Asymmetrical Lighting?

[andy]

Has anyone experimented with asymmetrical lighting? Like, more lighting on one end of a tank than the other?

 

My tank is only 18" deep and I'm having a hard time finding a lighting sweet-spot. Dual 250W MH let me grow SPS all the way to the bottom but was hard on rics, micros, acans, etc. The dual 150W HQIs I'm running now let me grow SPS up top in the middle, but that's not a lot of real estate and growth is pretty slow.

 

I'm thinking that sliding both of the 150W HQI towards one end of the tank would give an SPS friendly zone at the bright end and an LPS/softie zone at the other. VHO actinics could help keep the darker end from going too dim. Flow might be easier to balance as well (managing flow in a shallow tank is a bear as well) -- concentrate powerheads at the SPS-end, and let the other end ease up naturally.

 

Shallow tanks are just poorly suited for mixed-reef use IMO, but I've got what I've got so I have to be flexible. Thoughts?

[MadReefer]

I don't see why not.

[jadams7]

I have used different k of halides on one side to another, but I dont see any problem with changing up lighting asymmetrically, other than it might look a bit odd. Do it, and post some before and after pics!

[pledosophy]

I have had tanks with drop off from the MH not covering enough spread, but never tried what you are talking about.

 

IME since the drop off was natural it did not bug my eyes to much and did give me a place to put lower light corals. I was using a 12" deep tank at the time. I think it worked for me.

 

JMO