The switch to Metal Halide

[stubbsz]

My 100g tank has long been lit by 4 96Watt Power compacts. I've been thinking of adding Metal Halides mainly because I want more SPS corals and I want them Lower in the tank just not at the top where they can get enough light. Also, some of the corals that looks pretty good in my tank looked better at the LFS under MH.

I'm not really sure what to do... I have a Canopy that is to shallow for Metal Halides so I've toyed with putting legs on the canopy and adding some metals while possible keeping the PC's. But maybe life would just be easier (given my lack of love for DIY) to get Pendants and sell the PC set. Do I need some PC or will metals alone work ( remember reading about supplementing actinic).

It can get reasonably warm in the house but I dont want to have to get a chiller, I'd like to make do with fans.

Cost is important... I can't spend buckets but I won't get anything mickey mouse...

So, do I ditch the canopy, what wattage to I really need, which resellers to use and what to avoid?


-Adrian

 

[Garry thomas]

A canopy is a neater way in my opinion but heat as you mention could be a problem. I had 2400 watts under a hood which was kept cool with many fans. The other unsightly feature with free standing lights is the light wastage where a lot of the light illuminates the whole room. :x

 

[Anonymous]

How far do you think you need your halides off the tank?

 

[stubbsz]

I'm the one asking the questions I have an acrylic tank and my understanding was that I would need 6 or more inches of clearance.... and unless MH fixtures and bulbs are VERY low profile these days, I wouldn't think I have room in the canopy.

-Adrian

 

[stubbsz]

A canopy is a neater way in my opinion but heat as you mention could be a problem. I had 2400 watts under a hood which was kept cool with many fans. The other unsightly feature with free standing lights is the light wastage where a lot of the light illuminates the whole room. :x

I thought about the light illuminatiing the room issue and wondered about using the walls of the canopy without the top to shield the room a little.

It's bad enough having my Yellow tangs relection swim back and forth across the TV without hundreds of watts of light doing the same thing.

 

[stubbsz]

Wow, three replies to my own post; how uncool. Anyway, I'm not getting my questions answered probably because I asked it so badly... The whole Metal Halide world is very confusing the more I look.

Questions:

1. How much clearance to you need (especially with an Acrylic tank)

2. Which Wattage for 5 foot 100g tank (19inches deep).

3) How many Lamps (I'm thinking Two) one to hang over each hole in the acrylic top piece?

4) Do I need Actinic light supplimented by my existing PC'c or something else? And how much would I need ( I doubt I need all 384 watts that i have now)

5) Any other comments, gotchas etc?

 

[ChrisRD]

1. If you're hanging the lamps over the openings and they're not directly over acrylic, I don't think it's a big worry. I prefer the lamps 6" or more above the water surface so I don't have to wipe them all the time (salt creep) and they're not transferring too much heat to the tank water.

2. Considering that your goal is to keep light demanding corals I would go with 2 X 250 watters.

3. Yup - that's what I'd do. The edges of the tank might be a bit dimmer depending on the reflectors you use and the mounting height of the lamps, but I would not hang a lamp directly over acrylic personally.

4. You don't need any IMO, but many prefer the look and they do provide useable light for your corals, so the more the merrier as long as you can control heat.

5. If it were me and I was going with supplemental actinics, I'd opt for VHOs over PCs.

 

[stubbsz]

Thanks Chris.

So I do think that getting a little more clearance between Lights and Water may be a good idea. Heat is an issue so lifting my canopy a few inches is probably going to have to happen... that will also reduce my chances of getting burned if I have to reach into the tank for anything.

Tank being a little darker at the ends isn't all bad to me.. I have some corals that will fair just fine there!

Your choice of VHO over PC. Any reason... my reason for PC would be that I have them already. Maybe I would just run one of the ballasts and have just two of the pc-lights running.

Is the supplimental Actinics purely cosmetic or would one say it's important.

-Adrian

 

[ChrisRD]

Your choice of VHO over PC. Any reason... my reason for PC would be that I have them already.

I prefer the look of the VHO actinics over the PCs and I feel the quality of the lamps available in VHO is better, but if you already have a PC setup, there are some decent PC actinic lamps out there these days.

Is the supplimental Actinics purely cosmetic or would one say it's important.

IMO it's a preference thing and I think they're optional in terms of coral health/needs, but if you're interested in getting your corals to fluorese well, like viewing the tank under actinics-only (which looks really cool), etc., they're the way to go.

 

[K9coral]

:x

 

[stubbsz]

:x

I'm fairly new to this Forum... why the Mad Emoticon?

 

[Anonymous]

Is the supplimental Actinics purely cosmetic or would one say it's important

Little of both but it does have beneficial health additives...In other words it cant hurt..I was running just MH's up until about 6-7 months ago..Now i got PC actinic supps...Ive seen a difference in coral coloration thats for sure...FWIW of course... You wont be sorry with Halides though..

 

[stubbsz]

You wont be sorry with Halides though.

..Until I get my Credit Card Bill. Or indeed my electricity bill.

The biggest worry for me is just getting the canopy right. I don't want the reef to be with out light while I !@#* about trying to install the new lights and a lift kit in, for more than a day. I'm not a greay DIY guy so it's a little scary.

The other worry is upsetting corals that are used to lower light...I've got one softie that has about 20% of the tank to itself and reaches the surface. It may be a little pissed off when the Halides get added in...I guess it will adapt.

-Adrian

 

[K9coral]

I wouldnt lose too much sleep over the electric bill. It may go up %10 or so. THats mine with 4 tanks and well over 1000 watts of llighting.

 

[Unarce]

You might actually save money in the long run. 250 watts of MH is so much more intense than 384 watts of PC for example. You'll also be able to shorten your photoperiod to perhaps 8 or even 6 hours.

 

[Unarce]

Two 175 watters with Lumenarcs, and you're good to go!

 

[LA-Lawman]

Until I get my Credit Card Bill. Or indeed my electricity bill.

Buying Halides is like having kids. If you wait untill you have the money it will never happen. very expensive to buy, then a couple of bucks here and there from then on.....

like the relation

I have (3) 250w on my tank with (2) 160 VHO actinincs.. and it is the best setup i have ever had.....