how much light is too much?

bountyhunter23

bountyhunter23

Member
I posted a thread on 150w MH being too much for my tank (20L). Well I decided to get a new MH pendant, but i love actinics and want to retrofit them into my tank. So that being said that would be like 198w or if i just did one strip of actinics 174. So would that be too much light? I guess i could just add moon lights if it is.
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
that does seem high for a 20gal tank. you will have to pull the light away from the tank, or else your gonna have heat and evaporation issues. some corals can be burned with too much light, and i cant imagine it would be comfortable for fish either.
 
robertmathern

robertmathern

Active Member
actually a 150 should be fine. Even with the attinic. But you will have to have the mh up I would say about 12-18'' off the water. Not sure how deep a 20 gal is but I have 2 X 250 mh and 2X54 t5 attinic over my 55 with no issues. Also have a fan blowing at the light to lower heat issues and you will be good.
 
bountyhunter23

bountyhunter23

Member
A 20gal long is 30x12x12. Like i said i don't need to have actinics but i will have them laying around. I could retrofit one strip if that extra 24w is gonna be to much. But i could just add in some moon lights. That will be fine with me too. I just like my tank to be blue, and 20k doesn't give that much growth.
 
robertmathern

robertmathern

Active Member
also just a thought try to see if you can trade the 150 for a 70 that would be better for the tank. But a 150 will work
 
bountyhunter23

bountyhunter23

Member
well its an off brand that i ordered from California and it gets here Monday. I thought about it but just decided to get the 150. So the 150w alone might be too much? I asked that earlier in the week and ppl said it would be fine. Well I guess I could send it back............
 
robertmathern

robertmathern

Active Member
Well the 150 is on the high side for the depth of the tank. But it will be fine just keep it up. And the attnic wont make a difference at all.
 
bountyhunter23

bountyhunter23

Member
really? I have the original actinics that came with my nova extreme(which have like no par), I bought some ATI for an upgrade. I can raise it up to 12-15 inches up... I believe.
 
robertmathern

robertmathern

Active Member
no no the attinic run the ati and keep it low. I am talking the mh hang it over the tank of you can about 12 - 18 and you will be fine. You might have to raise or lower it depending on the corals and stuff you want to keep. But that is a good starting point.
 
bountyhunter23

bountyhunter23

Member
yeah i switch over to talking about he MH. Hah sorry. As for corals i have a hammer, green star polyips, mushrooms, zoas, acropora, and a acropora with green fuzzy hair on it. Oh and a purple tipped anemone.
 
bountyhunter23

bountyhunter23

Member
alright! THANKS man i really really appreciate it!!! Like you have no idea!! I can raise it perfectly to 12inches!! I do worry about algae but it will be an excuse for me to get a lawn mower blenny.
 
robertmathern

robertmathern

Active Member
lol a lawn maower is a cool fish but not a fix all for alge. Keeping nutrents in check and old fashond manual removible is key there good luck
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Acclimate the tank and coral to the new light though. Put about 3 or 4 layers of window screen over the tank. After about three days take off the first layer. So on and so on until all the screen is off.
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/3094121
Acclimate the tank and coral to the new light though. Put about 3 or 4 layers of window screen over the tank. After about three days take off the first layer. So on and so on until all the screen is off.
That is brilliant!! I am going to do that to all my corals from now on^^
 
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