metal halide fixture

Question
QUESTION: I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF 560 WATTS TOTAL WATT OUTPUT FROM A METAL HALIDE FIXTURE WOULD BE ENOUGH TO KEEP SOFT AND A FEW LPS CORALS IN A 225 GALLON AQUARIUM WITH A 75 GALLON SUMP, THE AQUARIUM IS 72-30-24


ANSWER: Hello Alaica,

It is not really practical to go by 'total watts' output for lighting..

560 1 watt bulbs will not work as well...

but, if you have two - 250 watt bulbs and a couple other something elses, that should be fine

The issue / outcome maybe that you cant put hard corals or more light needing corals on the bottom of the tank.  YOu might have to find them a nice home towards the top of the rock work

But, like i said, you should be okay for a bit, while yo ustill learning and growing... and it's a good way to stretch the budget a bit instead of laying out all your money up front...


anyways, good luck and please keep me posted..

btw, My new webiste is up and running. it has a forum and you can post multiple pictures straight from your computer, and you can creat BLOGs and get feedback fromreaders.  We also have some cool games to keep you busy when you get bored.

But best of all, there is a live chatroom, where you can talk to other folks about reefing or whatever is in your mind  at the momemnt

hope to see yo uthere


www.thelittleocean.com


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I WAS MEANING THAT THE LIGHTING FIXTURE IS 560 TOTAL WATTS OF LIGHTING THE FIXTURE HAS 2-150 WATT BULBS AND 2-130 WATT BULBS AND SOME LED LIGHTS FOR A TOTAL LIGHTING FIXTURE WATTAGE OF 560 WATTS ALL TOGETHER AND I WAS WONDERING IF THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH TOTAL LIGHT FOR ALL THE CORALS THAT IAM TRYING TO KEEP

Answer
Hello,

Iknow you were referring to your light fixture, (btw, all caps is like yelling in internet speak).

But as you see now, there is a difference.  you can have two 250watt metal halide or two 150watt bulbs and other stuff.

this make a difference. not the TOTAL watts.

with 150 watt bulbs you  will be limited to placing light needing corals on the very top of the rocks so they get as close to the light source as possible...

So, to answer your question directly.  150 metal halide with your system will be WEAK.  Barely able to support many corals...

This does not mean you CANT.  just that you will be limited to wher eyou put them and probably not be able to keep somecorals as they are more needy...


Good luck

and let me know what you end up doing


Bill