Lighting

[literati08]

I am currently using a MH but my tank temp is going up...
I have a VHO also can i chage my lighting to VHO for the summer ? does it make any difference ?
Thanks

 

[bseth90]

I have only vho lighting and my temp barely moves 79-80 degrees with glass tops on (saves on top off). MH run much hotter thus all the cooling fans needed, etc. Obviously the corals you can keep are much greater with mh. I have 2 crocea clams (they look great for me - some argue the light is not enough, but one is almost 6 months old the other five), zoos, elephant ears, yellow polyups, hammer, branching torch nine heads, other shrooms (one gets around three inches when opened the other about five). Just thought I'd give some ideas what you can keep. Good luck

 

[literati08]

thank you i have some corals now .... does it have any effects if i change it to VHO for the summer and put back the MH in fall ?

 

[bseth90]

You may have to move some corals up higher in your tank to allow them to get the same light strength. It all depends on your corals and obviously your light set up. Example I have a 90 with 550 watts of light. Hammer and torch are on the bottom, shrooms up halfway, same with clams, zoos are all over, pagoda cup on the bottom. My tank is 24 inches deep. Hope that helps

 

[ags]

When you switch back to the MH after the summer you might have to do a acclimation period as well. Slowly working the MH's on time to a full day.