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chriscobb
10/12/2006, 08:38 PM
Do DE MH's run cooler than SE MH's?
hawaiianwargod
10/12/2006, 08:41 PM
I think DE bulbs are hotter but it also depends on the ballast.
eclecticvibe
10/12/2006, 08:43 PM
DE bulbs are shielded with glass so a lot of the heat is transferred up rather than down toward the tank. All halide bulbs are hot though. Get a chiller. It's an investment, but it allows you to keep better control of your tanks temperature with any lighting system. Tanks can swing 5 degrees or more and that isn't good. A chiller on a good controller can keep you withing half a degree.
chriscobb
10/12/2006, 08:46 PM
Thanks Jay....I know MH's are hot just a debate between 2 friends here....1 hp chiller and I don't worry about heat.....
eclecticvibe
10/12/2006, 08:49 PM
DE bulbs don't usually have fans on them. I've heard it's 1 because it changes the color of DE bulbs, and 2 that the glass shield blocks heat so there's no need for noisy fans.
Waxxiemann
10/12/2006, 09:20 PM
I wonder how it changes the colors? I was planning on relying on canopy fans to cool my tank which has 2 DE bulbs in it.
MeuserReef
10/12/2006, 10:34 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8330722#post8330722 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Waxxiemann
I wonder how it changes the colors? I was planning on relying on canopy fans to cool my tank which has 2 DE bulbs in it.

Im installing 2 150W DE bulbs into a new canopy and I'm using 4 PC fans to export the heat.

A chiller is not in my budget at the moment... So fans and lots of ATO will have to suffice for now.


eclecticvibe -

Please elaborate on the "Fans change the color" thing... doesnt make sense to me.
odstar
10/12/2006, 11:43 PM
I run a current 1/15 chiller in my AP and it was the best investment you can get. Highly recommended for any with MH or anenclosed system....just my 2 cents.
chriscobb
10/12/2006, 11:52 PM
Hey Jay if that's the case, why does Coralife put fans in their units?
aclos3
10/13/2006, 12:53 AM
My dad and I have a 125g tank with 2x400w SE halides + 4x54w PC's and no chiller or temperature problems. The house is air conditioned, but only to about 74 degrees in the summer. The tank has glass covers and the bulbs are about 10-12 inches off the water surface. It must get enough cooling from the overflow / sump ciculation. It evaporates about 1.5g a day.

A chiller is certainly NOT needed even in a high light, largish tank setup if you set it up right. Our tank does not swing by 5 degrees, but about 2... but I don't even see how 5 degrees is an issue. Many Reefs in nature experience this kind of swing every day! Also, ask jnarowe about his 1000g setup and his temp swings... he swings about 5 degrees per day and his tank is going great.

How high will your lights be from the surface, are then in a canopy, is that canopy open in the back, do you have covers over the glass? Please tell us a little more about your setup.
eclecticvibe
10/13/2006, 06:58 AM
I've never understood the color change completely myself. It's just something I picked up in reading somewhere. I could be wrong; that's happened before.
MeuserReef
10/13/2006, 07:39 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8331443#post8331443 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by odstar
I run a current 1/15 chiller in my AP and it was the best investment you can get. Highly recommended for any with MH or anenclosed system....just my 2 cents.

I agree (although I dont own a chiller..... yet)..

My tank has 250+ Watts of PC lighting that sits about 3 inches off of the water surface. I am moving to 300W of MH lighting but I built a canopy that is twice as tall. If I have to.. I will probably invest in the 1/15 Hp chiller. Im not planning on moving to a larger tank for a while..


On a side note:

I work at a Foodservice warehouse that is lit with 320W halide fixtures. The ballasts / bulbs in the Produce section (~38 degrees all year long) hold their color and intensity nearly twice as well as those that are in the dry storage (probably 120 degrees or more at roof level in the summer). My guess is that the cold helps the fixtures operate cooler, which in turn makes the bulbs last longer. Wouldnt this hold true for our tanks as well?. Cooler environment = better bulb performance?

electicvibe... I have been wrong once or twice myself. No worries!. LOL
MeuserReef
10/13/2006, 07:42 AM
Next week....

DIY Air Conditioned Canopy.. Episode 1

What...? Computer folks can put A/C in their computers? What makes them so special?

Sorry... the coffee is kicking in strong this morning...

LOL