How Much Light Is 2 Much?

ian

ian

Member
I have a 215 gallon reef tank and I am about to add the metal halide lighting once I build the canopy (this weekend I hope). I have been doing a lot of looking and talking to shop owners. The one guy that has always given me good advice is recommending 4 X 400 watt Metal Halide's. The tank is 6 feet wide and 28 inches tall. I had planned on doing 3 X 250 Watt. I don't think he is misleading me because the lighting I am planning on buying is on ---- and he knows that. The company on ---- sells double electronic ballasts for about $120 to $150 each. The cost of equipment is not going to fluctuate with either decision. I also am going to add 2 X 72 inch IceCap VHO's, or that is the plan.
Does anyone have any experience in lighting a tank of similar dimensions? My big goal is to not be limited down the road as to what I can add.
THANKS!!
 
ian

ian

Member
I had thought of that but we are talking 1000watts versus 1600 watts. It shouldn't be the end of the world (I hope) but maybe you know more about electric consumption?
Thanks for the advice
 
cboyfan2020

cboyfan2020

Active Member
good thing: you should be able to keep anything you want except some mushrooms unless they are under a ledge or something.
bad thing: electricity bill every month:eek:
 
ian

ian

Member
Maybe I need to look into electric consumption v.s. the electric bill rates. Has anyone got experience with the types of increase they see in their bill?
 
ian

ian

Member
I am trying to find a way to convert the energy consumption into dollar value but I have not found the info yet.
 
ian

ian

Member
That is the type of answer I am looking for! Thanks that is great! I think the 250's are going to be the way to go.
I did see a tank with 2 250's and 2 X 72 inch VHO's and it looked really good!
Thanks again
Ian
 
richard rendos

richard rendos

Active Member
I would say it depends on what you want to keep in the tank. I don't think 3 250's are going to be enough if you plan on keeping SPS or clams, but if you plan on softies, leathers, LPS, etc. that should be fine.
 
rane

rane

Member
Ian,
My tank is 72inches long and I have 2 250w 10ks on and I am going to get another 250, 2 is not enough I have a dark spot in the middle of the tank, you cant really tell but if you look at it in pics you can see it
 
ian

ian

Member
Very nice pics and tank! What kind of ballasts are you using? If anyone else has similar pics with metal halide lighting I would love to see them
 
rane

rane

Member
Ian,
I honestly cant tell you what kind as I had the light system custome made and did not even bother asking what kind they were all I know its 250w 10ks, I am going to order another 250w socket and ballast from e-bay and add it to the middle for a total of 3 20w and that should take care of the dark spot, you should have 1 MH light per 2 feet of tank so that should cover it..Thanks for the compliments...also remember the heat issue, more watts= m ore heat you might have to get a chiller if you go with 4 4000w mh
 
ian

ian

Member
Yeah I guess I had been ignoring the heat issue. I am really leaning toward the 250 option. The company on ---- is selling dual 250 watt ballasts for about $120.00 and the are electronic.
How many hours a day are you running your MH lights?
 
rane

rane

Member
Right now I am not runing them at all since my tank is in the cycle process, that way I dont get much of an alge bloom but I plant to run them for about 10-12 hours for MH and 13-14hours for the acintics...but this is not in stone things might change
 
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