PDA

View Full Version : Lighting for 125g and 180g...

WinnipegDragon
05-26-2007, 9:22 PM
Still planning the big basement tank, and I'm choosing (right now) between a 125g long (72x18x22) and a 180g (72x24x24). I'm going with AH Supply lighting and it occurred to me that since the tanks are the same length, do I need more light on a 180g? I guess I'm getting hung up on the old watts per gallon question again.

For the 125g, I was looking at the 4x96w kit, which should be a nice even 3wpg. With the 180g, I was going to add a 3rd 2x96 ballast, but where would I put it? It's covering the same length of tank after all and the tanks are only 2" difference in depth, so do I suspend the third one in the middle offset front/back with the other 2 fixtures, or does the watt per gallon rule fall down in this sort of scenario?
Mgamer20o0
05-26-2007, 9:59 PM
i have 2X96w and 2X55w over my 120 and getting great growth. 4X96w should be good over both.

Our example here is going to be a 125 gallon tank. It's pretty much well known that if you hit 3 wpg on a tank this size you can grow anything.

http://www.rexgrigg.com/mlt.html
Rex Grigg
05-27-2007, 4:03 AM
On a 125 or an 180 3 wpg is a monster amount of light. Given the choice I would go for the 180.

With the 180 you can mount 55 watt kits front to back instead of mounting 96 or 55 watt kits lengthwise. That gives you a lot of options for staggering lighting schedules.
clayt101
05-27-2007, 5:22 PM
Go 180 gallon, with a 125 gallon I had the need/time for more aquariums, now I have a 220 gallon, and it takes up all my time :)
freshhubbywifey
06-02-2007, 11:36 AM
Is there a such thing as too much lighting for a 120g (4x2x2), we were thinking about halides (2 250's)
J double R
06-02-2007, 12:41 PM
yes there is always such a thing as too much lighting.. it's gotta be balanced with your water conditions (ferts, co2, etc..) i would think that halides would be superoverkill for a freshwater setup.
freshhubbywifey
06-02-2007, 12:52 PM
Our 120g we want to get is 24" deep and we would love to have plants in it, and I read that some plants require between 2 and 2.5 watts per gallon. We thought about T5's but would love the shimmer effect that Halides give off.