400 watt metal halide

[arnprior]

Hi.I have a chance to pick up a 400 watt metal halide ballast and socket pretty cheap and was wondering if it may be ok to use just the one bulb over a 4' tank?Right now I am currently using a ice cap 660 with 4 110 watt bulbs.Should I place the 400 watt in the center of my canopy and continue running the 4 vho or should I just purchase two 175-250 watt metal halide ballasts and run them at each end also with the vho?Could someone with metal halide experience help me clarify this up?Thanks.

 

[Bodine]

One halide to cover four feet is a bit much to ask.
The standard coverage accepted by most aquarist is one halide for every two feet.
I have three 400 watt halides on my 6 foot tank(180 gals)

However that is not to say it cant be done. Depends on what you want to keep.

If you can get the lighting cheap, why not.
You can keep light demanding species in the center and lower-light corals on the ends.

The best advice I can give you is to buy the lighting up front because you will only want to up-grade later. You will be stuck with used equipment.
I would go with two at least two 250 watt halides if you can afford it.

 

[arnprior]

Thanks.I thought that I should go with the two,but then again the vho has been my sole lighting up until now.I just thought with it being a 400 watt balast there may be hope mounting it centrally.

 

[MediaOne]

You can also put the Metal Halide to one side of the tank and build up the rock in a spire like formation. That way you could place your specimens at different depths and be able to keep pretty much everything, they would just need to be on the spire. I would continue to run the 4 VHO bulbs on the tank also, BUT be worried about light shock when you first start using the extra bulb. Maybe run the halide and 2 bulbs for a while, and then graduate up to all 4 VHO's.

Just my 2 Cents.

JO

 

[Ben1]

Mediaone with and ICe cap 660 running only some of the VHO's wouldnt work.

I bought my dual PFO 400Watt MH with moguls, reflectors, and 2 8 month old 65k's used for 200$ about 2-3 years ago. I have had no problem with used eqiuptment and the worst thing that happened was the switchs burned up in the ballast. I got new ones from HD and replaced them for like 3$ each.

FWIW I use the two 400's and 3 110 watt actincs over my 4' 75 gallon with great success. Why not get this one used and the one new. If the price is that different.

 

[mtellin]

Ben - do you run a chiller on your 75? Im getting 2 400 watt halides for my tank and eventually will probably add 2 110 watt actinics to it and Im planning on not using a chiller. Also if you dont, how high do you have the halides mounted and how many fans?
Thanks

 

[arnprior]

I would definetely say the price is right.(Around here anyway).$65 for the ballast in an aluminum enclosure,the socket,and a bulb.(which of course I cannot use).It' a big bulky egg shaped bulb.I am not to sure if I want to run two 400 watters plus vho.(Hydro),I may still purchase it and hold out for two 175-250watt ballasts.My custom canopy only sits 9" from the surface of the water.(Big issue?)I don't know for sure.