How do you choose what type of halides to use?

[cieman]

How do you choose what type of halides to use?
On a 90 Gal reef tank what would be a good choice of Halide setup to do both hard and soft corals? Where do you place the ballasts ? On the floor?

 

[herman]

There are several things that you have to consider. First is your color preference. Do yyou like it bluer or do you like that crisp white.
6500k=yellow - acintic light needed
10000k=more white - acintic needed
14000k=slightly blue - no suplemental light needed
20000k=blue - dayight

What a lot of people including myself do is mix the colors. The whites need to be supplemented by acintics. The best thing to do is visit verious shops and various MR reefs and see which color most please your eyes.

The second is wattage. Here is a general rule of thumb:
up to 18" - 175w
up to 24" - 250w
24" and up - 400w and up

You can create lighting zones, some brighter for sps, some less bright for zoos and some shade zones for the nonphotosynthetic corals such as the sun coral.

As far as which type of ballast and brad is up to your budget.

 

[cieman]

Thanks,

But what is the differences in ballasts and where is the best place to place them?

 

[herman]

I use pulse start ballasts and I have a separate compartment on my canopy. Some put it behind. Just wherever you have space. Just not in your tank.

Hellolights.com is a good place to start.

 

[cieman]

What controls the wattage used (bulbs or ballasts)?

 

[herman]

What controls the wattage used (bulbs or ballasts)?

Your wallet primarily!! First you choose the wattage and type of light you want. Then you match the ballast that will be able to power the light. Tell me which light you like and ill tell you wich ballast is good for it.

 

[cali_reef]

Here are some test data on different types of ballast by Dr. Sanjay

http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty...es/ballast comparison/ballast-comparison.html

More reading on MH bulb testing when you are ready:
http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/articles.htm

You can place the ballast pretty much anywhere around the tank, a few things to consider for placement location:

1. Coil type of ballast (Anything other than electronic type) generate a lot of heat, keeping it out of your stand will prevent some of that heat from going into the tank water.

2. Water will splash out of your tank one day(or multiple days like me), no matter how careful you are, ballast does not like water since the internal voltage is very high. Make sure it is not in a location water can splash on to it.

 

[cieman]

I guess i will need 2 250 watt halides?

 

[House of Laughter]

as per post #2 what are the dimensions of the 90g? and height is the key to wattage choices.

House

 

[cieman]

48 x 24 x 25

I really dont want to have to get a chiller.

LOL!

 

[twinreef]

that doesnt sound right, my 90G is 48x18x24 (LxWxH)
the numbers you gave are more for 120G

 

[cieman]

Sorry, It was a 90 gal but have oppurtunity for a 120