Frag tank lighting

HappySticks · Feb 13, 2020

Hello all

I have a 30g(2x2x12) frag tank attached to my main display. I’m going to start using that as an Acro grow out tank and will be moving all other frags to a system in my basement.

I know I dont want to use LED over the tank. I’m having a hard time deciding between a 250w MH or an 8 bulb T5. I’m not concerned about heat or power draw.

which would you choose to run?

HTXReefer · Feb 13, 2020

I have never used MH but switched from LED to T5 and couldn’t be happier.

sharpimage · Feb 13, 2020

In this case I would go MH. But either one would be a winner

Graffiti Spot · Feb 13, 2020

Depends on what look you want really. Both will cover the tank well. I like t5 for frag tanks personally.

jda · Feb 13, 2020

I have a few of that same tank. I light the one with frags with a single 250w MH on a reflector very similar to the Hamilton Cayman Sun... about that size. Covers well and gives me a nice 20x20 area of steady light that is mostly even. It also allows the outside few inches to drop off near 200, or so, PAR for new arrivals and stuff. You can change this by raising the light up and down.

I also have another one where I put "weed" type corals and chaeto and it is more like a refugium. I use a Chinese Hydroponics 6 bulb T5 in it with 6x GE 6500k bulbs. This whole tank is about 275 PAR and the chaeto, macro and Z&P just absolutely thrive in here. I also use this tank to rear small clams until they grow a bit.

I most choose MH because a single bulb for $50-60 is better for me than 8 at $20-25, or whatever ATI/Giesmann cost nowadays. The GE bulbs that I use are like $3-4. I also use MH on my display, so that is a big deal too.

ScottB · Feb 13, 2020

The 8 bulb ATI is a beast. My sticks love it. You may want to think about what light your corals -- once grown out -- are going to go under. Right now my display is T5 and my frag systems are hybrid so the transitions are fairly gentle.

HappySticks · Feb 13, 2020

Heat is another thing I am concerned about. I don’t want to run a chiller on my tank and I think the extra heat might push me outside of the comfort zone.

X-37B · Feb 13, 2020

I run 8 t5's on my 120 and 6 on my 45 frag tank. I like to keep the same for both tanks. I have 2 250 watt lumenbrite fixture, bulbs, and ballasts for future tank.

HappySticks · Feb 13, 2020

The frag tank will be to grow out frags of pieces I have in my display so I’m not always cutting out of it. So things should rarely be moving from the frag tank into my display.

I think the T5 might give me better coloration and be easier to sell/trade

Graffiti Spot · Feb 13, 2020

In the original post you were not worried about heat!

But really, heat from halides are not as bad as people make it out to be. A single 8” fan over the tank should keep the tank at normal temps for most people.

HappySticks · Feb 13, 2020

I wasn’t worried until someone put in my head that it will cause problems. And now I am second guessing myself...

just don’t want to add the MH and then have to add a chiller

jda · Feb 14, 2020

Is the frag tank going to share a sump with the main system? If so, then do not sweat the heat from the light. Even in Missouri where the summers were brutally hot and humid, just a fan was enough. If you live in the Mojave or South Florida, then you will need to run the AC and you might have to run it a bit more, but with just one light, this should not be a big deal.

If the 30g tank has only a 10g sump and it is stand alone, then 250w MH could be more of an issue.

There is 150w MH, you know...

LadyTang2 · Feb 14, 2020

jda said:
Is the frag tank going to share a sump with the main system? If so, then do not sweat the heat from the light. Even in Missouri where the summers were brutally hot and humid, just a fan was enough. If you live in the Mojave or South Florida, then you will need to run the AC and you might have to run it a bit more, but with just one light, this should not be a big deal.

If the 30g tank has only a 10g sump and it is stand alone, then 250w MH could be more of an issue.

There is 150w MH, you know...

DO Magnetic ballast perform better than the one you can change?

jda · Feb 14, 2020

Match the ballast to the bulb. If you want to use a double ended bulb or some types of HQI single ended stuff (20k Radium, for example), then get the correct magnetic ballast that the spec calls for. If you are going to do regular 175, 250 or 400w stuff, then electronic are fine - electronic usually take a bit less wattage, but do not last as long. All in all, it is probably a push for most people.

The selectable ballasts can be cool if you are not sure what wattage that you want to run. In a single ended situation, if your 250w is too much, then you buy a 175w bulb, screw it in and turn the knob on the ballast.

HappySticks · Feb 15, 2020

jda said:
Is the frag tank going to share a sump with the main system? If so, then do not sweat the heat from the light. Even in Missouri where the summers were brutally hot and humid, just a fan was enough. If you live in the Mojave or South Florida, then you will need to run the AC and you might have to run it a bit more, but with just one light, this should not be a big deal.

If the 30g tank has only a 10g sump and it is stand alone, then 250w MH could be more of an issue.

There is 150w MH, you know...

the 30 shares a sump with the main system which is roughly 140g so total system volume is right around 160-170g