150 watt or 250 watt metal Halide?

culp

culp

Active Member
i want to put metal halide on my 55 gallon tank because i have a couple corals in my tank under 260 watt CF but i want more and better corals.
so i decided to go with either 48” SunPod 2x150W HQI
Fixture by Current USA or 48” SunPod 2x250W HQI
Fixture by Current USA. the price differences is about $200. but if i need to i can pay for the 250. so which one should i go with?
 
mboswell1982

mboswell1982

Active Member
honestly, i dunno LOL but ive always learned that when upgrading, no matter what, if you can afford the better upgrade, go with it, an 250 is better than 150, so if you can afford it, go for it, uw ont regret it, thats for sure LOL
 
culp

culp

Active Member
Originally Posted by mboswell1982
http:///forum/post/2863463
honestly, i dunno LOL but ive always learned that when upgrading, no matter what, if you can afford the better upgrade, go with it, an 250 is better than 150, so if you can afford it, go for it, uw ont regret it, thats for sure LOL
nice. great job of backing your statement with facts.
but yea i get your point. might as well go with 250 over 150
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
Originally Posted by Culp
http:///forum/post/2863452
what corals could i keep under 250 that i couldn't keep under 150
none but you'll need to use good 150w bulbs to get decent growth (obviously all things being equal stuff will grow faster with the 250w version). 250w you'll have a wider bulb selection and can be more careless about choosing bulbs based on PAR. If you like the whiter look (read how the sunpod looks stock after break in) you can get the 150w version stick a XM 10k or AB 13k and call it a day. they easily outperform almost any 250w DE 20k bulb and arent too far behind your average performing 15k. of course that will add another $120-$150 to the cost of the 150w sunpod (but you will save on electricity, reduced heat and the 150w sunpod built in ballast make it a little more convenient than the 250w version). If you like a bluer look 20k 150w DE bulbs are pretty pitiful for PAR so you should definately consider the 250w version (although in this case you can still add another $150 because stock 14k sunpod bulbs are on the whiter side in what ever wattage.). If money's no object get the 250w verison. your right at that cut off depth where it just depends on other considerations (heat, money, bulbs, space, corals). My issue is I dont believe the 250w sunpod is worth $200 more than the 150w version. Normally it cost about $10-40 per lamp to jump from 150w to 250w (lamps and ballast are generally $10-20 more each). Sort of a rip they charge so much more for the 250w version.
 
bizzmoneyb

bizzmoneyb

Member
go with the 250 just in case you get a bigger tank in the future you'll still be good lightwise. i wouldnt go much bigger than a 55 with a 150 MH.
 
culp

culp

Active Member
Originally Posted by BizzMoneyB
http:///forum/post/2866025
go with the 250 just in case you get a bigger tank in the future you'll still be good lightwise. i wouldnt go much bigger than a 55 with a 150 MH.
that was what i was thinking but the next tank i'm planing on buying is a 6 foot 180 gallon tank. so when i do upgrade to a bigger tank that light fixture won't fit.
 
culp

culp

Active Member
if any one can tell my another metal halide light fixture that i could consider for my 55 gallon tank. if so thanks in advance
 
culp

culp

Active Member
yea right now its a good price but by the time i have enough money it probably will no longer be on sale. i would like to just put it onto the credit card but I'm trying real hard to keep the balance on that as low as possible so i don't have to pay that big rate on it.
 
culp

culp

Active Member
Originally Posted by kane4fire
http:///forum/post/2866270
As long as you have the hood space/cooling for a 250 go for the 250 without question
heat for the aquarium will not be a problem. we do every thing to make sure that the temperate never goes higher than 80. even in the summer if it is hotter than 75 outside we turn the ac to keep the fish happy and safe.
 
C

crashjt

Guest
Not that Im trying to argue with you but a 55 gal really doesnt hold that much water to disapate much heat.... 75 degrees in a house is not going to offset the heat of the halide IMO I think you had better be prepared to invest in a chiller could be wrong I will admit Im a bit new at this but????
 
vittoria8110

vittoria8110

Member
hey i know how you feel my and my wife just upgraded out light this week and i was on the fence with the 150-250 so after talking to my lfs and puting alot of threads on this site so i found the 2 doctors web site and i found that there was a 40 dollar diffence. so i went with most of the posts and got the 250 Outer Orbit Pro Series HQI/T-5/LED Lights let my tell you the box was big and heavy but i took it in then i hooked it up and it was so bright at fish the fish were shocked but no it has been running for like 3 days and i love it i would tell any one who is looking for this light to get it i love it and the blue and white led lights are great i also have a 55 gallon. but i will tell you to do your research you corals you may have to move them so you do not burn them. good luck let my know how you make out and post some pictures when you get a chance
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
Originally Posted by CRASHJT
http:///forum/post/2866550
Not that Im trying to argue with you but a 55 gal really doesnt hold that much water to disapate much heat.... 75 degrees in a house is not going to offset the heat of the halide IMO I think you had better be prepared to invest in a chiller could be wrong I will admit Im a bit new at this but????
I agree 75 deg would be considered a relatively hot room. with 250w in that temp you'll probably need a chiller or a combination of good fan cooling and evaporation. 70-72 deg house will probably keep you in that 82-83 deg range by the end of the light cycle. sunpods run relatively cool though. I'm seeing about 82deg max (36" dual 150w sunpod, open top 30g with 10g sump. no additional fan cooling, room temp always between 70-72deg). temps will climb with even a few degree hotter room temp.
 
culp

culp

Active Member
Originally Posted by Stanlalee
http:///forum/post/2866715
I agree 75 deg would be considered a relatively hot room. with 250w in that temp you'll probably need a chiller or a combination of good fan cooling and evaporation. 70-72 deg house will probably keep you in that 82-83 deg range by the end of the light cycle. sunpods run relatively cool though. I'm seeing about 82deg max (36" dual 150w sunpod, open top 30g with 10g sump. no additional fan cooling, room temp always between 70-72deg). temps will climb with even a few degree hotter room temp.
it wont hurt that i do have 2 30 inch box fans on both ends of the tank. and a 12 inch fan to blow air across the top of the water.
 
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