Increased lighting question

[Avi]

Right now I have 4.4 watts of power compact lighting (for a total of 530 watts) on my 120 gallon (24 inch deep) reef and the corals are doing well but I do want to increase the lighting for aesthetic as well as, what I believe, will be the benefit of the corals in the tank. I have mostly softies like zoanthid, palythoa, clavularia and leathers plus some brains and a pagoda in the tank. I want to add additional power compact lighting...Can anyone tell me what the limit of total wattage of power compact lighting would be for the kind of corals I have on my 120 gallon reef? I don't want to add too much and I don't know what "too much" might be. That would be a big help in deciding what kind of fixture to purchase. Thanks!

 

[fishfreek]

Can anyone tell me what the limit of total wattage of power compact lighting would be for the kind of corals I have on my 120 gallon reef?

Well there really isnt such a thing. Remember we are simulating the light output that is comming from the sun on an average tropical day. The old addage about being closer to the equator and the sun being more intense is true so its very hard to over power what these corals would have in a natural enviorment. With PC lighting you will come to a limit of space over the tank much faster than comming to a limit as far as intensity.

Do you have 8 65W PC blubs? Im trying to figure out the wattage combonations to get the 530W you list.

Usually when people talk about upgrading to more light and they already have a PC lighting setup the step most folks take is moving from PC only to a combo of MH and PC or MH and VHO.

 

[Avi]

Silly me...I did the arithmetic incorrectly...I have one lighting fixture that four 65 watters and another that's two 65 watters and another with a 40 watt flourescent for a total of 430 watts. I was thinking replacing the 40 watt fixture, which is the single flourescent reflector that came with the tank, with a new unit with two 65 watters. I also thought of replacing the four 65 watt unit (which is over the center of the top of the tank) with a four 96 watt unit, but because of the configuration of the tank and need for easy access into the tank from the front, that would still leave the front of the rock a bit shaded unless I add more wattage there (where the 40 watt unit is now)....I want to add the new two 65 watt unit to make more lighting available to the front of the rock. I don't see any need for the MH's since I'm not keeping any really high light demanding corals.

I thought that there wasn't too much need for concern that the addition of the lighting would be a problem but your statement that there wouldn't be too much intensity with the addition of more wattage of PC lighting makes me feel confident that it's okay...Thanks for the info.

 

[captivereefs]

Take a look at the 48" coralife aqualight. They are under $200. This would give you 260 more watts. It is pretty hard to over illuminate with PC so i would not worry to much about that!

 

[Avi]

Right now I have two units on the tank...a 2 X 65 watt unit and a 4 X 65 watt unit. Ideally, I think the best thing for me to add to the tank would be a 48 inch, two X 96 watt power compact unit, but I haven't seen them in 48 inches...only 36 inches. And even then, they're too wide. They seem to be available in widths of from 7 1/4 inches to 8 1/4 inches wide, depending on the manufacturer. I only have 6 inches at very most due to the configuration of the top of the tank, the fixtures I already have and the need for convenient access to get into the tank from the front. I've searched and can't find a 2 X 96 watt unit that narrow, but if you know of one, that would be a great help. Otherwise, I think I'm limited to a 2 X 65 watt unit, even though I'd really like to increase the lighing by more. Thanks.