Help me light 60 inches

[3mm3]

Tank measures roughly 60x24x24.

I currently have 2 metal halide pendants.

Should I run 3 pendants or go with 2?

If I run 2 should I use motorized track?

Ideas?
Thanks!

 

[Labridaedicted]

I would do 3 or use a track. It will depend on what you're trying to keep though. For corals with high light demands, I usually assume an effective coverage of 2'x2' on halides. If you do an island rockscaping and keep your high light corals under the halides, though, you should be fine with 2 if you supplement with a few t5s to even the light spread out.

 

[3mm3]

I would do 3 or use a track. It will depend on what you're trying to keep though. For corals with high light demands, I usually assume an effective coverage of 2'x2' on halides. If you do an island rockscaping and keep your high light corals under the halides, though, you should be fine with 2 if you supplement with a few t5s to even the light spread out.

Will be running 2 60 inch t5 with the cayman sun hqi pendants.

Going with either 2 or 3 islands sps heavy on one side and transition to lps by the other.

 

[Greybeard]

Getting ready to set up a 60"x30"x18" tank... I'm going with an 8 bulb 48" T5. Thought about halides, I have one over my cube, but I don't want to keep fighting the heat. Hamilton makes a combo T5/Halide unit that I came close to buying, both 2 and 3 bulb setups... they've even got them in 60" lengths.

 

[3mm3]

Getting ready to set up a 60"x30"x18" tank... I'm going with an 8 bulb 48" T5. Thought about halides, I have one over my cube, but I don't want to keep fighting the heat. Hamilton makes a combo T5/Halide unit that I came close to buying, both 2 and 3 bulb setups... they've even got them in 60" lengths.

I was looking at the Hamilton T5/MH combo setups. I like them but I really am a huge fan of the DE Cayman Sun pendants. For the T5 part I was just gong to build a retro setup. For me I'm okay with the added heat. Its a basement build with AC getting installed and I do have plans for a heat extraction vent but I think it may be overkill.

 

[Greybeard]

I've got a DE Bimini sun unit over my 60 cube. I've always preferred DE halides, as well.

Going straight T5 on my new system. Main floor, living room install... one 250w pendant over my cube, well, OK... 3x 250's + 4x T5's over the new 5' tank? Nope. I'd end up having to put in a chiller. Besides, I got a great deal on a slightly used 8 bulb 48" Sunlight Supply TEK fixture. Gotta save where you can.