36" light over 47" tank?

[drcole]

I have a question for you guys, I purchased a used ATI 6 bulb 36" fixture for what I planned to be a 36" reefer 250 after winning the giveaway. I now have the option to upgrade to the 350 and was wondering would the 36" fixture work for growing SPS in the 47" long tank?

 

[Fishguru]

12 inches above the surface will give you a little more area illumination. I ran a 6 bulb on my reef with great success. GO for it! congrats and happy reefing

 

[drcole]

12 inches above the surface will give you a little more area illumination. I ran a 6 bulb on my reef with great success. GO for it! congrats and happy reefing

Did you measure PAR in your tank with the 6 bulb? Was yours that high?

 

[drcole]

Any other input?? Looking to make a decision by Monday.

 

[CindyKz]

I used that light over my 4' mixed reef very successfully. I kept my sps under the light and used the ends for LPS and zoas.

 

[drcole]

I used that light over my 4' mixed reef very successfully. I kept my sps under the light and used the ends for LPS and zoas.

Awesome to know, that’s likely what I’ll be doing. How high above the tank did you have the lights? Any pictures?

 

[jschultzbass]

I'd go 12" above water line. for a 48" tank i think most people use a 36" fixture, especially T5 which has massive spread. Getting a 48" fixture goes edge to edge is overkill and IMO doesn't look as nice. Plus you'd have a ton of light spilling over.

 

[drcole]

I'd go 12" above water line. for a 48" tank i think most people use a 36" fixture, especially T5 which has massive spread. Getting a 48" fixture goes edge to edge is overkill and IMO doesn't look as nice. Plus you'd have a ton of light spilling over.

Thanks! I was hoping to get that answer as I have many more fish options with a 70+ gallon

 

[jschultzbass]

Always get the biggest tank you can afford and fit. I know there are small tank fans out there but for the majority you'll always wish you had the bigger one. I went from 75 to 180 to 300 custom in the course of 2 years.

 

[Rattzreef]

+1 Also. if you build a canopy for the tank the 36" fixture will fit much easier than a 48" I have a 6 bulb Coralife fixture that I'm putting over my 40 breeder which should give me decent PAR for SPS. Go for it!

 

[CindyKz]

Awesome to know, that’s likely what I’ll be doing. How high above the tank did you have the lights? Any pictures?

This is from 2017. I think I had the light about 12 inches from the screen. Maybe a little more.

 

[dwest]

I have a question for you guys, I purchased a used ATI 6 bulb 36" fixture for what I planned to be a 36" reefer 250 after winning the giveaway. I now have the option to upgrade to the 350 and was wondering would the 36" fixture work for growing SPS in the 47" long tank?

Not much different than using 5ft t5’s over a 6 ft tank. A lot of us do it.