Metal Halide Lighting

[FishLvR1023]

Hi, I was wondering if one could still keep thriving corals and only have the metal halide bulb with no atinic 03 radiation from supplemental lights?? Thanks!

 

[LauraH]

You can, and I have.

I've had my 180gal up for quite awhile using only 250watt Iwasaki 6500k lamps. I had used bluer lamps in the past so I didn't worry about supplemental lighting. I've gotten good growth, if not the best color display from the lamps that I currently use.

I've just gotten a PC setup and will be supplementing the MH lamps with PC actinics, mostly for aesthetic reasons.

In other words, corals can still grow under MH only, but depending on the lamps that you use, you may not be satisfied with the way the tank looks.

 

[Len]

I've done it too. Corals grew just fine and everything was healthy, but the coloration wasn't to my liking so I added VHO actinics. I now use 2 250W DE 10KKs and 4 110W VHO actinics.

 

[FishLvR1023]

Hi, thanks for the quick replies, I'm planning a 30XH reef tank and I am going to use a 175w metal halide pendent by coralife, what kelvin rating should i use if i am to only use the pendent?

 

[LauraH]

How is the pendant designed? Will the bulb hang vertically or horizontally?

 

[bdelaney]

Hi, thanks for the quick replies, I'm planning a 30XH reef tank and I am going to use a 175w metal halide pendent by coralife, what kelvin rating should i use if i am to only use the pendent?

I use an Ushio 10000K bulb in my pendant. It gives off nice crisp white light.

 

[liquid]

I've been doing it for about a year now. I turned my VHO's off last summer as I was having heat problem and I haven't turned them back on since. I'm using a 250 watt 6500 K Iwasaki over my 38 gal tank and things are just fine.

Shane