole day remember.
i could easily run 2 250s over the 5 ft tank. you could put 2 400's over your tank and have them high enough to light your tank too remember i have done that. i used to have a 280 gal tank with all softies and lps and ran 12 NO flouresants and 1 x400 in the middle too. and the lps loved it.

HTH