Cube Aquarium Lighting Options (36"x36"x24")

Hey guys!!

I would greatly appreciate your input on this fixture for my 36" cube tank (still planning).

I would like to be able to house SPS and softies, perhaps clams in the future.

Looking at:
Infinity XR4 1x400W MH + 4 x 24W T5 or a model similar to that.

I like the fact it is 400W MH which would cover my tank area well if I had it slightly higher than standard height.

My only question is whether the 24" T5 tubes would cover well in a 36" tank and a little bit higher than usual.

Let me know what you think. This option is very clean (pricey I know) and would fit well within the theme of my tank. I just need to justify whether it would work "technically" with my setup.

THANKS!!!

 

24" T5s on the 36" will not be a problem. First I have 60"ers on my 72" tank and they are my MAIN lights, in your case they will be supplementals and will just be there to add some blue, some fluorescence and a little extra PAR boost.

A 400wer would do the trick, I would start the lamp up higher than you plan and slowly move it closer to the tank. Less chance of frying anything that way.
On a tank like that you could go all T5 but you would need a lot of lamps.... You could do some killer blending with that many bulbs though!!

With the roughly 2'sq that the MH will make, you can use the edge as a place to put your lower light corals, make a nice little perimeter around the SPS mound in the middle...

You could use the cube tank to set up a boulder biotope, have a large mound in the middle that is literally a coral battleground....Ok not necesarrily a battleground....

Good luck!

 

Hey Guys,

Just wanted to update everybody in my search for cube lighting and ask once again for some input.

So I have narrowed it down to the following options (keep in mind I will be using a two island aquascaping setup in my cube, one larger than the other with a swim through in between):

1. 1 x Lumenarc III Stealth Pendant MH400W centered in the middle of the cube (19" x19" pendant)
2. 2 x Lumenarc III Mini Stealth Pendants 250W centered about each island (14.5" x 14.5" pendants).

I know both options will be nice. Option 2 I like cause I can have the two pendants on different timers and not "shock" my fish as much. I would stagger the on off of each by two hours or so. Downside is I need two ballasts?

I like Option 1 cause it is a cleaner look with a single pendant. My concerns are the shock of light when I turn this baby on, and perhaps the uneven spread of light along my tank. Maybe this isn;t a factor with this Lumenarc? Should I be concerned about fish jumping when I turn this on.

Any advice on the decision would be greatly appreciated. I feel I am getting close here!!

Advice on ballasts for these?

 

If you do the 400w, get some supplemental T5s for dawn/dusk and it won't be as shocking, same goes with the 250s.

Lumatek or Galaxy balasts are good, so is the Blue Wave, but there are plenty of options for ballasts out there.

Products

In all reality either option will work. The first will leave more "shaded" areas for the lower light corals and really give the center a sunbathe, the second option will give you more coverage but cost you more in components and energy bills.

The call is all yours on this one!

 

DR. Fragentstein,

thanks for the advice...I have decided on the 250W because I can have more options and probably stagger them on/off.

I just dont see a way to keep the double Lumenarc III mini pendants and supplement with T5 lighting. Unless, you are aware of such products and can advise a newbie...hehe. All I am seeing in my research are combo fixtures which are 24" or 36" with one 250W MH and T5's or 48" with two 250W MH's and T5's.

Any options to supplement with pendants with an open top design?

 

Most if not all 36" combo fixtures will have only one MH as manufactors figure no one will want to overlap the coverage of the bulbs, not only wasting money but driving the cost of the fixture up.
You could get a simple plug and play 2x39watt T5 retro and use that as supplementals.

SLS sells both straight out of the box plug and play and also they sell a cheaper version where everything comes in the box, you just need to wire it up.
I would go that route coupled with your pendants.

Aquactinics also is coming out with retros so that will also be a good option, great reflectors that are only 2" wide!

Good luck!