Down grading from 250w MH to 175w MH

gulfstream · 08/29/2009, 10:27 PM

Hello Fellow refers!!
I got a very important question regarding switching from
250 SE MH to 175 SE MH....
The reason Iam switching is the fact that I no longer have
Many SPS.....and most of the corals I have are the easy to
keep LPS Hammers,brains etc......and offcourse Softies.......
therefore I think my present 250w is way too much for what I have.....
My fixture is an Ultra USA fixture with 4 T5 bulbs and the MH.
The question is......will 175w look very dim compared to 250w
My tank is a 72g Bowfront tank at 23'' tall with 3'' sandbed.
will there be a difference of looks and offcourse cost of running it.....also thinking of adding clams which require low wattage
any advice will be greatly appreciate it.
yjanks

addicted2reefin · 08/29/2009, 10:44 PM

i ran 175s and 250 and i didnt notice too much difference, but they were on 2 dif tanks, the 175 was on a 20 gallon and the 250s were on a 75. the cost of running will go down by approx 200 watts/hr. my 175 ballast ran at about 250watts and my 250s ran about 350 watts when measured on the kill a watt

are u saying clams in general require low wattage
or u want to add clams that dont require high light

crocea/maxima require a good ammt of light
whereas derasa/squamosa dont need as much. u could probably get away with 175s w/ a maxima tho, with phyto. clams dont get there bulk ammt of food from zooxanthelle anywayz

gulfstream · 08/30/2009, 10:47 AM

hello Addicted.....
I meant clams which do not require much light!?
thanks

bawla47 · 08/30/2009, 06:27 PM

you could get away with clams, but your gonna definately need to have crocea/maximas higher up on the rocks, within 10" or so of the bulb.

08/29/2009, 10:27 PM	#1
gulfstream Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Ottawa,Ontario.Canada Posts: 110	Down grading from 250w MH to 175w MH Hello Fellow refers!! I got a very important question regarding switching from 250 SE MH to 175 SE MH.... The reason Iam switching is the fact that I no longer have Many SPS.....and most of the corals I have are the easy to keep LPS Hammers,brains etc......and offcourse Softies....... therefore I think my present 250w is way too much for what I have..... My fixture is an Ultra USA fixture with 4 T5 bulbs and the MH. The question is......will 175w look very dim compared to 250w My tank is a 72g Bowfront tank at 23'' tall with 3'' sandbed. will there be a difference of looks and offcourse cost of running it.....also thinking of adding clams which require low wattage any advice will be greatly appreciate it. yjanks

08/29/2009, 10:44 PM	#2
addicted2reefin Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: hell, delaware Posts: 628	i ran 175s and 250 and i didnt notice too much difference, but they were on 2 dif tanks, the 175 was on a 20 gallon and the 250s were on a 75. the cost of running will go down by approx 200 watts/hr. my 175 ballast ran at about 250watts and my 250s ran about 350 watts when measured on the kill a watt are u saying clams in general require low wattage or u want to add clams that dont require high light crocea/maxima require a good ammt of light whereas derasa/squamosa dont need as much. u could probably get away with 175s w/ a maxima tho, with phyto. clams dont get there bulk ammt of food from zooxanthelle anywayz

08/30/2009, 10:47 AM	#3
gulfstream Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Ottawa,Ontario.Canada Posts: 110	hello Addicted..... I meant clams which do not require much light!? thanks

08/30/2009, 06:27 PM	#4
bawla47 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: fort lauderdale, FL Posts: 2,190	you could get away with clams, but your gonna definately need to have crocea/maximas higher up on the rocks, within 10" or so of the bulb.