Lighting Question

[bigsnuff]

Hello everyone! I have a 90 gallon salt water aquarium. I have about 100lbs of Live Rock, 7 fish, and 2 crabs. I would like to add some anemone and mushrooms and such. The advice I would like is should I place a 48" 4 bulb power compact, 48" 2 or 4 bulb VHO light, or Metal hylides? Thank you for any help you may offer.

 

[d9hp]

Well, mushrooms you could do PC's but for the sake of things I would use metal halides. I think 3 400 watt ones would be best.

 

[fishfreek]

I would say that 2 250W MH bulbs with 2 110W actinic VHO bulbs would look nice on your 90 gal tank.

I would recommend 2 MH's because your tank is 4' in total lenght. Each MH lamp is good to lamp approx 2 square feet of tank space.

I would also suggest you rethink the anenome at this point. THere really is not that good of a track record with them in new tanks. Is your tank new?

If you dont got anenome then you could do 4 96W power compacts or 4 110W VHO just fine for most corals that dont demand high light.

 

[loganj]

I would say that 2 250W MH bulbs with 2 110W actinic VHO bulbs would look nice on your 90 gal tank.

I agree with fishfreek. If you're going to spend a lot of money on lighting, and any of the systems mentioned are going to be expensive, get the one that will allow you to keep whatever you want now or in the future. If you go with a lower output system, and then decide you want to keep SPS, you'll have to upgrade and that = more$. Even with the MH system, there should be enough diffusion in a 90 (deep tank) that your shrooms will be happy in the lower regions of the tank.

 

[d9hp]

I am sorry, I thought that was a 6 foot tank. Listen to Aaron.

 

[bigsnuff]

Thank you for the help. I may as well throw this in for good measure. The temp im my tank remains a fairly constant 77-79 F without the use of a heater. Will adding the MH's raise the temp on the aquarium? I really cannot afford a chiller at the moment. A salesman at my local fish store advised me to buy a 2-bulb VHO light with one blue atinic and one white atinic light. Does this make sense? Of course he works on commission so I find it hard to trust him. Thanks again for all your help.

 

[alrmc4]

i have the same concern about the heat issue but i have been advised that a chiller should not be needed fans will do the trick also your tank temp right now is a little on the low side most run between 82 and 84, i have been told a steady temp is much more important than the act temp.