lighting for a 125

[tdragon]

can anyone that has a 125 or similar tell me what you run for mh?

thnaks J

 

[Reef55]

Currently I am running 2 400 watt SE MH 10k's and 2 110 actinic VHOs. I might switch to 2 250 watt DE 10k's though... haven't deciced.

 

[tdragon]

is that on a 6' tank? or the 4'? i was thinking of going with 2 250w with 20k bulbs. anybody see problem with this?

J

 

[NateHanson]

Mark's tank is a 4'.

I'd think that 2 bulbs would leave some darker spots at the ends and between the bulbs. IME with a 3' tank, three feet is too much tank for one bulb.

 

[tdragon]

thats what i was thinking also i was thinking of putting 2 160w vho too. that would eliminate the dark spots.right?

J

 

[NateHanson]

Yeah, that'll help a lot if they're 10K VHO. That's what I did on my 30g. I had one 175W 10K MH, one 95W 10K VHO, and one 95W actinic VHO.

But for the cost of the VHO, why not do a third 250w DE instead? Then you could mix bulb colors too. On my current tank, a 65g (also 3'), I skipped the VHO and did 2 175W 10K MH, with a 175W 20K MH in the middle. The combination of colors is great, and they're close enough that there's not white-blue-white look to the tank. Might be different with a longer tank like yours. You could do 5 150W DE and alternate the bulbs, but I suppose that's adding a lot of $$.

Nate

 

[tdragon]

i think im going to go with 3 250de. i was going over the elec and found it would be less $$$ to run the 3 than to run 2 and vho. so i think im going to go with the 3.
so were doe everyone ght there ballast to run the de bulbs?retro kits?

J