Metal Halide Height?

[Lorenz725]

I have seen others ask this question and I am hearing about 8 to 10 inches above the water. My tank is a 150 rr tank 72"X18"X22" deep and I am mounting 3 250W MH in the hood. But the hood is only 8 inches deep so is that 8 to 10 inches to the reflector or the bulb? Thanks
Charles

[ganjero]

The measurement is usually to the bulb, but the distance depends on the reflector. What reflector are you planning to use?

[Lorenz725]

I got 3 lumen bright mini reflectors
http://www.marinedepot.com/CoralVue_Lumen_Bright_Reflector_Metal_Halide_Reflectors-CoralVue-CV1351-FILTACRAMH-vi.html

[ganjero]

I have those reflectors. This is another league of reflectors, those you have to put around 14" from the water surface to the bulb ( I have mine at about 18" using radiums 250w), otherwise you'll be bleaching anything you put in there and you’ll also have beams of light below the reflector. Great reflectors BTW

Check this http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-06/review/index

[Lorenz725]

Tanks for the info. Do you by chance have a pic of your set up? Also are you running fans in your hood? How do you clean your reflectors I got them used and they have a little salt spray on them but not bad at all.

[ganjero]

I don’t have a hood, I have a DIY light rack hanging from the ceiling. At the height there is no need for fans ( I run a room fan in the summer just in case). Also I barely get any salt spray at that height so I don’t clean them. I believe you can do more harm than good if you only have a little salt spray.

[Lorenz725]

Ok thanks I like your idea might just get ride of the hood all together. Any way you can get a pic of you set up so i can see it? Thanks again
Charles

[Lorenz725]

Ok thanks I like your idea might just get ride of the hood all together. Any way you can get a pic of you set up so i can see it? Thanks again
Charles

[Lorenz725]

Also do you run antics on your set up or just the MH?