Is MH only ok for lighting?

[sco999]

I am in the process of purchasing my lighting for my DIY canopy. I was going to buy 1 250 watt MH with 10,000K bulb. Do I need a p/c or vho fixture as well. I was told that you need to have the p/c or vho so it can replicate sunrise and sunset. Would having only a MH be harmful to my corals, and inverts? Tank size is a 38Gallon dimensions are 36"x12.25"x20".
Thanks

 

[robchuck]

MH only is fine (I run that way as well as many other reefers), but with a 10,000K bulb, you may find the need to add actinics to balance out colors. Replication of sunrise/sunset is a cool ability to have, but MH come on slow enough that I don't think the lights coming on would be stressful to the critters (at least in my experience).

 

[sco999]

What if I were to use a 15,000K bulb would I need to supplement then?

 

[robchuck]

Nope!!! ...unless you like a very, very blue tank.

 

[sco999]

So you don't supplement then? I think I will go for MH only for now. What kind of light will I need for a sump/ref?

 

[robchuck]

I don't supplement my MH. Currently, I use 400W Coralvue 10,000K bulbs, but the Kelvin rating isn't representative to how they appear. I always like to try a new bulb everytime I change, and in the past I've used 10,000K, 13,000K, 14,000K, and 15,000K. The look from the 13-15,000K bulbs looks the best to me without any supplementation. Visually, the Coralvue 10,000K bulbs look similar to the mid-teenK bulbs, but I would guess that their spectrum peaks occur differently than the higher rated bulbs.
For a sump, you will only need enough light to work under. For a 'fuge, you'll need something that stimulates growth in plant species. There are some PC fixtures at Home Depot that put out 6500K light that works well for 'fuges. I think the brand is called Lights of America.

 

[sco999]

Is that sold as a plant light? Does it come with the fixture and everything? Or is it just a bulb?
Thanks So much you have been very helpful!

 

[mudplayerx]

MH does not need supplementation once you get a bulb that is 10k or higher. However, you have to leave them on for 12 hours a day.

 

[sammiefish]

I think that 12hrs / day of MH is wasteful... I keep mine on 6 hrs / day... 20000K XM... great growth from my corals... at half the operating cost of 12 hrs / day.... (that applies to the electricity as well as the increase in life expectancy of the equipment itself) I supplement with VHO's so I can see in the tank when the MH's are off.