Metal Halide Bulbs

[crox]

:help: :help: :help: :help: :help:
I am switching to MH and I wanted to know if 2x250 MH with 2x95 VHO is to much for a 65g tank? Also I have a question on the bulbs. Can I combine a 20,000k Radium with a 12,000k Sunburst? Or I need to get two of the same bulbs?
Thank you in advance.
JP
:help: :help: :help: :help: :help:

 

[crox]

I forgot to mention that the VHO are Super Actinic.

 

[agent707]

You'd have hot water with 690 watts.
480 watts - 2x175's and 2x65's would be my recommendation.
It would be best if your MH's were the same in my opinion. 14000k's are nice.

 

[oceana]

IMO no its not to much but without a chiller you may have a problem. at the least you will need fans. depending on your hood height that may be enough
that is the lighting I would put on.
As for the bulbs yes you can mix it up but IMO you will have a devided tank. half will look different then the other half. might look a bit odd. BTW IMO the radium bulb is the best higher K bulbs there is. far more par then many other higher K bulbs. super nice crisp white look. no crazy blue like some higher K bulbs are.
BUT to get the most out of that bulb you MUST run it on a magnetic pulse start GERMAN made ballast. if you cant find a german made one american is fine but you lose a bit. running them on a electronic ballast is a BAD idea and does not do the bulb justice. they end up with less life and a different color spectrum. the down side of a radium bulb is the cost and even when run on a proper ballast they last around 8 months when run 12 hours a day. IMO the pros far out weigh the cons
this is NOT and aquarium bulb and was made to run on a particular ballast. they are used in optics MFG warehouses for there ability to bring out the best color and clarity in glass. lucky for us someone figured out it does the same thing for our corals. I run 3x400 radiums and I love the color and growth i get from these bulbs.
GL to ya

 

[crox]

Oceana

I knew I can count on you. I was looking at the Pulse Start PFO Dual. Will that do it?

 

[oceana]

Originally Posted by Crox
Oceana

I knew I can count on you. I was looking at the Pulse Start PFO Dual. Will that do it?

yup should work well. If you want i can help point you in the right direction for german made ballast. same place i get mine for a killer price theabels@knology.net

 

[crox]

Oceana
YGM.
:jumping: :jumping: :jumping:

 

[crox]

Also when i set up the fans in which direction should the air blow? I believe hot air should come out of the canopy. Right?

 

[oceana]

Originally Posted by Crox
Also when i set up the fans in which direction should the air blow? I believe hot air should come out of the canopy. Right?
IN. if the back is open the air WILL go out. you want cool fresh air going into the canopy. you can however put a vent fan on the top of the canopy helping to draw the air through the canopy
if you can install two 120CFM fans on one side of the canopy blowing across the lights towards the other side. then put one 4 inch fan blowing out of the canopy on the other side. this will cause a larrge amount of cross flow over the bulbs which is just what you want.
your not trying to cool the water itself you trying to cool the air between the bulbs and the water in order to reduce the effect the bulbs have on the water itself, think of the cool stream of air as sunblock for your tank

 

[agent707]

If I remember, most people say to blow directly on the water... to cool it, as the lights will heat it up. It will in turn push the hot air out as well.
Sucking air out wouldn't be as affective I wouldn't think... in cooling the water that is.

 

[jasonj75]

do yourself a favor and save your money on expensive computer style fans. go to wal mart or kmart and get you a Honeywell fan, they mount to the wall and the pivot. they really blow alot and have 3 speeds. its model is HT-800 ive been running mine since last summer, it keeps my temps under 80 all year long!!! plus its only gonna cost you around $10-15....