Halide Q & A

[BlueCorn]

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=624185

[seaspy]

Hello,
I purchased a 37g column system over a year ago that has a 175w light on it with 2 55w PC actinics. I know it's time to change the bulbs, but I don't know anything about MH. The bulb that's in there is stamped MH 175W/U/14k. Other than that, I have no idea what brand it is or anything like that. Personally, I think the color of the tank is too blue. I tried to swap out one of the actinics with a 50/50 bulb, but that looked too yellow and I lost a lot of the red color in there. So I was wondering if changing the bulb to a 20k and then trying one or both 50/50 would make a difference? Or just give me your advice as to what to put in there. I have access to Ushio, Blueline, XM, AB, SPS and Iwasaki bulbs. Please help! Thanks.

Should also say that I went to Sanjay's site, but as I don't know anything about MH, couldn't make sense of it really. I know my bulb is single ended, but no clue what DE, SE, etc is. Shielded, unshielded, how to tell?

[jblincoe]

i have a 4' long 20"deep 18" wide aquarium, have been running a 400 watt single ended MH with xm 10000k bulb about 16" off the water the reflector is just your run of the mill reflector. have been able to keep xenia, hammer coral, shrooms, zoos, etc., but having a hard time with sps have lost a lot of frags. too much light, not enough, or something else? water params test ideal. Have 2 koralia 4s on opposite sides as well as a maxi1200 with rotator and my return, i think i have flow covered as far as i can tell. your help is very much appreciated.

[troyman]

use a 10000k bulb more like natural sunlight not the cool blue color

[moremsgplease]

I have heard that the depth of water will cause a bulb to loose its strength. Will a 150 watt 10000ºK HQI double ended metal halide bulb be efficient enough to keep a mixed reef in a tank that is 24" deep?

[cybrsufr]

10K bulbs are great for growth, but are terrible for color. The best color temps for a good mix of growth and color are the 14K and 15K, if you are going for colors that really pop and enhance the fluorescence you would want to use 20K bulbs. Same for actinics, if you want color that pops then you would want a mix of 420nm and 460nm actinics, the 50/50 and daylight bulbs add more white light in the 10K - 12K range. It all really depends on personal preference and what corals you are keeping. Another thing to consider is that the type and brand of ballast also makes a huge difference in the actual color temp produced. There are a tn of threads on here to learn about Halide lighting, do a search for Sanjay and Lighting.

[lkirkt]

If you're not sure about the color you want and have a little extra cash try this. There are some very inexpensive bulbs available on ebay, about $20.00 shipped. You can experiement with them for color ideas and then go from there. There are threads about pros and cons of these bulbs, but just to try them for color and then go to more expensive bulbs.

[cybrsufr]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13509098#post13509098 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by moremsgplease
I have heard that the depth of water will cause a bulb to loose its strength. Will a 150 watt 10000ºK HQI double ended metal halide bulb be efficient enough to keep a mixed reef in a tank that is 24" deep?

Not really enough light. For a 24" deep tank you should have ideally 250W or 400W. Anything over 27" should have 400W. With a 150 you could probably keep some LPS and softies, but SPS would really struggle and probably not have much color to them except for brown and green

[cybrsufr]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13408895#post13408895 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jblincoe
i have a 4' long 20"deep 18" wide aquarium, have been running a 400 watt single ended MH with xm 10000k bulb about 16" off the water the reflector is just your run of the mill reflector. have been able to keep xenia, hammer coral, shrooms, zoos, etc., but having a hard time with sps have lost a lot of frags. too much light, not enough, or something else? water params test ideal. Have 2 koralia 4s on opposite sides as well as a maxi1200 with rotator and my return, i think i have flow covered as far as i can tell. your help is very much appreciated.

One thing to consider about XM 10K's is that they have been shown to produce the Strongest PAR value of any bulb out there. In simple terms, with a 18" deep tank you might need to raise the light or place corals lower in the tank and gradually over the course of several weeks raise them up as they are probably getting light shock and bleaching on you.

[Spideybry]

I dont know, I have been kind of strayed away from MHs. In the long run they are expensive but the best. I prefer T5s to halides but thats just me.

[lth03]

I prefer MH over T-5,so far I see MH is the closest thing to natural sunlight that coral on the wild are growing under.

[loof the doof]

have used all forms of lighting over 22 yrs and mh has given me the best results by far you can get the most standard ballast and sockets that are now fairly inexpensive to maintain of course after the initial bank robbery first setup.

[lth03]

These is some sort of lighting they use in the warehouse and on the street that look very similar to MH for aquarium,I wonder if they use similar magnetic ballast?

[jblincoe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13604242#post13604242 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cybrsufr
One thing to consider about XM 10K's is that they have been shown to produce the Strongest PAR value of any bulb out there. In simple terms, with a 18" deep tank you might need to raise the light or place corals lower in the tank and gradually over the course of several weeks raise them up as they are probably getting light shock and bleaching on you.

is there a standard of measurement that helps determine how high to raise my light then, as stated it is already about 16inches off the water. don't mind going higher. Have been thinking about switching to a 20k bulb anyway, just to see if for some reason this is why, most of the sps that i have bought have come from bluer tanks, i have tried the acclimation from lower in the tank. so about all my other corals, if i switch do i then have to acclimate them to the new color spectrum----how?

[WhatIgot]

trial en error.
You're going to be watching your corals closely to see what the appropriate height your lighting should be....

depends a lot on each coral and your water clarity, type of substrate, black painted back panel, etc...

every tank will have different factors playing into the correct configuration so you might as well take a weekend and don't stop fiddling until everything looks happy.

[jblincoe]

thanks everyone

[JoelNB]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13771888#post13771888 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WhatIgot
black painted back panel, etc...

I've heard that if a beam of light is pointed out through the tank side, it will be contained by the glass. Is it reflected back in? or is it wasted? What effect does the black panel have?

[jblincoe]

well i am unsure, but black usually absorbs light. so i would guess with lots of black background you would loose some of the light that is bouncing around in your tank. my back is blue though.

[hstac]

i have got to upgrade my lights. my question is this... why would i choose 400w MH over 250w? i've selected my pendants (2), ballasts and bulbs but haven't decided on the wattage. ideally, i want lights that will support anything i decide to put in the tank. i have my eye on a couple of clams and i really like the LPS corals. so... 250 or 400? what's the general consensus????

[jblincoe]

i think the deciding factor is probably the depth of your tank. anything over 30" deep you will probably want to go to 400 watts, and if you have a 48" long tank like i do you will probably want two, i only have one, and am starting to think about getting another.

[hstac]

standard 48"x24"x24" 120 gal. yes, either way i'm getting 2 lights. i don't think 1 will provide adequate coverage

[JoelNB]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13816760#post13816760 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hstac
i don't think 1 will provide adequate coverage

Who's to say you need a full coverage of intense light? You could have your highest light needing corals under the light and the others at the edges of the tank.

[jblincoe]

this is true, i personally keep my sps kinda centrally located at present and my lps and finally softies as you move away from center. i also have anemones which i thought liked brighter light and they hang out on the outskirts and are quite happy. works really well for a mixed reef i think.

[tmorford]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13772188#post13772188 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JoelNB
I've heard that if a beam of light is pointed out through the tank side, it will be contained by the glass. Is it reflected back in? or is it wasted? What effect does the black panel have?


I am sure that some light will be reflected back into the aquarium by the glass sides, most of it must escape otherwise i dont think we would be able to see inside the tank. As for the black back i dont think it would make much difference if it was painted on the outside of the glass as the photons would interact with the glass before the paint. If the back was colored with acrylic i am sure it would absorb more light than if it were clear. thats my 2cents

[geomanolo]

I changed my light configuration from 2x150W MH 14000k plus 2xt5 antics
. to 2x150w MH10000k plus 4t5s (2x antic and 2x11000k)
The color is crap but the corals LOVED IT, and started growing like crazy (SPS dominated tank)
and from what i read so far 10k is the most natural temp........... and then i read that:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/12/aafeature1#h1
What do you think???
I am back to where i started although my tank seems to disagree...
What do you think??

[Mike de Leon]

What is the difference between a 250 watt DE halide and 400 watt mogul. What is better..

[jblincoe]

from what i have seen, de are more efficient than mogul. however you kinda have to compare apples to apples, a 250 mogul to a 250 DE. Also one difference is the DE also need a uv glass sheild the moguls do not(it is built in). Other things to consider are electronic or magnetic ballasts, overdriving or not, reflectors, etc. Lighting is one of those things that is really hard to get a handle on for a lot of people including myself.

[jblincoe]

i guess i really didn't answer the question, so---the answer is it depends on what you like, what you are trying to accomplish, application etc.

[Mike de Leon]

Thanks for the effort in helping here, really appreciated!
I am just wondering if performance wise do I actually get better par with DE.

[jblincoe]

PAR is "photosynthetically available radiation", a lot goes into the Available part of that acronym. your par readings could be high closer to the bulb ie higher in the tank with a de, but the lower you go in the tank the par will fall off. 400 watt SE will probably place more PAR lower in the tank IMO i think it would have better penetration through the water collumn. on the other hand depending on the depth of the tank, it could be hard to acclimate corals to the 400 watts in a shallower tank.

[jblincoe]

oh yeah and again you would get different results if the se mogul was a 250watt in that case i would go with the DE setup as in my understanding they are a little more efficient in energy consumption than the standard magnetic SE balast and create a little more PAR

[Mike de Leon]

Thanks again. I wanted to go with the 400 watt SE just because there are a lot more bulb choices out there. I already have the 250 and I am looking to upgrade.
I have seen a lot of tanks with 400W set ups and most of them look wonderful.
I also want to go with pendants without any fluorescent supplements keeping the look clean.

[jblincoe]

i don't think you will be disappointed. as you said your options are definitely open with the se bulbs. also you should be able to place sps at various depths without too much trouble. as i said do be careful acclimating corals to the increased intensity. i occasionally have problems with bleaching on new peices and the only thing i can attribute it too is acclimation.

[kstallbe]

Can someone please recommend a good SE metal halide 175w bulb for use with a probe start (M57) ballast?

[Mike de Leon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13994496#post13994496 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jblincoe
i don't think you will be disappointed. as you said your options are definitely open with the se bulbs. also you should be able to place sps at various depths without too much trouble. as i said do be careful acclimating corals to the increased intensity. i occasionally have problems with bleaching on new peices and the only thing i can attribute it too is acclimation.


THANKS!

[Madfronter]

I am throwing around the idea of upgrading my lighting for my 55 gallon tank. My current set up is a 4 x 55 watt PC set up. I was thinking about getting this set up:

• 1x 250W 15000K double ended MH bulb
• 2x 96W straight pins Actinic 460nm bulbs
• 8x Lunar LED bulbs.

Does anyone have this configuration? And if so what do you think about it after having it on the tank for some time?

[Mike de Leon]

What I just found out switching to 400 watt SE bulb is that it produces less heat than 250 DE. But the intensity is a lot more. Corals are happier. I have already noticed more growth and coloration in the two weeks i have had it. This is without any flourescent supplementation. Very simple set up. Just two 400 watt bulbs over a six foot long tank.
If you intend to keep SPS forget 250 watts. Go straight to 400 watts. You will not regret it. Double ended fixtures seem to cast more shadows due to design. SE reflectors are large and tend to have more coverage.
I had DE for a couple of years. They have hot spots and shadows.

Good luck!

[Zimster]

I've heard that if a beam of light is pointed out through the tank side, it will be contained by the glass. Is it reflected back in? or is it wasted? What effect does the black panel have?


the answer to that is both. Some is reflected and some is transmitted. The amount that gets reflected is dependent upon the angle at which the light interacts with the glass.

To have the beam of light fully reflected (total internal reflection {TIR}) the angle of light must be greater than the critical angle of glass from water. The indices of water and glass are 1.333 and 1.5 respectively. Using Snell's Law, the critical angle occurs at an angle of 62.7 degrees according to the normal (perpendicular to the glass). Any angle smaller will transmit light.

The black panel will just soak up all the transmitted light.

[cybrsufr]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14062569#post14062569 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mike de Leon
Corals are happier. I have already noticed more growth and coloration in the two weeks i have had it.
If you intend to keep SPS forget 250 watts. Go straight to 400 watts. You will not regret it.
Good luck!

I could not agree more. I ran my 90G reef with 2x250DE 20K bulbsand the SPS grew and that is about all I can say. When I moved to my 180, I went with 3x400W Radiums and the Colors shifted very dramatically for the better, Growth EXPLODED literally (corals that grew 3" in a year while in the 90G, grew 3" in 3 months in the 180G). Granted there is more water volume, flow etc, but the lighting is so much better. Coverage is better with less shadows and dead spots. DE bulbs are a point light source and therefore produce a narrower beam of light when compared to a SE bulb.

[bimmerzs]

mike/cybrsufr...I have to disagree with needing 400 watters for sps. There is a lot more than light that determines coral growth/coloration. Blasting a coral with light doesn't necessarily make it grow more since various coral types only utilize a percentage of the light they receive...even deep water varieties only take in maybe 10-20% of received light, that's why placement of coral's based on light requirements is key. We all know 20K bulb's generally have half the par of lower kelvin bulb's, and the ballast also makes a big difference on the output/color of the bulb's. Cybrsufr, your comparison is not apples to apples, you had a bigger tank, more water volume, possible lower nutrient's and most likely greater stability, coupled with possibly doubling your light output. Not a real fair comparison. See here. http://www.athiel.com/lib2/lightclub.html

Cheers,

[tsiebel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14066254#post14066254 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cybrsufr
I could not agree more. I ran my 90G reef with 2x250DE 20K bulbsand the SPS grew and that is about all I can say. When I moved to my 180, I went with 3x400W Radiums and the Colors shifted very dramatically for the better, Growth EXPLODED literally (corals that grew 3" in a year while in the 90G, grew 3" in 3 months in the 180G). Granted there is more water volume, flow etc, but the lighting is so much better. Coverage is better with less shadows and dead spots. DE bulbs are a point light source and therefore produce a narrower beam of light when compared to a SE bulb.

I have a question regarding your 180. I am in the middle of setting up a 180 and havnt decided on lighting yet. I love the look of MH's so I am going to go with those, However I really dont want to get a chiller at this point so I dont want the water to get to hot. How High above the water do you keep your 400's, I was thinking I would get 250's since the tank is only 24 deep.. Do the 400's really put off less heat?? I was also planing on supplimenting the 250's with t5's, are you doing this.

[jblincoe]

the 400s still put off some heat-quite a bit actually. I think what he meant was that the 250 DE fixtures get quite hot, DE fixtures are enclosed. they heat up inside the canopy. SE fixtures generally don't have glass so the heat escapes and is a little easier to exhaust using fans.

[savichus]

As for me I think SE Reeflux 10,000k combined with actinics supplement. light looks the best! Just my opinion!

[jblincoe]

just out of curiosity, what wattage is your SE fixture savichus? Also depth of tank?

[GREEKREEFER1]

i have a 144g half circle thats almost 30inch's deep. 4inch sb and my light hangs 8 to 9 inch above the water. i have a coralife pro with 2 250w MH and i keep them on for a seven hour period and my sps and lps love it.

[savichus]

I have 175w Reeflux 10k one at each side and 400w Reeflux 12k in the center. To be honest, I don't like the color of 12k Reeflux. But maybe it's just me. The depth of my tank is standard 24" with 4" sand bed covering 1" plenum. I don't have SPS at the bottom, but whatever I have is growing up pretty good! BTW I was looking at the pictures of different brand and color bulbs on some websites, but looks that it doesn't show how everything in tanks looks in real life! Or maybe it's just me...

[robojet]

I have a 24G Aquapod and i purchased a 150W Sunpod Fixture (double ended MH). The tank is 20" deep. I'm considering going with SPS only. I have no experience with MH, as I've always had T5. What would be the best bulb (including brand) for color and growth?

[Scubes]

Hi all! First post and it is a lighting question. I am setting up a 46 gallon tank (36"L x 20" H x 16" W) and considering picking up this Coralife Pro MH HQI Clamp-On DE 150W 14k (http://www.oceanicsystems.com/products/aqualight-advanced-series---hang-on-tank-mount.php) used for a reasonable price. Would this sufficiently light up my tank? I am planning on keeping a couple of fish, live rock and a few softies. Would it be bright enough for LPS?

[jblincoe]

i would think so, you may want to go with a different kelvin rating on the bulb, but i would think it would do a pretty good job, just keep your light lovers as close to the middle of the tank as possible or directly below light. softies should do well in this setup.

[Scubes]

Thanks! I will make the deal for it.

i would think so, you may want to go with a different kelvin rating on the bulb, but i would think it would do a pretty good job, just keep your light lovers as close to the middle of the tank as possible or directly below light. softies should do well in this setup.

[GREEKREEFER1]

make sure you change out the 10k bulbs on that coral life pro to an xm 15k bulb. huge difference!!!!

[reefscape15]

I had a question for somebody. I have 4 T-5's over my 54 gal corner bowfront now, a 12k, reef blue 10k, 460, and 420. Color is much better with this combination than with the 2 10k's and 2 460's that came with the fixture. A lot more reds, oranges, and purples came out with the newer bulbs, but i still love how the tank looks with just the actinics on. I am building a 250 watt s.e. MH fixture this weekend and i would like the tank to be as blue as possible. Which MH temp would give off the bluest look? I've heard that 20k's are good for the blue color but i've only seen the tanks in my LFS. Thanks guys!

[jblincoe]

20ks are really blue, there are also no rules as you can tailor what you like usting your t5s for suplimentation.

[reefscape15]

awesome! I love the look of the tank when it's not so white with the daytimes on. I can't wait to finish the new light. Thanks man!

[americanreefs]

The ushio 20k bulbs work great and have a nice blue color.

[Ion Innovations]

My tank is 24 inches deep and 30 Gallons do you think I could put a 150, 175 or even 250 watt metal halide over it?
I have a hood with a fan. The light will be suspended about 6 inches over the water. My filter is in the garage and I live in a fairly cool place so I have allot of cooling capacity.
Any suggestion would be great.
Thanks

[Jp_here]

In the initail stages of planning a standard 125 gallon tank and looking into lighting options. I want to be able to keep about anything but most likely a mixed reef. Now if I choose to run 2 400w SE with supplimental antic lighting ... what are the chances I will have to run a chiller to cool the water? The sump will be around 30 gallons and the refungium will be a 100 gallon with flourcent bulbs. Oh I live in the southern US too.

[MBVette]

Im in the planning stages of what will be a 225g (72x24x30) tank.

I would like to be able to set the tank up for a full reef tank including sps & lps corals. What would be my best route to go for lighting?

Thanks

[jblincoe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14336460#post14336460 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ion Innovations
My tank is 24 inches deep and 30 Gallons do you think I could put a 150, 175 or even 250 watt metal halide over it?
I have a hood with a fan. The light will be suspended about 6 inches over the water. My filter is in the garage and I live in a fairly cool place so I have allot of cooling capacity.
Any suggestion would be great.
Thanks

I have a 24 inch deep tank as well and i have 400 watt mh over it, 250 will work, but you will limit your sps to the top 1/3 of the tank i would think.

[jblincoe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14346238#post14346238 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MBVette
Im in the planning stages of what will be a 225g (72x24x30) tank.

I would like to be able to set the tank up for a full reef tank including sps & lps corals. What would be my best route to go for lighting?

Thanks If we are assuming the tank is 30" top to bottom, I wouldn't go less than 400 watts mh, if the top to bottom is the 24" i would still suggest 400, but you could get the 250 depending on what you want to keep and location in the tank.

[mike fail]

whats the best brand of bulb its a 70 watt and i want a 14k

[leoan]

Im going crazy trying to decide on lights. Im trying to grow mostly LPS (acans and favias). Do you guys think a single bulb 250w MH fixture is too much OR should i go with a four, 36w bulb HoT5 fixture? My tank is 22 inches deep and is 48 gallons.

[ecomdesign]

I have a 90 gallon tank with 2 250MH SE bulbs. The lights are in a canopy and are only about 4" off the water. My temps run between 78-84 degrees. What do you think I should do to keep things running cooler?

[jblincoe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14389397#post14389397 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ecomdesign
I have a 90 gallon tank with 2 250MH SE bulbs. The lights are in a canopy and are only about 4" off the water. My temps run between 78-84 degrees. What do you think I should do to keep things running cooler?

increase evaporation by aiming a fan at the sump or refugium, and increase the airflow through your canopy, i would have one or two fans on each side of the canopy, two blowing in and two blowing out ideally-2out on one side, 2 in on the other

[ecomdesign]

I will try modding my canopy and add a fan on my sump. I already have 1 fan on each side of the canopy. 1 blows in, 1 blows out. If the modded canopy and sump fan dont work, I'll add the extra fans at that time.

thanks for the help!

[aquadog11]

I have 2 250 watt PFO mini's above A standard 120 Gal. AGA tank
growing stony corals.
How high above should they be mounted?

[mike fail]

has anyone bought those no name brands off ebay that are like 20$ are they decent?

[anin]

hey all,i am in the process of settting up a 50g breeder (36x18x18), it has a center brace. so my question is that if i went with a single MH bulb setup, that wouldn't be very wise? i was looking at the 150watt/ T5 combo fixtures on ebay, or one of currents 150w fixtures. I was also wondering does anyone make fixture that has maybe two 70watt setup? So basically i wanted something that wasn't too crazy on energy usage, so figured a single 150w MH setup was good, but problem is the middle brace on the tank..

[anin]

i came up with this place: http://www.fishneedit.com/index.html
you can make your own setup with MH of your choice and T5..anyone have any experience with them?

[JoelNB]

There is a shop light which all electrical wholesalers I've spoken to refer to as 'the shoplighter'. It is a low profile reflector and ballast set for 70W double ended bulbs. Electrical wholesalers may also just sell you a 70W ballast and you can get a reflector/socket housing from any hardware place.

[anin]

that sounds interesting....would 2 70watt be enough lighting for a 18" deep tank?

[JoelNB]

I think 70W metal halide is enough to stunt coralline algae directly facing it at 18 inches.

[navychief]

I have two metal halides. One burns white, the other bluish. Both are new. Which one is the one that is inaccurate for color at 15K?

[tangtang clown]

double

[tangtang clown]

I currently have a 75 gallon with mostly LPS softies and a couple of candy cane corals. I have a 4x 110 watt VHO retrofit kit with reflector. I need some advice about an idea I had. Can I remove the center two VHOs and add MHs. Maybe 2 150 watt MHs. Has anyone tried this? What bulbs, fixtures, etc do you all recommend? I have the VHOs mounted under the wooden canopy and I am curious if the MHs will be too close to the water. That is why I wanted to go with a lower wattage. I can take pics to show.

[Madfronter]

I was wondering if you think it will be too much light for my 55 gallon if I put a 2x250 watt metal halide set up on the tank? That's 9 watts per gallon. I'm thinking that might be too much. Or should I look into a 2x150w set up? That's about 5.5 watts per gallon. I currently have zoanthids, kenya trees, Montiporas and some acros. Also keep in mind that I might upgrade to a 75 in the next year or so.

[zackdastack]

i have a current solana. 20x20 and just ordered a sundial hqi. How should i go about acclimating it. I have a 55w power compact right now

[dwade0323]

Hey guys, i recently upgraded my tank to a 65 gal (36x18) and i bought a 36" 150w MH fixture. The tank is about 26" in height. Should i consider changing to a stronger MH? If so let me know to which. Thanks

walter

[125G Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14471208#post14471208 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Madfronter
I was wondering if you think it will be too much light for my 55 gallon if I put a 2x250 watt metal halide set up on the tank? That's 9 watts per gallon. I'm thinking that might be too much. Or should I look into a 2x150w set up? That's about 5.5 watts per gallon. I currently have zoanthids, kenya trees, Montiporas and some acros. Also keep in mind that I might upgrade to a 75 in the next year or so.
Why not go with a 175w setup. It will work on both your current setup and the 75g.

[125G Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14521832#post14521832 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dwade0323
Hey guys, i recently upgraded my tank to a 65 gal (36x18) and i bought a 36" 150w MH fixture. The tank is about 26" in height. Should i consider changing to a stronger MH? If so let me know to which. Thanks

walter
26" is to deep for a 150w halide, yo might want to upgrade that to a 250w for the depth.

[dwade0323]

I recently bought the 36" Coral life 150w 10K fixture for my tank. If i wanted to upgrade to a 250 metal halide 14K bulb what else besides the ballast do i need to change?? Does anyone have a contact number for coral life?

Thanks, Walter

[tdkarl]

Hey gang I am upgrading my 75 gallon tank to a 110. Currently I am using Coralife 48 Inch Aqualight 260 watts. I am having a 15" canopy made for the new 110 so I can upgrade my lights since its a deeper tank. The measurements on the 110 are 48x18x30. From what I am reading the MH 400's are probably what I should use since its 30" deep. anyone have a prescription on lighting they would like to suggest? I am looking for something that can do SPS and LPS. Probably a combo between MH's and T5's. Any thoughts.... I am new to MH and trying to read up on them, but there is so much infomation its hard to understand it all.

[phodem]

hello all of the halide experts ,i need some advice for my 220gallons 30inches deep tank ,right now im running three 250watts 14k phoenix bulb in aqua medic fixture ,along with two super actinic 165 watts each, just want to get the best light for all of our sps ,will three 400watts 20k along with 2 super actinic work better ? or replace new reflector for three 250watts 14k phoenix bulb i have right now ? thanks so much for all input ,%80 in the tank is sps just some lps

[jshepherd]

Trying to make sense of all this :)

I have a 150g long so it is 72" long and top of water to sand depth is 24"

I have a hemmerhead and some xenia but thats it but plan to add more and want to make sure I am prepared for it.

For now I would like to know if I should go with 3x250, 2x400 or 3 x 400. My tank also has a brace in the middle but I was considering replacing it with a 1/2" x 1" brace so i would not see the shadow if running a light over the center.

Also SE or DE?

I am having a canopy built so height is open right now and running a chiller is not a problem.

thanks

[reject]

Hi new at this Reef Keeping what lights would be good on a 29gal. tank 30x18x12????

[Jasanden]

Hi all
I need help. I have a 120 gal reef. Which was previously lit by a solaris I4 until 1 of the 2 power supply's went bad. When it went it was 2 late to get another one. So I did not hesitate and got 2 t5 54 watt retro kits. For a total of 4 bulbs and I had 2 150 hqi halides laying around that I put on. All bulbs are brand new. Halides are 14 k ushio. The pendants themselve are different one is a coralife clamp on and the other is sunpak I believe. T5 's are on for 10 hours and halides are only on for 2 hrs. Its been 2 months and nothing is adjusting . 60 percent of the coraline has bleached. Everything closed 40 minutes after halides come on. I have stop using the halides for now and coraline is coming back slowly. I have asked around and the only thing I can think is maybe the protective glass on each is not uv rated.. does that sound right? anyone have a Idea?

[woochild86]

This is in reply to rejects post. I have the exact same tank with the same dimensions, and I was told to go with one 250w metal halide and four T5's and I also want to put some DIY moonlights on the hood as well. Any sugestions?

[53846b]

I have an old 250w ballast, and a 150w bulb and holder... if i combine bth of these will the bulb last and be ok or will it destroy something?

[mkarston]

I had this light kit on my 29 gal reef:


24" 4x24W Tek Light T5 High-Output Fixture (http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Fluorescent/Sunlight_Supply/Tek_Light_Fixtures/24_inch__4x24W_Tek_Light_T5_High-Output_Fixture_w!_Bulbs_(Black)_by_Sunlight_Supply)

Here is are a couple pictures of it:
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/3756529Gal_-_Setup3.jpg
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/3756529Gal_-_Setup2.jpg

[fatboyt123]

well i am setting up my 155 gallon bow-front and trying to figure out my lights.The one thing i really need to know is what brand of ballast to get.I am going to be going with 3 250watt on this tank.

What brand do you guys like that are 250watts.Something that is not very loud,not to heavy, and doesnt take up to much space.

and not very pricey

thanks

[jhoff]

Hi guy's,
Anyone useing the new belize sun HQI / T5 fixtures? Thinking of getting one for my 46g bow 250w 14000k need to know the good , the bad, the ugly b4 i drop 5+bills

Thanks Jim

[nicks387]

anyone know a good combo for 250w electric galaxy ballasts?

[nicks387]

anyone know a good combo for 250w electric galaxy ballasts?

[jimidalock]

Great tread guys, but how long are you running these lights? The photoperiod is just as important as the as the spectrum. I can use some advice with my tank lighting my colors are kinda dull and someone told me running my 400 watt mh 8 hrs is way too long.

[superchargeme]

OK metal halide fans I have a 1000 watt HQI system I have run Radiums one it and plan to contiue. My question is what sq. ft do you think it will cover? I want to go rimless but might have to go euro braced, Thanks In advance

[guillotine]

ok guys i just bought a 140gal the demensions are 48"x24"x30" and i am trying to decide my lights i was thinking either 2 400w or 2 250w with maybe 4 T5s overdriven or two 96w pc bulbs can anyone help me with some logical advise as to what to get i will be growing probly a lil of everything lps.sps.softies,zoas but mainly softies and lps, and zoas thanks for any advice plz pm with adive if u could

[Guy340]

guillotine,

You could try going with 2 250s 10K with your 4 T5s to supplement. You'd get extremely nice par for growth and still have the T5s to help with coloration.

[Shock130]

SE vs DE .... What is better? I plan on putting over a 18" deep tank....

[augustasalty]

thanks for all the helpful information

[nicks387]

Does anyone know what the best 400w HQI mogul 20k bulb might be in terms of intensity?

[solitude127]

What's the difference between magnetic and electronic ballast? which one is better and why? Thanks

[solitude127]

double post

[sedor]

Electronic is basically new technology. It is more exact, and it doesn't cause the "humming." Overall, both will work, but if you have a choice between the two I would go with electronic. It seems like everything is starting to switch over to that anyways.

[java]

anyone use comercial halides on their tank? i have a couple from worj that im thinking about. they are 200W each and use a M136 bulb, which im not sure i can find in 10k ish

[tangtang clown]

I have been contemplating the idea for months because I have the same option of bulbs. I would like to know also.

[C-21 USAF]

I've been looking everywhere for a fixture that will hold 2 - 250 MH. I thought I found it finally (Sun Pod 48") but then I seen it runs on a magnetic ballast...!?

Anyone know of a good double 250 MH fixture??...I'm trying to avoid getting a fixture w/supplement (PC or T5) lighting for simplicity and price.

[305phins]

i have a 40g breed with a 250w MH 20k my tanks 36x18 and the light is about 2ft off the water is that good for zoas

[305phins]

I have a 40g breeder thats 36x18x18, and a 250w 20000k MH how long should I leave the light on a day? I have a couple zoas and a frogspawn.

[spw4949]

Anyone using 250W DE odyssea bulbs? I just got a 2x250watt current outer orbit metal halide fixture & I'm trying to figure out what brand & K rating bulbs to run....anyone have pics that they would care to share of 14K or 20K bulbs? I'm thinking 20K Ushio's but wondering if that will be too blue?

[tehfeer]

I purchased a t-5 6 lamp tek light a few months ago. It was working awesome until my tank cracked. I had to replace it asap and the only place in town was pretty limited. Anyways I ended up with a much larger tank. The tank is 48L 24W and 30H. I was thinking 2 250 20k MHs or 2 400s. I am trying to find a decent unit but am having a hard time deciding. I need either 1 unit that has legs or 1-2 units that can hang from the ceiling. Do any of you have any recommendations?

[tangtang clown]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15585419#post15585419 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spw4949
Anyone using 250W DE odyssea bulbs? I just got a 2x250watt current outer orbit metal halide fixture & I'm trying to figure out what brand & K rating bulbs to run....anyone have pics that they would care to share of 14K or 20K bulbs? I'm thinking 20K Ushio's but wondering if that will be too blue?

I don't have the fixture yet, but I am seriously thinking about getting an Odyssea 72" 2x250 MH, and PC's fixture. I have heard that I will need to change the bulbs and ballast, but when I get it I will up load and post pics here. Are you running an Odyssea light?

[tangtang clown]

I am setting up a 125 long 72"x18"x20"

Will this light be Ok?


LIGHT (http://shop.aquatraders.com/Odyssea-72in-Metal-Halide-with-Power-Compact-p/54207.htm)

I was also looking at getting 3 of the 150 HQI/ T-5 fixtures, like this one (http://shop.aquatraders.com/Odyssea-Metal-Halide-Pendant-150W-with-T5-p/54241.htm)

[spw4949]

No, I'm running a current outer orbit, I was just wondering about the odyssea MH bulbs....

[tangtang clown]

A friend of mine needs lights for his 110 Extra Tall 48x18x31.
Would 2x24" 150watt MHs with T-5s be enough, or would he need 250watt MH's.
Thanks.

[spw4949]

31" deep? Even 250's may not be enough....I'd go with 2x400W

[tangtang clown]

I believe the the 110 extra tall is 31" deep.

[customdusty]

I just ordered a Giesemann Infiniti 2x150 + 4x54 T5 for a tank with max water depth of 18" at the sand bed.

The tank will be mixed, but SPS dominated - I've been a long time T5 user and I'm just not sure what bulbs to use in which combination.

I want to balance color and growth, but probably lean towards color. I've been considering either Phoenix 14k or Radiums, but I'm not sure what T5's to pair up with them.

In my current T5 fixture I use a Fiji Purple and have used procolor to enhance reds and pinks, so I'm not sure if I can do the same and get good results.

[NeilFox]

Hello All

I live in a remote part of the the world so I am greatly limited by distance and logistics. I am going with a 3m x 700mm deep x 1 metre wide tank. I can't afford to ship a full canopy so I must build my own. BTW shipping a Giesemann canopy after customs is nearly 2K US. I am going to use 5 Dynavision pulse start ballastst and I am thinking of a combination of 3 Ushio Aqualites @ 14K along with two Geisemann 12.5k's.. Lamps are light and they are reletively painless to ship, I plan on ordering double. The question I have is regarding reflectors. These are single ended lamps. No plan for supplemental actinic lighting for now, these are also correctly designated for pulse start ballasts. I don't like the idea of overdriving a 400w lamp as there have been some catastrophic failures, furthermore it seems unwise (unless I am missing something) to apply a pulse start electronic ballast to a probe start lamp? Question? What reflectors would you recommend and "Importantly" will they ship overseas?

Any input would be appreciated.

Best Regards to All

Neil

[watson_barrett]

22" hieght on large lumen bright to high?
Has anyone done any testing to see when high becomes too high on the large lumen bright reflectors?

I have a mini on my 92 corner right now at about 16" (bulb to water-400w) and have had good success here.

I am constructing my lighting for my new tank and the bulbs are at about 22" from water surface in 3 large reflectors. Wondering if this is getting too high???

65" x 36" tank, i have 3 larges up right now (400w-not running yet) still in construction phase...

[jdoenumber2]

How do you diagnose if a Electronic blueline ballast is bad? Im new to MH lighting. Just want to know if there is such thing as a bulb tnat a Electronic ballast wont light. When i unplug the ballast it flicks the bulb for a split second. I know the bulb is good. It works with a magnetic ballast. Can i sue a multi meter to test ballast?

[ReefPug]

I am setting up a 185G - 60"x30"x25". I am looking at using the 250W Radiums for a Mixed Reef with the goal being great color....but I have some LPS that I don't want to overpower. The canopy is divided into 3 sections so I could fit 3 lights or 2 on either end. Would I need Actinic supplementation with this bulb or is it going to be too much with 3?

[rguyler]

Tang, will your friend have fish only or will there be corals? My 150 is 30" high and visually my pair of 175W 14k bulbs light it up great. However I only have fish so don't worry about PAR. If there are corals involved then 250W minimum for that height and better yet, go with 400W if you want corals all the way to the bottom.

[tangtang clown]

I have a 125 standard 21 deep. I plan fish and corals. I will be starting with LPS and Leathers, then start integrating SPS ( as a first). Do I need 125 or 250 watt fixture>? I plan on going with a 1134watt MH/PC fixture by Odyssea.

My buddy is probably going to start off with VHO from is 75 and then move to MHs after he gets cash. The intial setup on these tanks is pretty tough financially, I am buying mostly used, but I have been taking my time and it is coming right along.
Thanks for the help.

[rguyler]

Yeah, I bought a 3-bulb used retrofit MH setup for $100 complete with reflectors (made into DIY Lumenbrites), bases and ballasts. Added a couple of Plusrite 14k bulbs and this setup rocks! There are good deals out there in the used market.

BTW - what's up with your signature??

[lordofthereef]

So I have been doing salt for about 3 years now, but never got into the more powerful lighting systems. When I went with my 150, I decided to go with metal halides. Having never dealt with this form of lighting before, I have a few questions.

I want to keep mainly SPS and some clams, but have a small mix of others. I have kept LPS and softies great with PCs, so SPS are the only coral I have no experience with.

My plan was doing something like 250w 400w 250w left to right over the tank, perhaps supplementing with some T5s. Would this be enough? Would I need to add the T5s? My idea with the T5s was to have those pop on maybe two hours before the halides and then turn off maybe two hours after to give a dawn-dusk effect as well as allow me to shorten the time those HOT halides need to be burning throughout the day.

I have and will be doing a lot of reeding on the halide section of the forums. Thanks in advance for your time!

~ Bela

EDIT: The tank is not up yet, but I suppose I should add that with a sand bed, the lowest depth would be something like 22"

[rguyler]

Is your 150 the "typical" size with a footprint of 72" x 18"? If so I'm not sure I would go with a 400w in the middle. That seems like a lot with that depth. I think some corals would struggle with that much light unless they were at the bottom.

Whether to add T5s or not is generally determined by the type of MH lighting you like. Also the bulb and ballast manufacturers make a huge difference in the output you get. Even different combinations of the same products will give different results.

You can plan on T5s for now, at least until you decide on what MH setup you want for sure. I don't think the T5s will hurt much, especially if you are just thinking about Actinic supplementation.

I would read some of the excellent MH threads here on RC:

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=624185

And here's another one: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1451643

[lordofthereef]

No, it is 24 inches deep. It is 48 wide by 24 deeps

[lordofthereef]

Forgot to say, thanks for the links. I got some reading to do :)

[rguyler]

Okay so you have the same 150 that I do, which is 30" tall. In that case, I would consider 2-250w or 2-400w depending on the bulb/ballast combo you choose and how much PAR you want towards the bottom of the tank. The general rule of thumb is 1 bulb per 24" of tank length.

I use 2 bulbs over mine and I don't have any dark areas. I did build some DIY Lumenbrites however so I have very good reflectors. I can't comment on how it looks without them since I haven't tried the MH bulbs without the reflectors but I'm sure they make a pretty big diference.

Welcome for the links too. They helped me decide to go with MH. :)

[lordofthereef]

Is there a DIY lumenbrites thread you could link me to as well? :)
How much did it end up costing you DIY per reflector?

[lordofthereef]

I suppose it is also worth asking, since you have the same size tank as I do, how far from water level are your 400w halides hung? Do you run a closed top? Any other lighting or just the two halides?

[lordofthereef]

still waiting for those FTS ;)

[rguyler]

Sorry Lord...I posted them in the wrong thread! :)

Here they are: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=15739424#post15739424

Like I said, I didn't think the pics did the lights justice but a couple of other members on that thread thought they looked good so...

I use 175W lights since mine is FO (fish-only). In my case I have a custom canopy that is fully enclosed although I do use four PC fans on the back (always install them to blow in to avoid salt air from destroying them) and breather holes in the top. My lights are behind 1/4" glass splash shields and sit around 12" off the water surface.

Here is a good thread on the reflectors:

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1259313&highlight=diy+lumenarc

The link to the CAD file: http://thebrian.net/reflector/

You'll be able to find many more threads on building your own reflectors with a search of the archives. I already had polished aluminum sheets so my cost was basically zero but the results are awesome as you will see in the thread.

[kevoglass]

i have a 110gl corner tank acrylic. just got a 600 wt mh. is this to much light? I've noticed alot of algae growing and starting to get fuzzy green algae is this bad?

[rguyler]

That's a lot of concentrated light for sure. Wattage is really determined by tank height and how much the water column will filter the light down to the bottom. I bet you have pretty strong PAR all the way down. Corals on the top probably need sunglasses. :)

Lighting is essential for algae to grow but nutrients in the water, such as nitrates and phosphates are what makes it take off. Undersized skimmer (10g sump...that's tiny), tap water, overfeeding, poor maintenance habits can all contribute to algae growth due to excess nutrients. High intensity lighting will not likely change this condition much and you will need strong lighting for your photosynthetic inverts.

[lordofthereef]

Hey that definitely doesn't look bad. In your opinion, though, is it bluer than in the picture? I am just trying to figure out which to get as I don;t want them TOO blue but I want then a little bluer than they look in that picture. I saw a picture of a plusright 14k 250w burning and it looked pretty blue so I would think it would make the tank look bluer than yours, but like you said, the pics don;t do it justice so that is why I ask! :)
Any idea on how the PAR compares? Not only does she have to look nice but she needs to keep the SPS happy! ;)

[lordofthereef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15741418#post15741418 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kevoglass
i have a 110gl corner tank acrylic. just got a 600 wt mh. is this to much light? I've noticed alot of algae growing and starting to get fuzzy green algae is this bad?

I am just starting in the halides field myself, so I am by no means an expert, but how long is your lighting cycle? From what I hear here most people will only run strong halides for about 7 hours a day (where I see a lot of people doing 10-12 hours cycles with other lighting). I assume this is a strength reason, however I have never really asked. Maybe someone will chime in! :) Also what are your parameters like. Phosphates, nitrates, etc. can contribute to algae growth, so it may not be strictly your lighting. Do you use 0 TDS topoff water only?

[rguyler]

I don't consider the "real" look to be any more blue but I definitely have more color overall for sure. My tank looks nowhere near as blue as most of the pics of 20ks that I've seen, which is why I went with 14ks instead. I think there might be some trial and error involved no matter what you do. Camera deficiencies, bulb/ballast combinations and subjective opinion will make it difficult to make an accurate choice without first-hand experience. At least with the Plusrites you don't have to spend $120 on a pair of bulbs to discover that you picked wrong. :)

Sundancer from another thread said he would send an extra bulb he has to Sanjay for testing so I guess we'll have to wait for PAR values until then unless somebody has found PAR tests somewhere else. I haven't seen any numbers for the Plusrites myself.

[lordofthereef]

Fair enough. I think I will just try the 14ks and hope for the best. I really would rather have less blue than too much... I really dislike the looks of tanks where it looks like you are going cosmic bowling, except with blue light! LOL I think a couple pages back there were people that said they used these on their sps/lps tanks with no problems. Being that this is a new setup I will have some leeway, I just hate to drop money on "junk" but it sounds like you stand behind it and there are much worse bulbs out there anyway!

[rguyler]

I was the same way but figured for the price what the heck, let's give 'em a try.

[ReefPug]

How close to the water should MH be mounted? I only have a 10" high canopy and am afraid that I will have to go with T5. I really like the look of the 250W Radiums 20K.

[lordofthereef]

I am no expert, so take this with a grain of salt...

I have done a ton of reading since I started posting here and think I have a grasp (all be it a small one) on MHs. Distance is going to be based on a number of things, including tank depth (how deep your water is), strength of your halides, and quality of your reflectors. Something like lumenarcs or lumenbrights actually allow (and require) your lights to be higher away since they pump THAT MUCH MORE light into your system. As a guideline, I am looking at doing some DIY lumenarcs and am fairly certain that I can get at LEAST 95% of the "real thing" recreated. Honestly I am betting I can practically match it. I will end up mounting 2x 400w halides 16" above the water in a 24" tall (water depth) tank.

I don;t think there is any misinformation here, but anyone else who knows more than me, please do chime in.

[rguyler]

Well, I didn't use any real formula as such but rather common sense. Since I have DIY Lumenarcs (or brights...I forget which style I made ;-) I wanted to just be sure I had plenty of space to get under them for feeding, maintenance, etc.. Some people have gone all out and made tracks to slide their canopies back out of the way but I didn't feel like going through all that. I have around 11-12" under my glass splash shield (1/4" plate glass) and that seems to be a pretty good height. Over the shield I have about a 1/2" gap for air flow and then the bottom edge of the reflectors.

[lordofthereef]

I would be interested to see par reading of your tank in various spots. The info I got was from melev's reef. He used to go 12" and went 16" when he switched to the lumenbrights based on PAR. Maybe someday I will splurge and spend the cash on a cheaper PAR meter...

By the way, if you crafted your reflectors with the template you linked, those are lumenarcs :) The difference is that the brights keep a hexagonal shape throughout, whereas the arcs "turn into" a square at the bottom. The brights reflect 16% more light (supposedly), but with the INSANE amount of light increase we already get from these things I doubt it matters too much unless you are using really low wattage lights and just want more out of them. If I could find a lumenbright template though I would be game for giving it a shot. A few more bends and rivets is the only build difference. Maybe I will try to see if there is a CAD program at ISU that I can go and use >.>

[rguyler]

Yeah, arcs, brights...I get them confused as I didn't care too much either way since I don't have a reef. Mine are square at the bottom so mine are arcs I guess. I've only seen templates and threads for the style I have. I've read some who say the hammered metal really makes a big difference over the mirrored aluminum in terms of a more even light dispersion so maybe that would be an option to check out as well.

[lordofthereef]

I honestly think that is just preference. I only say this because based on people's PAR rating, lumenbright has been the best model of reflector, and that has no hammered metal whatsoever. I just got the materials to make two large reflectors. Only cost 44 bucks at menard's plus 5 bucks in rivets. Gonna make some and post them up here when I get a chance/

[lordofthereef]

Here are my reflectors. Turned out really nice. Still need to remove the blue protective film and fit the sockets in :)

http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv294/LordoftheReef/IMG_0085.jpg

[lordofthereef]

Just got my plusright bulbs in. Testing them out now. First impression is... I just saved a ton of cash and I am liking what I see :)

[rguyler]

Yeah! Finally something in this hobby that doesn't break the bank! :beer:

[lordofthereef]

Pics here for anyone that wants to see just the bulbs in their first few minutes of life :)

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1703568&page=5

[johnnie-39]

I have 2 250w 14000K on a 120g 48x24x24 plus i also put 2 coral life blue T12 but my fish say hiden and corals stay closed lights are about 7" off top of water stared at 2 feet off and still no love can anyone help!!!!!!

[rguyler]

Lord, nice pics and the reflectors look good. I added the bends at the bottom of the reflectors to keep the metal straight but that's just cosmetic. Mine still look ghetto as I have no sheetmetal skills whatsoever. :)

Johnnie, maybe your problems aren't from the lights? What about other environmental conditions or water chemistry/quality? Give a few more details on your recent changes and maybe something will be revealed. I think your MH wattage is reasonable for your tank height. You also could mention what type of bulbs you are using as well as the ballast. Do they look very bright when fully warmed up? How old are the bulbs?

[johnnie-39]

my MH are coral vue they light up bright then turn a blueish.I just changed from a 85g to this 120g i used same water and everything let run for 3 days befor I put anything in it .tested waterand it was good nitrite was a little high 1.0

[rguyler]

That much nitrite could be your issue. You shouldn't have any nitrite registering. While it may not be lethal just yet, sustained exposure could cause issues, especially stress, which is what you are experiencing. I suggest you either do a large water change or maybe get some of the instant bacteria products out there (or do both steps). I used Seachem Stability when I started my tank and had fish in 3 days after and ever since. There are other similar products and they all add nitrifying bacteria to your tank to quickly cycle the nitrite out.

[slick6669]

i have a huge delema on my 46 gal bowfront there is a center brace which i believe is just to support the glass top...so i replaced the glass top with egg crate but the brace is still there i want to get my lighting system that is either going to be (two MH on the sides between to power compacts) if not that then the single MH in the center which will get shadowed by brace with 2 power compacts

[johnnie-39]

ya I was going to do a mager water change I also put some AmQuel+ removes nitrate& nitrite plus ammonia chlorine and chloramines. BUT now some of my fish look like someone has eaten they're tail fins what should I do? even my tang has spots and hasn't eaten and on top of every thing els now I'm seeing these worms in my tank I think they are bristle worms have no idea how they got in there or what to do about them I know I DON'T like them!!

[lordofthereef]

Lord, nice pics and the reflectors look good. I added the bends at the bottom of the reflectors to keep the metal straight but that's just cosmetic. Mine still look ghetto as I have no sheetmetal skills whatsoever. :)

Johnnie, maybe your problems aren't from the lights? What about other environmental conditions or water chemistry/quality? Give a few more details on your recent changes and maybe something will be revealed. I think your MH wattage is reasonable for your tank height. You also could mention what type of bulbs you are using as well as the ballast. Do they look very bright when fully warmed up? How old are the bulbs?

I might end up doing those bend but I didn't know how to do them right. If you can believe I did all of those bending by hand using a metal ruler... LOL

[lordofthereef]

i have a huge delema on my 46 gal bowfront there is a center brace which i believe is just to support the glass top...so i replaced the glass top with egg crate but the brace is still there i want to get my lighting system that is either going to be (two MH on the sides between to power compacts) if not that then the single MH in the center which will get shadowed by brace with 2 power compacts

When the MH is raised to the proper height, there is actually very little shadow. You might get slight shadowing at the very top of the water level but not too bad. DO NOT remove that brace. It is there as structural support for the tank. Without it, you may have the glass blow or the seals weaken.

[louisvilleboy]

which bulb is better giesemann or ati it is t5 im using 8 80w bulbs now.and its time to start changing thanks paul

[Tony Romano]

Has a bulb test been done lately? Several years ago there was a great thread with test results.

[rguyler]

Johnnie, excess nitrite or ammonia could cause the "burns" you are seeing if left as-is. The stress of the water quality could also lower the immunity of your fish to the point to where they have developed infections, such as basic fin/tail rot, which would also look very much like something has been chewing on their fins.

Stress is very bad juju in a closed habitat such as our aquariums. Bad things (bacteria, parasites, etc.) are almost always present in our water so keeping the fish in high quality water and feeding them high quality foods regularly is crucial to building their immune systems up to where they can fight these things off themselves. I supplement every feeding with Vitachem or Selcon.

[myreefcentral]

What's the best 250watt DE bulb to run with IceCap ballasts...I want some blue...right now I have a 14k Phoenix in it but it's not giving off enough blue compared to my 150watt 14k Phoenix that I run off of a Current Sunpod. Any suggestions on bulbs?

[saltwaterpimp]

I have a 250 watt 14 k Icecap Pendant, i Have the fixture 9 inches from the water, Over a 40 breeder filled with 15 inches of water. the Soft corals on the bottom look like crap, but LPS looks great. First question, is the 14k icecap bulb normally this white ? second, whats a average height for the fixture for a mixed reef(frag tank)? I switched from 4 t5s because of the same reason ...Im clueless at what to do next???:fun2:

Here is some Blue atheilia(spelling) and some Brown Tree corals..Lmao not really the color i was expecting

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx298/CORYSREEF/OTHER/4o%20Breeder/250watt040.jpg
http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx298/CORYSREEF/OTHER/4o%20Breeder/250watt041.jpg
http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx298/CORYSREEF/OTHER/4o%20Breeder/250watt022.jpg
http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx298/CORYSREEF/OTHER/4o%20Breeder/250watt020.jpg

[Tony Romano]

How long have you been using new lighting?

[saltwaterpimp]

Not very long, a few weeks ..I know i need to give it time.I wonder if some of these corals are to the point of no return(color wise)? Are these bulbs always this white ?


Thanks in advance..

[Mark 75g]

Looking to buy a 175g Bow front 30in deep. The wife wants me to have the hood on the tank so I am limited to lighting fixtures. What do you think about the Maristar 72in 3-250w MH with 4 39w T5s. looking to mainly have LPS and soft corals throughout the tank.

Is this enought light to reach the bottom

[Tony Romano]

Yes on lighting. Why does she want hood? No hood is so much better, I converted mine to ceiling mounted. Tank looks better and is super easy to work on.

[Mark 75g]

She wants the hood because she likes the way it looks. YOU KNOW WOMEN!!!! Its all about the furniture and how it looks in the house.
It is either the hood or no tank-Which one would you pick?

Do you have a picture?

[fernandoh]

Hello actually I have 3 250W MH that have been working excelent in my tank, but I'm moving and there is no place where I can fit my actual tank so I'm buying a smaller one. Can I run a 150W MH with a 250W electronic ballast?

[Tony Romano]

No - I will get one, best of both worlds having high cap. Are you planning on stock Ocieanic top? I think it is open topped....

[Mark 75g]

It is a stock wood oceanic hood. I think it is open and the owner actually cut holes in each side and installed fans for cooling.
Have you ever heard of Maristar Lights

This is the link for them.

http://www.marineandreef.com/Sunlight_Supply_Maristar_72_inch_3X250W_4X39W_T5_p/rss00773.htmistar

[mayjong]

hey all-
really quickly, when would you consider a bulb to be "too old" ???
(when should they be replaced?)
thanks!

[Tony Romano]

6 - 9 months is current thinking.

I am using 1500 as bulb life, bit of a guess based on corals seeming to fade. My next big purchase is a PAR meter, so I can use real #s.

[mikenjo]

will 150 watt light put out allot less heat i had 250s on my 90 and the tank got hot in the summer and cant afford a chiller if i used 150s will the heat problem be as bad i have all softies in my tank so i think the downgrade would work

[spslove]

I'm currently setting up a rimless 220g 5' by 3' by 2' height. I wanted to go with a 2 400w 20k metal halide setup.

Iv noticed most nice fixtures dont go above 250w halides. While 400w halides are stand alone fixtures. They are also bulky and and non pleasing aesthetically unless in a retrofit hood. My furniture and tank is real clean and modern looking so i wanted the lighting to match.

Are there any good looking fixtures that use 400s?

[Tony Romano]

I don't think there is a 400W DE bulb on market. You have no hood or top currently?

[spslove]

Nope I don't have any type of top. The tank is rimless, so I want the lighting atleast 1foot above water. Ya my best bet is retroing some kinda lighting fixture, prob is its hard to make it look good. Sucks geisemann and all those other companys don't do anything w/ 400w halides. I really didn't want to do it all custom, I feel its Going to be more expensive and less quality, then say a geisemann fixture, or if I Hung 3 250w elos mh. What do you think?

[myzislow]

I'm currently setting up a rimless 220g 5' by 3' by 2' height. I wanted to go with a 2 400w 20k metal halide setup.

Iv noticed most nice fixtures dont go above 250w halides. While 400w halides are stand alone fixtures. They are also bulky and and non pleasing aesthetically unless in a retrofit hood. My furniture and tank is real clean and modern looking so i wanted the lighting to match.

Are there any good looking fixtures that use 400s?

sounds like you need a giesemann spectra ($$$$) or sfiligoi xr6($$$$) fixture.

[spslove]

sounds like you need a giesemann spectra ($$$$) or sfiligoi xr6($$$$) fixture.


your saving my life here, thats exactly what i'm looking for. im liking those.

[dustinc]

I have a 20" cube Solana and am currently using a 14k Phoenix bulb. I'm really wanting my colors to pop more. Most things have great color, but my pink birdsnest has never been pink. I've been looking at switching to the 20k Ushio, but I don't want to lose a lot of par... What is a good bulb with both par and still give me a more blue look...

[Tony Romano]

I suspect that maybe best way to go. What are your NO3 and PO4 levels?

[Kinetic]

I just tried to setup my new Giesemann Infinity, and the T5's fired up great, but now the halides won't at all. The ballasts don't even buzz. I tried reseating the hqi lamps over and over, and pushed as hard as I could, but I think they're all the way down. The spring contacts on the lamps look solid too.

The ballasts are confusing me, as there's two, and they don't buzz, and they power the T5's somehow.

Here's some pictures, let me know if I'm doing something wrong?

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2540/4110468381_4f9e50aab2.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2770/4110468339_457aa65b15.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2578/4111231618_9ae750b9a0.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2564/4111231352_3a869c8e78.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2487/4110466151_df0c80cb28.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2736/4110466491_a428f0dc64.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2763/4110478801_ee2c98cb30.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2758/4110501315_4119d9fb30.jpg

[Zach.Attack6]

Just wanted to know if any of you halide guys have, seen the thread with, picture comparisons between diffent k bulbs and their ballasts and if you have can I have a link

[broberts]

Does anyone know anything about the pulsrite bulbs, Are they any good?

[Tony Romano]

[QUOTE=Kinetic;16035502]I just tried to setup my new Giesemann Infinity, and the T5's fired up great, but now the halides won't at all. The ballasts don't even buzz. I tried reseating the hqi lamps over and over, and pushed as hard as I could, but I think they're all the way down. The spring contacts on the lamps look solid too.

Get it to work? I bet it is a controller type issue, Euro stuff tends to be very high quality, but can be tricky to use.

There is not much to socket, just make sure there is metal to metal. Sometimes new bulbs can fire very slow, are you getting a flicker?

[Tony Romano]

Coralvue or reef specialty have PICS of different K bulbs over same tank. I am not aware of comprehensive list accross brands.

[Kinetic]

[QUOTE=Kinetic;16035502]I just tried to setup my new Giesemann Infinity, and the T5's fired up great, but now the halides won't at all. The ballasts don't even buzz. I tried reseating the hqi lamps over and over, and pushed as hard as I could, but I think they're all the way down. The spring contacts on the lamps look solid too.

Get it to work? I bet it is a controller type issue, Euro stuff tends to be very high quality, but can be tricky to use.

There is not much to socket, just make sure there is metal to metal. Sometimes new bulbs can fire very slow, are you getting a flicker?

I haven't gotten it to work, tried for another 2 hours today, reseated the bulbs like 5 times, giving plenty of time in between just in case. I tried a brand new phoenix 14K HQI 250watt as well, that didn't either.

No flickering, nothing at all. Ballasts don't get warm at all, no buzz.

This is interesting though:
I looked inside the fixture with a flashlight in one end, I could see two blue lines going to the right side of the fixture behind the right pair of T5 reflectors, but then there's blue lines on the left pair of T5's that go out to the chords. It looks almost certain that the cables are going to the wrong side, and the wiring is backwards.

Lines going from halides to the right:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2665/4113359359_6517a510e5.jpg

Lines going out of the fixture, notice the right side has no blue lines, left has two
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2702/4114128312_709f8d9092.jpg

Closer shot of the left side getting two blues. I didn't see anywhere else where the blues were coming from:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2568/4114128370_2406649b13.jpg

[tangtang clown]

Does anyone know anything about the pulsrite bulbs, Are they any good?

I ordered 5 150watt 20k bulbs for a friend and myself. I really like to Plusrite so far. Here is a link to pics I took when they were delivered. The pics of the tank are with the Odyssea T5s on also, which I don't care the their blue color. I actually like the color of the plusrites without the T5s on. Does anyone know where to get 15" T5s?

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1688567&page=12

I can take some pics of just the 20k plusrites if you would like. IMHO, not a bad deal for $20 shipped, but these are my first MH fixtures. :reading:

[Kinetic]

With this setup:
2x 250watt DE Giesemann 13K MegaChrome Marine
2x 54watt T5 Giesemann Actinic Plus
2x 54watt T5 Giesemann Aqua Blue

What do you think about this lighting schedule?

T5 - 9 hours, 8 hours each, 7 hours overlap
MH - 5 hours, 4 hours each, 2 hours overlap

Is that enough light?

[aaron1987]

I have a 20" cube Solana and am currently using a 14k Phoenix bulb. I'm really wanting my colors to pop more. Most things have great color, but my pink birdsnest has never been pink. I've been looking at switching to the 20k Ushio, but I don't want to lose a lot of par... What is a good bulb with both par and still give me a more blue look...

I'd love to hear an answer to this, too. I'm using a 250w bulb.

[tangtang clown]

Anyone know where I can get a 150w HQI ballast?

[phobos2deimos]

I'm thinking about putting a 400w MH 14k on my 8' long 240. 24" deep, mixed reef.
I'd like to put just one on a light track with a lumenmax or lumenbright reflector.
What do y'all think?

[LifeAquatic]

10k bulb equals rapid coral growth. Not the best looking to the human eye tho.
20K bulb equals good coral coloration. Is not the best for coral growth. Light looks more blue to the human eye.
14 K bulb is right in the middle. You get decent coral growth and decent coral color.

I use a 14k light and some of my sps have doubled in size over 6 months. Yes, Doubled! All but one of my acros doesnt have good color. But I bought it at discount praying it would change. 3 weeks later and its starting to get color back.

[LifeAquatic]

oops.... 250w 14k HQI. Also, I use PC antinic. Not t5

[ravi_737]

Whats the best wattage lamp for a 36"x36"x20" cube rimless tank.
I am looking for a bright light tank and am planning to go for 250w 14k geismann
MH lamp. Please advise if this is a good way to go.

[f1shb0y]

are the hqi clamp lamps any good? i was planning on getting this one:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=15489

[phobos2deimos]

Whats the best wattage lamp for a 36"x36"x20" cube rimless tank.
I am looking for a bright light tank and am planning to go for 250w 14k geismann
MH lamp. Please advise if this is a good way to go.

That should be great for a 20" high tank. I'm not sure that it will cover a 36" footprint so well.
You could go with a lumenmax reflector and raise it up higher, but you may need to go to 400w.

[Felixc395]

Hi. I have had a 37 gallon reef tank with zoanthids and soft corals for about a year and a half now. I currently have a light that is a power compact system. I have one 65 watt 420nm actinic light and one 65 watt 10k daylight bulb. The coral growth has been very slow and I would like to get LPS and SPS corals, as well as clams. So I looked at metal halide fixtures, but unfortunately I have odd dimensions. The tank is 30''tall, 12'' wide, and 17'' tall. I couldn't find any fixtures that are 30'' long beside pendants. I have a canopy I would like to keep on, so pendants wouldn't work for me. Could I mount a fixture into the top of my canopy? I'm confused. What should I do?

[austin93]

Stupid question. I was wondering if the new halides (250 Blue Wave 7 w/ radiums) would normally make a kind of burning smell for the first few days. Its actually only been a day, but I can smell them. Wired correctly and I see no other issues other than new bulbs and new reflectors. Thanks, wife is worried.

[KirbyL]

what happens if you use a 4200k bulb for 150 hqi? Will par go down or is it just ugly but use able.

[austin93]

Just for the record the smell went away the next day after the bulb burned in a little. 4200k is too low for corals IMO, it would probably promote more algae than anything else. Don't actually expect an answer from people with any experience, my original question was poised on the 17th and I had to answer it myself. Just start a thread in the lighting forum and you will get more looks than in this sticky. HTH

[CookieJen]

Hi Guys! Im trying to upgrade my lighting as most people here appear to be doing too.

I really want to go MH so I can start getting some SPS corals.

I currently have a SunPaq retro fit 95w VHO with a dual 10k and dual actinic bulbs with straight pins. Thats whats going on my 55gal that is approx 18in deep. Im pretty sure this is inadequate but its a system bought from a family member who SWEARS it was some of the best lighting at the time (4+ years ago)

Are there any MH kits that I can use and still keep my hood?? My tank needs to have a hood cause I have cats and I dont want them playing in my reef tank. ($1200 cats playing in a $1000+ reef tank= bad news)
:eek1:

I thought about a getting clamp on.. do they work and could they be used with my VHO's?? Or should I start from scratch?? If I do start from scratch what can you recommend that wouldnt get too hot and burn the place down??

Any suggestions??

[tangtang clown]

I started a thread yesterday about some retrofit 250w MHs for a good price and I haven't received any responses from anyone who has used this type. I too am going to add T5s for a canopy(once I build it). PM me if you want the site.

[ballebrian4u]

hey i bought the corlife aqualight pro with 2 250 watt metal halids and want to run 14 k but it didn t come with ballst what brand should i buy and do the make ones that can support 2 250 watts so i don by 2 diffrent ballest? what brand do you recomend that is cheap and energy efficent and has nice light output !

[IRIDEH2O]

I'm looking to buy new bulbs for my 2x150w double ended Halide. I've been running with 20k for the last year but my corals dont seem to grow much except for my mushrooms. I have a 90 gallon tank. Any suggestions on what would improve my coral growth?

[supra23]

Too Much Light?

I'm in the middle of starting up my second 46g reef and am unsure if the light I have is too strong or not (or if there's even such a thing). Of course, obvious examples like a 400w MH over a 7g Pico ignored.

Light is a 2x250w MH with 2x96w PCs.
Planning to keep SPS, LPS and maybe some select zoos/palys.

I dug a bit online and couldn't come up with anything conclusive or reputable. The wattage ratio threw me off as this would be well over what is widely recommended. ~11w/g halides only and ~15w/g with everything on! If I leave the glass lid on, might dissipate some of the light but lose the shimmer. Also heating issues - Would not want to buy a chiller.

Hopefully some of you can throw in your .02 TIA!

[blennymower]

Too Much Light?

I'm in the middle of starting up my second 46g reef and am unsure if the light I have is too strong or not (or if there's even such a thing). Of course, obvious examples like a 400w MH over a 7g Pico ignored.

Light is a 2x250w MH with 2x96w PCs.
Planning to keep SPS, LPS and maybe some select zoos/palys.

I dug a bit online and couldn't come up with anything conclusive or reputable. The wattage ratio threw me off as this would be well over what is widely recommended. ~11w/g halides only and ~15w/g with everything on! If I leave the glass lid on, might dissipate some of the light but lose the shimmer. Also heating issues - Would not want to buy a chiller.

Hopefully some of you can throw in your .02 TIA!


Your corals will do fine so long as you properly acclimate them to this amount of light. As far as heat goes, on a 46g tank that amount of light close to the water is going to heat it up. So either install fans or raise the light, or do both.

[NY-Reefer]

Newbie here, tons of questions but i will only ask one. I have a 48 Inch IceCap Reef Illuminations fixture with 2x250w MH and 2x54 t5 which would have worked perfectly with my tank plans but things changed and instead I got a marineland deep 200 gallon with starfire for a steal. 48x36x27. I will be picking it up Wednesday and really need to know how much more light I am gonna need to keep SPS in this tank. Do you think I should add a second fixture like a 2x54 tek or something different. My local guru here in Rochester, mn told me that I wont be able to reach the bottom of the tank with my current outfit well enough so I should supplement with more T5's. Thanks for any feedback.

[shark007]

What bulb do you suggest. My tank is a 40gallon breeder sps dominant. I have a 250watt DE Halide reefstar from hamilton.

[reefsahoy]

Newbie here, tons of questions but i will only ask one. I have a 48 Inch IceCap Reef Illuminations fixture with 2x250w MH and 2x54 t5 which would have worked perfectly with my tank plans but things changed and instead I got a marineland deep 200 gallon with starfire for a steal. 48x36x27. I will be picking it up Wednesday and really need to know how much more light I am gonna need to keep SPS in this tank. Do you think I should add a second fixture like a 2x54 tek or something different. My local guru here in Rochester, mn told me that I wont be able to reach the bottom of the tank with my current outfit well enough so I should supplement with more T5's. Thanks for any feedback.

personally i think you'll be fine with that amount of light except for maybe coverage from front to back. if your reef is going to be in the MH beam you have more than enough. I used a good quality fixture, Giessemann Infinity 2x150 watt hqi and 4 t5 on my tank {photo below with no photo adjusting or color altering} which is 20" deep. I went to 2x 250 and 2x t5 but when i get my old fixture back i probably will go back to it.

http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac125/reefsahoy/01_26_2010/IMG_0132.jpg

http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac125/reefsahoy/01_26_2010/IMG_0136.jpg

[reefsahoy]

Just wanted to know if any of you halide guys have, seen the thread with, picture comparisons between diffent k bulbs and their ballasts and if you have can I have a link

here you go http://chrismorris.ca/250wcolour/

[orgtizz]

I just bought my first set of MHs (2 x 250watt with 4 x 54watt T5) My old lights were all T5 units, which I liked the color of. My issue is, while I like the shimmer, I don't like the yellow look. Is there any way I can get back to a more blue look, without loosing growing power?

[sweetdickyb]

OK first off I'm new to this forum posting business so if I'm posting in the wrong spot cut me a little slack! I have a question about MH ballasts. I have a 2 x 150 watt HQI lighting system with magnetic M81 ballasts in it. The problem is 90% of the time the buzz like a street light and sometimes make a zapping noise. I worked in the sign and lighting business for a few years and haven't heard anything like it. I was wondering if any of you guys have had the same problem and if so have any ideas or solutions short of replacing the ballast with electronic ones. Maybe a bad capacitor or ignitor??????

[Tony Romano]

OK first off I'm new to this forum posting business so if I'm posting in the wrong spot cut me a little slack! I have a question about MH ballasts. I have a 2 x 150 watt HQI lighting system with magnetic M81 ballasts in it. The problem is 90% of the time the buzz like a street light and sometimes make a zapping noise. I worked in the sign and lighting business for a few years and haven't heard anything like it. I was wondering if any of you guys have had the same problem and if so have any ideas or solutions short of replacing the ballast with electronic ones. Maybe a bad capacitor or ignitor??????

cheap diy metal halide ballasts? Check out this thread, if no one answers here.

Electronic ballasts are getting very inexpensive and are soo sweet. Also I have some 175W magnetic i will give you for price of shipping.

[shannon97]

i have a 29gallon tank with 60bls of live rock and 2in of sand would 150watt be enough light for my tank

[Rowe78]

Can someone please recommend a good SE metal halide 175w bulb for use with a probe start (M57) ballast?

[james258]

hey there, I am a noob to reefing so like any noob i thought what does it matter if I replace my 2x175w MH bulbs with some new 175w bulbs from the grow store not paying any attention to the physical size difference the old ones were small and round the new ones were massive but the dopey at the grow store the (LFS is quite far away) told me they would be the same and i have been battling red hair algea and coraline will not grow it just starts turning white please let me know if it is my bulbs burning the heck out of things if so what is the difference between a bulb used for growing pot and a reef bulb? I also neglected to get an RODI which i am going to remedy soon because my tank water is on the hard side that is the only parameter which is out by any signifigant amount. thank you for any input you might have.

[scotto123]

Can someone please recommend a good SE metal halide 175w bulb for use with a probe start (M57) ballast?
I'm loving the Reeflux 12K - corals growing like weeds!

[queenbeez]

on marine depot.com i am planning on purchasing the ice cap 250/400 watt hqi all aluminum pendant and the 400 watt ballast-my problem is because of the ballast am i gonna have to go with a 400 watt metal halide bulb or could i start out with 250 watt bulb?the pendant lets you choose between the 2 wattage bulbs.will the ballast work for the 250 watt bulb?i have been looking at lighting for 3 weeks now and i think this is the one,what do you think,is this a good light?

[Anthonius]

well i have a 48" long x 18" wide x 20" tall (75g) I was wanting to have a mixed reef which i was wanting to use 2x 150w DE XM bulbs I was thinking the 15000K bulbs and 2x t5 actinics... Will these bulbs have a hard time feeding acans, zoos, palys, favites, and a clam on the bottom? I was thinking they should be fine but I just wanted to be sure.. I am just now convincing myself to goto the MHs... I have been using the t5s for awhile now but want to be sure as this is the most expensive part of the hobby.

[biecacka]

question? i currently run 2 250 wt MH over my 220. it is a softy lps tank, my question is could i get away w t5, or a combo of MH and t5 or should i stay w what i have?
corey

[nikesb]

does anyone have a pic of the aquadmedic 150w with a radium and 2x24w t5 actinics or blue+

[betoballer1]

Will 2x150w mh plus 4x65w pc be ok for a 90 gal?

[bjsmith112083]

I have a 60"L x 24"H x 18"D acrylic aquarium. I am debating on what type of lighting I am going to use to go full reef for this tank. Was thinking of going with maybe (3) 250W HQI lamps spaced evenly over the aquarium. Any thoughts on if this will be enough light to reach close to the bottom of the tank? Any suggestions on color for the lamp themselves? 15k, 20k, mix of some different ones?

[wesley6610]

Sounds like a good wattage of lamps and you should get decent penetration at 24" deep with 250 HQIs....what kind of reflectors are you thinking about getting? Any idea if you want T5 or VHO actinic supplementation?

[firsttimereefer]

just purchased a light with 1 MH and 2 PC, py problem is that the MH bulb is right over my center support on my tank, any suggestions.

[shark007]

What kind of ballast would you get for a 250watt lumen bright pendant se. I am going with all sps and chalices. Is this a good pendant anyway? Tank size 40 breeder will turn into a 125 in a year. Then I will add another pendant.

[biecacka]

does the brand of bulb make that much of a difference?
also i have a 220 w 2 250wt MH on it and was thinking of adding some pc or vho bulbs to it. the MH are 14k and i might like to brighten the tank up a little bit more
corey

[Tek_Diver]

What is the depth on your 90?

[Tek_Diver]

I would look @ the Lumatek Ballast they have done a great job for me.

[JoeMatrix]

I need suggestions I purchased a 6'x4'x1' frag tank I have two 400w 20 k's suspended 18" over it but want supplemental lighting for it I'm thinking two 4' T-5's actinics 420's and two 4' T-5's 10 k's any suggestions? P.S. its going to be all SPS.

[shannon97]

anyone no if 400watts would be enough lights for a 90 gallon reef tank. its 25 in deep iam useing metal hlide

[shannon97]

What is the depth on your 90?

25inchs

[biglouie]

36" has one metal halide is that enogh for a 90gallon tall

[socalchris]

hey guys, i currently am running a 36" Tek T5 6 bulb over my tank. it's a 36 long but a bit taller.

anyways, the reflectors ere getting a bit worn and i was thinking instead of replacing them just switch over to MH. i like the aquamedic hqi 250w. would this be enough for my tank. i have some sps, lps, gbta, and a clam on the sand bed.

[gobbly]

I have a 250w MH hood/ballast, but the ballast isn't pushing 250w. It's stamped to run at a power factor greater than .98, but my kill-a-watt meter reads it at a power factor of .67, and it pulls around 170w. I ran it for one week and these values never fluctuated. I was told that under-powering the bulb was going to cause spectrum issues and shorten the lifespan, and I had another 250w MH I am using instead. I was wondering if it would be safe to run a 150w bulb in the 250w fixture with the 250w ballast that is only pushing 170w (around what I would expect a 150w to pull) at a PF of .67?

Also, I think this is an HQI (double ended bulb which looks like it just slides into the end's). The ballast has a cable like a computer power cord (three flat prongs), with the ballast connector being a recessed male. If I were looking for a replacement ballast for it, what 'style'/'form factor' would that be called (what should I be looking for when I shop for a replacement)? If needed I could take some pics of it...

[DarkRyok]

Alright guys. Im about to setup a standard 75 gallon tank. I was looking at a 6 bulb tek light t5 fixture. But then one of the guys at my lfs is trying to sell me a 2x150 watt sunpod fixture. I dont remember which one, but I know it had a bunch of led supplements. I love LPS, but Im starting to get into clams. But if I had correct lighting, I imagine Id get at least some SPS.

So would a 2x150 watt hqi be enough for a 21" tall tank?

[rangerD275]

Anyone use the 14k 250W SE icecap bulbs? They seem like a good bulb for the price.

[Tony Romano]

No - but i bet anything from Icecap is quality. How much are they?

[rangerD275]

No - but i bet anything from Icecap is quality. How much are they?

I can get 2 for 140 shipped.

[GregsReef28]

With a focus on budget, what would be the best pendant to hang over a 24x24x18 marineland cube? Mostly LPS with a few clams and choice SPS. Thanks in advance for any responses

[spankysreef]

I prefer MH over T-5,so far I see MH is the closest thing to natural sunlight that coral on the wild are growing under.

I prefer a mixture of both! 20k mh's with Ati blue+ T5's . Its an INSANE color combo! But i favor the bluer spectrum.

[reefWW96]

With a focus on budget, what would be the best pendant to hang over a 24x24x18 marineland cube? Mostly LPS with a few clams and choice SPS. Thanks in advance for any responses

gregsreef,
not sure how many gallons that is but a 250 watt 14k would be close to perfect

[Tony Romano]

Look at Icecap at Marine Depot. 150W would work as well, less heat. (less PAR as well). What room is this going in? I as for heat considerations.

[Tony Romano]

I prefer a mixture of both! 20k mh's with Ati blue+ T5's . Its an INSANE color combo! But i favor the bluer spectrum.

20k Rocks!

I am going back to all 420n tubes, may go 20k on MH as well.

This go around I has a 10k, 12k and 20k. 10k is very yellow and has 40% better PAR. (I may use 10Ks for growth) 20 or 12 for long term display.

[Ralph ATL]

anyone have a link or two on recent articles on how much par Stony corals need to live/grow? Also, I read somewhere that a par meter will not read a 20K bulb efficiently, so I'll need to add a certain %.

I have 2, 400 watt EVC 20k bulbs with 2 galaxy change a watt ballasts.

85 gallon 21 inches deep.

[nlandgraf]

What type of t5 bulbs do you use to supplement the halide light? I like the bluer look.

[Tony Romano]

anyone have a link or two on recent articles on how much par Stony corals need to live/grow? Also, I read somewhere that a par meter will not read a 20K bulb efficiently, so I'll need to add a certain %.

I have 2, 400 watt EVC 20k bulbs with 2 galaxy change a watt ballasts.

85 gallon 21 inches deep.

IMO - You have plenty of light! (maybe too much) :lol2:

"What type of t5 bulbs do you use to supplement the halide light? I like the bluer look."

460nm Super Actinic or one of the mix bulbs (Actinic I think they are called) . Personally I am going away from mix to pure 03, I discovered it is easier to see sps health under blues.

[Ralph ATL]

No T-5 bulbs.

Just a pair of Hamilton Reefstar Pendants.

Par was mostly at 300 or so, low 250 to a high of 350 where acro's are under water.

[dcombs44]

I'm getting ready to set up a 10 gallon zoanthid tank.

I have some lighting options from my old tanks, so here is what I'm planning to use.

I have a PFO dual 175 watt ballast that was given to me. I believe they are magnetic ballasts, but I'm not sure without ripping it apart. I'll see if I can get info on the ballast label.

I was able to pick up a PFO rectangular pendant on clearance and a hanging kit for it. What bulb would give the best PAR values on a small tank like this? I've always used Hamilton 14,000K bulbs on my other tanks (both 250 watt and 175 watt) I've got some of both that I can use now, but they are older and need replaced.

I only plan to use one bulb over the tank obviously. I know there's a thread with PAR values out there somewhere, but I couldn't find it.

Thanks.