what now?

[hossfly]

I've just put my Iwasaki 250 MH (6500)on my hood and thanks to your advice I have positioned it in the middle of the hood and added a 4 inch computor fan to blow across the top and push the heat out. I am leaving the glass cover off as most of you suggested but since I'm still a little leary of the heat on the plastic brace over the top , I'm gonna wrap it in alum foil to bounc the heat off it. so now I'm wondering what will I be able to add to my tank with this extra lighting? anemone's? hard corals? currently I have the types that use low to medium light. is this 250 watts enough to "cover the bases" of other types? I've not yet had time to retro the vho's I've been using back on, but may or may not add them back on this weekend. gonna see how the tank fairs without them on it. I may just use them to light the sump under the tank and grow macro in it. so--o-o is this 250watt mh enough for the higher light loving stuff ? would it be with the vho's added? what are my options righ now? it is over my 72 gallon oceanic bowfront. thanks..

 

[danmhippo]

I think you can start experimenting with clams and sps, if other conditions of your tank is on par.

 

[Carpentersreef]

...but since I'm still a little leary of the heat on the plastic brace over the top , I'm gonna wrap it in alum foil to bounc the heat off it....

I'm a little concerned about corrosion dripping off that foil. I'm not sure, but it may cause you some water quality problems.
The light isn't directly over the brace, is it?

Mitch

 

[reefland]

I have positioned it in the middle of the hood and added a 4 inch computor fan to blow across the top and push the heat out.

You have the fan blowing over the top of what? the hood or bulb? Don't blow air directly over the bulb. You do not want to cool the bulb -- that will prevent it from reaching its operating temperature (and will likely give the bulb a yellower look.)