1000 watt MH question...

[billbigsbe1]

Hello, I am currently faced w/the replacement of my current MH set-up. A "72 3x250 de14k w/4 96watt cf + lunars. 180 gallon. I dont know if I need to buy 3-4 400w luminarc/lumenbrite reflectors, or if 2 1000w is overkill? It is definatly cheaper to go w/the 1000w in up front cost. My big problem is that my tank only has 2 cut-outs in the top of the tank. I dont know if im going to get the proper light pennatration through all of the acrylic edges and center brace? Any advice will help, Thanks Dave

[billbigsbe1]

bump

[billbigsbe1]

bump

[billbigsbe1]

please help! am I gonna fry it????

[MileHighFish]

3 400's is the way i would go...the 1000's are going to cook your water.. i have heard of them also cracking acrylic

[MileHighFish]

plus all corals would go into shock your running 750 watts now, jumping to 2000 could cause problems.. imo

[billbigsbe1]

hey thanks for the reply, Im not to worried about the corals, but you raise an interesting point w/the acrylic! If I use the lumenbrites they will be at least 24-30 inches above my tank...

[reefkoi]

I have 1,000's on my 600. I have a friend locally that runs 2 1,000's on his 225, its 60"x30"x24" deep I believe.
He doesn't run a chiller and has never cooked the water that I know of.

[billbigsbe1]

are the tanks acrylic? how long have they been in use? any draw-backs? Thanks again!!!

[MileHighFish]

you live in colorado though, much cooler there.. my 400's need a chiller on a systm with 140 gallons.. 2000 watts is going to heat the water!! draw backs: yea $400 electric bills

[MileHighFish]

you would need air cooled hood (hydroponics) to pull this off IMO

[billbigsbe1]

In my basement 10 ft celings, average temp 68. The chiller is a no brainer. Either 2 x 1000watt or 4 x 400watt. Is there a huge difference between the energy consumption? Worried about the acrylic...

[billbigsbe1]

In my basement 10 ft celings, average temp 68. The chiller is a no brainer. Either 2 x 1000watt or 4 x 400watt. Is there a huge difference between the energy consumption? Worried about the acrylic...

[areze]

my thoughts, the 1000w to cover 6 feet of tank well would need to be raised up a bit, which is really the whole point of 1000w lights in the aquarium world, you mostly see them used by fish stores that need to have their lights many feet over the tank. its a rare tank that needs 1000w for penetration, certainly not a 24" tank, not even close.

with that said, raising them up creates issues as far as reflectors, even the best reflector is going to waste ALOT of light if its 2 feet off the water, easiest way to put it, if your covering 3 feet wide of tank, and 2' front to back, thats 1 foot worth of light, 33% of your light, that is not going directly into the tank. unless you can find an eliptical patterned reflector, I havent seen such a thing, infact its hard to find any super high efficiency reflector for 1000w MHs, and same goes for the bulbs themselves. they are the red headed stepchild barely housebroken for us from their industrial roots.

guess what Im saying is, Im not a fan of 1000w lights; 2000w of light vs 1200w at 3x400w. and Im betting the tank looks better and performs better with the 400w.

[billbigsbe1]

Thanks!

[billbigsbe1]

X 4-400 watt or 2 1000watt ????

[areze]

3x400w. its a 6' 180g right? tank is 2' wide, so youd want to cover 2' of the length on each pendant, 3 pendants.

[EnderG60]

3 or 4 400's will work very well for that tank.

I pretty much reserve recommending 1000w's for when your tring to cover a 3x3 or 4x4 foot area or have a 36" or deeper tank. there are a few local people that have them on 24" deep tanks but one only runs them for 3 hours a day and has 250's for other times, and the other just uses one in the middle of the tank for his rediculously high light SPS.

if you research and get the right bulb/balast combo then use the luminarc or similar reflector 3 400's will be plenty of light. if not too much.

[areze]

fwi, you can go with 3x250w and be fine.

I have 4x 250w on my 240, 24x24" and 8 feet long. lights up like a christmas tree.

[billbigsbe1]

That is what I have now(3x250s) ??? I dont know... Hamilton 1000w ballast $179, lumenbrite $110, 20k 1000w bulb $85 total=$364 x2=$728 or hamilton dual 400w ballast $229, lumenarc $125, bulb $65 total for 4 400s= $1218 I havent cut any corners yet, and dont think that either choice is halfass. I just need to kick it around.... Thanks everyone!

[areze]

why are you replacing your current setup, I forgot you listed that in your first post. that is ample light for any coral you could possibly want to keep.

[billbigsbe1]

tryin to re-invent the wheel mabe? All of DSMs big reefers use lumenarcs w/400s, and have great results. I want results!

[billbigsbe1]

last bump, i promise.... not hearing much good about the 1000s

[areze]

because they are overkill, you will burn anything you put under it, unless you raise it so high off the water that your putting out way less par and wasting the light.

go with 400s if you want, chasing a dream though. no way that light is limiting you. infact its probably a lateral move unless you keep the 400w of CF that you have now.

[billbigsbe1]

thanks for all the help!! I might try 2 400s over the two openings in my tank and a 250 hqi in the center where the acrylic top brace is? mabe just 3 400s ? Dave!

[areze]

its up to you on how much light you need. if the acrylic is clean(which might be impossible I know) it shouldnt affect light too much.

right now Im struggling not to burn my corals under my 250, maybe its just a matter of letting them get adjusted to it.

[billbigsbe1]

Do you use de or se bulbs. ive got my 250s about 8 inches above waterline. Todays thought is 2 hamilton dual 400 ballast and 4 lumenarc minis? re:

[billbigsbe1]

saw 3 400w lumenbrites today... definatly going w/3 400s

[Chihuahua6]

Deleted old post.