Lighting change

digital-audiophile · #1 03-16-2007, 07:03 PM

I currently have a PFO Pendant with 250W MH and Actinic/Moonights. I had it over my 37G cube but am now moving into a 90G tank. I was going to use the pendant but I'm afraid it may not have enough light spread over a 48" tank. Also where I am placing the tank It may look a little ghetto. I am thinking about maybe selling it/trading it for a 48" strip light like maybe a sunpod with 2x150 MH.

Thoughts, comments or just want a chance to point and laugh at me.. it's all welcome

christyf5 · #2 03-16-2007, 07:24 PM

hehe couldn't resist

It depends on what you are keeping in the 90 gallon that requires more light. A single 250W light can suffice over a 48" span if you keep those corals requiring the extra light right under the halide and then those not requiring such high intensity light on either side of the pendant. Ideally you'd want a single bulb to only span about 2 feet though.

digital-audiophile · #3 03-16-2007, 07:31 PM

I would like to get back into SPS, and I was thinking that I could do a bit of rockwork directly under the light and keep the species up close. I guess I was more worried about the light covering out far enough, especially considering just the short Actinic bulbs in the pendant for dawn/dusk.

christyf5 · #4 03-16-2007, 07:33 PM

Ultimately I wouldn't think that 2x150W will work all that well for sps in a 90 gallon tank unless they're all at the very top of the rockwork/water and that doesn't leave much room for growth sometimes. Using the single pendant will at least give you about 12 inches directly underneath and then probably another 4 or so on either side. What about getting a second pendant?

digital-audiophile · #5 03-16-2007, 07:46 PM

Its an option, but if I went that way I think I would be better off putting a 2x250 retrofit with actinics in a hood to clean it up a bit. I just want to avoid the "grow-op" look.