Another MH Question

balistikb

balistikb

Member
Can someone please tell me how much MH light I need in a 55gal? Also, I have some coral that looks really nice when my LEDs come on. Like florescent. How can I get my corals to show more of those colors during the day? Also How high does the MH lights need to be off the top of the tank?
 
reefnut

reefnut

Active Member
IMO 2-250w MH would work nice for standard 55g tanks. Heavy actinic will bring out the florescent in corals... and MH are typically mounted 8"-12" off the water.
 
reefnut

reefnut

Active Member
I think this link is still legal?? www.hellolights.com
The electric bill impact works like this...
Total wattage = 500ish so
Total watts x hours used per-day- say 8 = 4,000 watt hours per-day
Convert into KW = 4000/1000= 4KW per-day
Electricity cost (.08c per-KW here) so .32c per-day
 
reefnut

reefnut

Active Member
Check this spreadsheet out... I should have never figured this one out
this is based on a 1.0 power factor.
 
K

kistheeze

Guest
Here's my advice:
2X175W MH retrofit electronic setups
20k XM bulbs.
4-6 inches off the surface.
Done. Much cheaper overall initially and over time than 250W's with actinic VHO's.
 
reefnut

reefnut

Active Member
Difference in cost, Electronic retro from 175 to 250 is 10$
Difference in bulbs 5$
Difference in electricity around 2.88 per-month
not a deciding factor IMO.
Adding VHOs would increase the cost with 175w or 250w MH.
 
K

kistheeze

Guest
Hey - everyone's entitled to their own opinion. Personally a small upfront savings, plus a small ongoing savings, plus a much less likely need for a chiller are all pretty good reasons.
That and the fact that the tank isn't very deep.
Now if we're talking a 24 inch tank - we'd be discussing this in regards to do we need 400's or do 250's suffice right?
Hell - on this 55, the DE 150's would be killer. But they blow the whole cost equation out the door..
Hey - whatever you wanna do. Just letting you know that there isn't any reason that you have to do 250's.
 
K

kistheeze

Guest
Oh - I know. I just get a little uppity when people reccommend lighting that I feel is overkill. It's like this constant obsession with overdoing things. Like skimmers rated for 300 gallons on a 75 gallon tank, or 1000 watters on a 120, or 5 ampmaster 3000's on a 180, or hell - 24" rims on an SUV.
Don't mind me....
The other issue is that with 20K's there's really no need for actinics.....
Definitely something to consider.
 
balistikb

balistikb

Member
Kistheeze
I like your suggestion but I have a question. Right now I have 4 x 65w PC, is there anything I can do with that?
Also what is 20k XM bulbs?
And in you last comment you stated that with 20K's there's really no need for actinics.....
What is that? And will I still get the effect I am looking for from my corals?
 
K

kistheeze

Guest
OK - so you've already got 4X PC bulbs.
20K is the bulb spectrum (color) . 6500 (6.5K) is about as low as you'd want to go (yellow) 10K is about middle ground (whitish yellowish - depending on what brand) and 20K is about as high as you'd want to go (whitish to bluish - again depending on brand and what ballast you use).
Seeing as you already have the PC setup - I'll ask this: what types of PC bulbs do you have? IE: 6500, 10000, actinic, 50/50, 7100 blue, etc, etc....
 
K

kistheeze

Guest
Ok - my advice: buy 2 175W (or 250W - your choice.) retro kits with electronic ballasts and 2 XM 20k's.....
If you're still not getting the glow you want - switch out a couple of your PC lights for full on actinics.
 
K

kistheeze

Guest
XM is a brand name that manufactures bulbs.
They're cheap - and the 20K isn't quite as blue as the radium. That and you're not required to replace it as often.
No brainer in my book.
 
balistikb

balistikb

Member
oh so get the retro fit 175w with electronic balist and the XM bulbs 20000k to go with it.
Is that correct?
Any recomendations?
 
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