Lighting Suggestions - Marineland DD 200 gal

Need recommendations for what to do for lighting on a 200 gallon DD Marineland tank with canopy. Suggestions? I want MH. I plan on having a mixed reef.

Long story short, I picked this tank up used, and the top edge is a really scratched up. I had planned on purchasing the Giesemann Infiniti setup and not use the canopy, but after seeing all the scratches I pretty much have to use the canopy to hide the scratches.

So now it's back to the drawing board...ideas/suggestions?

Tank dimensions: 48x36x27

Thanks

 

Pictures? Do you have the dimensions of the tank?

 

Well, you have a bunch of options. With that width, you can consider doing 4 250w MH, or you could use 3 250 Mh and have a triangle shape so as to allow for maximum coverage. You could also use 400w mh, but if your doing a mixed reef, IMO they aren't necessary. However, if you want to focus on sps and clams, then I would go with 400w mh.

 

I would do 2x250 of MH, 10,000k (SE probably) in good reflectors. Lumenarc, lumenbright, any of those. I would supplement it with 4 t5ho in blue spectrum (probably ATI blue+ and maybe 1 or 2 of them more of an actinic type bulb, perhaps geiseman actinic +).



I have 2 x250 with similar pendants and 2x80 of ATI b+ t5ho on my 62" 200g reef tank with very good SPS growth, and my ballasts are not even driving the halides as they should. Once I go to electronic ballasts I have a feeling my PAR numbers will jump.

 

From what I have read your bulbs useful life will most likely be extended also by using the electronic ballasts.