In regrds to wattage levels

Is 500 watts from a metal halide fixture too much for a 55 gallon reef tank, and do i need some sort of actinic blue lights along with that?

Thanks for the help

 

Is that from a single fixture? If so, then Yes, that would be too much.
If from more than one fixture, like 2x250 Watts, then no. You would have a ton of light, but not too much.

Actinic lights are just supplemental. You do not NEED them. However, most enjoy the look of them.

 

it is from two seperate 250 watt bulbs on a 48 inch fixture. could i grow any corals i want with this fixture?

 

yup, anything.

softies at the bottom, LPS in the mid, and SPS up top. This is just a generalization though. Each coral will have it's own specific light requirements that you would need to research.

 

thank you for your help. I recently had to take down my 20 frag tank and my 30 reef due to annoying apartment rules. all i think about is my new 55 that i will get going once i graduate college. This hobby is amazing

 

That will work, but coral placement will be key as many lps won't color up as well b/c there's too much light, but sps should love it. If you don't want to supplement actinics, I suggest using a 20K bulb, or a 14K such as a Pheonix.

 

One more thing, you may have heat issues too. That depends on the ambient room temp. and the cooling system you devise. When you actually get it set up and before any livestock goes in, run the lights normally and see how the temp. fluctuates. If it gets too high, 84-85+, then you will either need more fans, or a chiller.

 

this site has pictures of different types of halides:
Testing 250-watt Single-ended Metal Halide Lamps and Ballasts by Joe Burger - Reefkeeping.com