hermitkrab
Member
Alright can someone here explain in all the technical terms why I would want MHs instead of any other lighting?
Explain to my dad why MH is the way to go.
- Thread starter hermitkrab
- Start date
hermitkrab
Member
I know why but it is just hard explaining it to my dad.
snipe
Active Member
Well Metal Halides have more PAR output that is the only reason to go with them. I know these numbers are not right but it is like this. Powercompacts "cheapest lights to buy not to bad They are around the same as VHO and T5 lights and way above Normal Output/Flourecent." Around 60 PAR and Metal Halides have over 100 PAR you see what I mean? The PAR is the reading that is what makes the corals eat and makes them grow. With lower PAR the slower they grow and the higher the PAR the faster they grow. Depending on what lights your looking at you can get Metal Halides same price.
Watts is a waste because watts is the reading of what the light uses to work not the output. My 260 watt power compact would use as mutch light as a 260 watt Metal Halide "not a true bulb". Then the Metal Halide would put out more PAR and have better coral growth on the same electric bill.
Now in Metal Halide HQI DE "double ended" is better than mogul "it is MH that screws in a socket". The reason being is the HQI is compact and it has reflectors in the bulb itself to direct 99% of the light to the tank and on a mogul your loosing some light that is hitting the top of the fixuter and not bouncing down into the tank. You can get HQI bulbs for the same price as mogules and most places are starting to only carry HQI light fixtures.
Now the PAR readings arent right I was just using it as an example and the 260 watt MH bulb is fiction in real life it goes 70Watt 150Watt 175Watt 250Watt 400Watt 1000Watt.
Watts is a waste because watts is the reading of what the light uses to work not the output. My 260 watt power compact would use as mutch light as a 260 watt Metal Halide "not a true bulb". Then the Metal Halide would put out more PAR and have better coral growth on the same electric bill.
Now in Metal Halide HQI DE "double ended" is better than mogul "it is MH that screws in a socket". The reason being is the HQI is compact and it has reflectors in the bulb itself to direct 99% of the light to the tank and on a mogul your loosing some light that is hitting the top of the fixuter and not bouncing down into the tank. You can get HQI bulbs for the same price as mogules and most places are starting to only carry HQI light fixtures.
Now the PAR readings arent right I was just using it as an example and the 260 watt MH bulb is fiction in real life it goes 70Watt 150Watt 175Watt 250Watt 400Watt 1000Watt.
thegrog
Active Member
I garee with ^^^^^^
Also, with MH, your corals will do better, live longer healthier lives and, IMO, look better.
Another reason is they cost less to run (you need less watts for the equivalent light output), this is especially true for HQI bulbs.
Another reason is that you have to replace the bulbs far less frequently. For power compacts, you should replace the bulbs every 4-6 months regardless of what you have in your tank. Around 6 months for VHO as well. Don't know about T5 but I assume it is about the same. It is even shorter if the bulbs are allowed to get very hot (ie: they don't have good air circulation in their fixtures)
With metal halide, moguls should be replaced every 12-18 months. Shorter if you have high light demanding corals where the reduced output will affect, longer if you have less demanding ones and have good air circulation around the fixtures (they don't get as hot). HQI bulbs last around 14-18 months.
With that in mind, say you have a 260w PC fixture (4x65w bulbs). Good PC bulbs (stay away from cheap bulbs no matter what type....you get what you pay for) will run you around $25 each for a total of $100 for a total bulb change. Twice a year and that is $200 per year. Now say you have a 175W MH bulb (about the same light output) that you replace yearly. A good 20,000K mogul bulb will run you around $80-$90 and around $10-$20 more for a 150w HQI bulb (don't come in 175). VHO bulbs run around $30-$35 each so replacing 2 110 watt bulbs (minimum you would need for corals) would run you around $120-$140 per year. Now, T5 bulbs are in 24, 39 and 54 watts. So 4-54 watt bulbs (216w total) at $20 each would be $160 per year.
To sum up the yearly cost of bulbs alone:
260W PC: $200
220W VHO: ~$130
216W T5: $160
175/150W MH: ~$85
Multiply that by the number of years you will have the tank, and the extra power costs for the different required wattages, it adds up quick. I feel that alone can justify metal halide as the best choice.
Quick add up of power costs:
PC: 260W * 12 hours/day = ~3.12kWh (kilowatt hours) 365 days/yr =~1140 kWh/yr
MH: 175W *12 hr/day =~2.1kWh 365 days/year =~770kWh/year
Say your power company charges you $0.07/kWh (roughly what mine charges)
That puts the PC cost at about $90 per year and MH at about $50.
Now I may not be doing my math right on figuring the power costs, but you get the idea.
So, present these hard numbers to your dad. After a year or two, the higher cost of setup for the MH will be offset by the power costs and bulb replacement. It just makes sense. Besides, your corals will do better and you won't have to replace them because they died from insufficient lighting. In fact, they may grow so well, you will be able to frag them and sell the peices back to the LFS for extra $$!
Hope this helps. Trust me, I know how dads think, I battled mine for years before I learned how to approach him!
Also, with MH, your corals will do better, live longer healthier lives and, IMO, look better.
Another reason is they cost less to run (you need less watts for the equivalent light output), this is especially true for HQI bulbs.
Another reason is that you have to replace the bulbs far less frequently. For power compacts, you should replace the bulbs every 4-6 months regardless of what you have in your tank. Around 6 months for VHO as well. Don't know about T5 but I assume it is about the same. It is even shorter if the bulbs are allowed to get very hot (ie: they don't have good air circulation in their fixtures)
With metal halide, moguls should be replaced every 12-18 months. Shorter if you have high light demanding corals where the reduced output will affect, longer if you have less demanding ones and have good air circulation around the fixtures (they don't get as hot). HQI bulbs last around 14-18 months.
With that in mind, say you have a 260w PC fixture (4x65w bulbs). Good PC bulbs (stay away from cheap bulbs no matter what type....you get what you pay for) will run you around $25 each for a total of $100 for a total bulb change. Twice a year and that is $200 per year. Now say you have a 175W MH bulb (about the same light output) that you replace yearly. A good 20,000K mogul bulb will run you around $80-$90 and around $10-$20 more for a 150w HQI bulb (don't come in 175). VHO bulbs run around $30-$35 each so replacing 2 110 watt bulbs (minimum you would need for corals) would run you around $120-$140 per year. Now, T5 bulbs are in 24, 39 and 54 watts. So 4-54 watt bulbs (216w total) at $20 each would be $160 per year.
To sum up the yearly cost of bulbs alone:
260W PC: $200
220W VHO: ~$130
216W T5: $160
175/150W MH: ~$85
Multiply that by the number of years you will have the tank, and the extra power costs for the different required wattages, it adds up quick. I feel that alone can justify metal halide as the best choice.
Quick add up of power costs:
PC: 260W * 12 hours/day = ~3.12kWh (kilowatt hours) 365 days/yr =~1140 kWh/yr
MH: 175W *12 hr/day =~2.1kWh 365 days/year =~770kWh/year
Say your power company charges you $0.07/kWh (roughly what mine charges)
That puts the PC cost at about $90 per year and MH at about $50.
Now I may not be doing my math right on figuring the power costs, but you get the idea.
So, present these hard numbers to your dad. After a year or two, the higher cost of setup for the MH will be offset by the power costs and bulb replacement. It just makes sense. Besides, your corals will do better and you won't have to replace them because they died from insufficient lighting. In fact, they may grow so well, you will be able to frag them and sell the peices back to the LFS for extra $$!
Hope this helps. Trust me, I know how dads think, I battled mine for years before I learned how to approach him!
trainfever
Active Member
Well Dad, all of the above reasons are true, but the main reason for you to buy the MHs is because you are the best Dad in the whole wide world and you would do anything to make your little boy/girl happy, and because Fathers' Day is coming up in a couple weeks. 
