400w Metal Halide Coverage Question

[Lousybreed]

I am designing my next tank. It’s going to be a big boy tank. I am wondering for a SPS heavy tank what is the recommended coverage when using a 20” large reflector like lumen brights and mounted about 16” above the tank. My tank will be a LED and metal halide combination. I was thinking 36” coverage per fixture?

 

[ElussssvReefSD]

I am designing my next tank. It’s going to be a big boy tank. I am wondering for a SPS heavy tank what is the recommended coverage when using a 20” large reflector like lumen brights and mounted about 16” above the tank. My tank will be a LED and metal halide combination. I was thinking 36” coverage per fixture?

I would also like to the know the answer to this question... Because I got 3 of those bad boys that arrived today and am trying to decide how high to hang them above the tank:

 

[naterealbig]

Not certain of the exact coverage, but I will offer a reference. My Giesemann Spectra (with much smaller reflectors, and a 250w bulbs) blanket covers my 48"x38" display at 15" above water line. You will get 40"+ coverage with a 400w with a large quality reflector.

 

[oreo54]

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[naterealbig]

Here is the aquarium mentioned above. No t5, 15" of the water line.

 

[ElussssvReefSD]

Here is the aquarium mentioned above. No t5, 15" of the water line.

Sharp set-up, thanks for the reference!

 

[Lousybreed]

@jda any comments. 400w with the big tradition reflector for SPS....what area of coverage do you recommend?

 

[Lousybreed]

From a PAR perspective I would be shooting for a min of 275ish....

 

[Big E]

This should help........Most of the current reflector systems mimic the LM3 as it was the original design and highly successful.

 

[jda]

Get a meter and raise and lower the fixture until you like the PAR. Those 20" reflectors will spread very well whether you have them an inch off the surface or up a foot or more. I used to use one to cover 36x36 and I had it like 3" off the water for no spill and max PAR.

 

[Lousybreed]

Thanks guys. I was asking for my future build, I don’t have a fixture to play with, just trying to estimate how many I will need.