Lighting question for a red sea reefer 250

[James Mikell]

Ok so i currently have 2 ai prime hds that will be going over my red sea reefer. Tank measures 36x20x21, and i will have the lights about 8 inches off the water line. I will be keeping mostly softies and lps but would like to know if 2 primes are enough to keep some sps like birdsnest and stylophora on the upper rocks or should i add a third prime?

 

[Crabs McJones]

Ok so i currently have 2 ai prime hds that will be going over my red sea reefer. Tank measures 36x20x21, and i will have the lights about 8 inches off the water line. I will be keeping mostly softies and lps but would like to know if 2 primes are enough to keep some sps like birdsnest and stylophora on the upper rocks or should i add a third prime?

Two should be fine on that size tank mount them around 6 or 7 inches off the waters surface

 

[James Mikell]

Anyone else with this kind of setup?

 

[jsker]

I would suggest upgrading to the Hydra's HD's, sell the primes and not look back. With the Hydra's one can run them 12" off the water and get a better spread.

 

[James Mikell]

I did think of buying two hydras, Selling the primes to buy 2 hydras is out of my budget. After selling the 2 primes i might be able to buy one hydra and would still need to purchase a second. While i could purchase a third prime and still be 150 less.

 

[jda]

Those are not ultra-light demanding SPS. The bigger issue is not with PAR/quantity of light, but with shadowing that can happen as they grow. ...but this means that they are growing and doing well and just get another one or two or add some T5s.

I would give it a shot, keep them up high and under the pucks and not off to the side.

 

[James Mikell]

Yeah that was the plan was to keep them up high. I dont plan on letting them grow out of hand, i mainly wanted them for my yellow clown gobys since they like to lay and breed in the branches of sps.

 

[jda]

If you do this, always let people know that you have birdsnest and stylos (or whatever) when posting... you can get some crazy answers if you just say "SPS." People mean well, but do not oft ask enough questions and the range of SPS care requirements are as wide as just saying "coral" where two primes might be a disaster for some Tables and other acropora, but MBP&S are TOALLY different.

 

[James Mikell]

Thanks for this info, i will keep it in mind when mentioning what im trying to keep in my tank.

 

[Reefermack]

I would suggest upgrading to the Hydra's HD's, sell the primes and not look back. With the Hydra's one can run them 12" off the water and get a better spread.

I had 2 primes above my 250 and while it worked out ok I made the decision to ditch the primes and upgrade to the hydra26hds , I understand that budget plays a big part in this hobby but think ahead, eventually you'll want more sps, maybe a bigger tank, you'll already have the lights, save the cash you can and buy the hydras whenever you can, best advise I got