Metal Halide concerns

wilioli

wilioli

Member
After some research on multiple forums regarding lighting, I came to the conclusion that I would go with t5 lighting. I had a general understanding of what I wanted; a basic direction I knew I would go to. Then I saw that the metal halides I had dismissed (due to pricing) sometimes actually come on sale. Lol.
So. I know nothing about mh requirements. I know what they are. That's about it. So:
1) There are three choices I see. 75w, 150w, and 250w -- I'm not sure how they match up with a 10g, 20g long, and 40g tank...
2) Then, the choice of bulbs..6700k, 8000k, 10000k, 14000k. So 10000k is the closest to daylight, and thats the one we need for reef tanks.. I've read that higher goes towards a blue color.. Soo, is higher purely for the color? or is there also an effect for growth, etc for corals?
3) And, do they have to be mounted on the celing? Can mounted legs be used? Is there an advantage/disadvantage for this?
 
gemmy

gemmy

Active Member
I, by no means am an expert on lighting, but I think I can answer some of your questions. Metal halides should be about 6-8 inches from the surface of the tank. They do not have to be hung from a ceiling though. You can make a light stand or be creative. I used a 4x4 cut into 12" sections, stacked/glued them together (4 high) and spray painted them to match the stand. The wattage of the bulbs that you want to use is dependent on tank size, both gallons and depth, and the types of corals you want to keep. As for the kelvin rating for the bulb, yes the higher you go the bluer it gets. It does affect the growth, as some people report faster coral growth with the 10k as opposed to the bluer bulbs. I'm sure someone else will provide more clarity.
 
nissan577

nissan577

Active Member
depends on your tank size
i would go with a metal halide with t5 or PC combo fixture.
i would also get a 150w MH with 14k phoenix bulbs.
that will give you and amazing crisp blue and sweet colors :)
 
wilioli

wilioli

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gemmy http:///forum/thread/381743/metal-halide-concerns#post_3327009
I, by no means am an expert on lighting, but I think I can answer some of your questions. Metal halides should be about 6-8 inches from the surface of the tank. They do not have to be hung from a ceiling though. You can make a light stand or be creative. I used a 4x4 cut into 12" sections, stacked/glued them together (4 high) and spray painted them to match the stand. The wattage of the bulbs that you want to use is dependent on tank size, both gallons and depth, and the types of corals you want to keep. As for the kelvin rating for the bulb, yes the higher you go the bluer it gets. It does affect the growth, as some people report faster coral growth with the 10k as opposed to the bluer bulbs. I'm sure someone else will provide more clarity.
do you have pics of ur light setup?
Quote:
Originally Posted by nissan577 http:///forum/thread/381743/metal-halide-concerns#post_3327014
depends on your tank size
i would go with a metal halide with t5 or PC combo fixture.
i would also get a 150w MH with 14k phoenix bulbs.
that will give you and amazing crisp blue and sweet colors :)
both!?!? naaahh. lol.. they only reason i was considering the MH was cause of the drop in price for a specific sale.. lol, im restricted for funds...
as for size, the tanks are 10g 20x10x12, 20L, 30x12x12, 40B 36x18x16 -- I have the 10.. the 20 and 40 im getting soon (huge clearout sale on tanks), and the 40 will be delayed for use.. didnt realize the true cost of the hobby when i was buying tanks... the 20 is most probably going to take over the 10, I have 2 clowns in there, and would eventually like to give them a bigger home... -- so really advice is for the 10 and 20.. thanks!
Quote:
Originally Posted by nissan577 http:///forum/thread/381743/metal-halide-concerns#post_3327041
what does that mean? you want lights for that?
lol, i think that was in response to your post i answered as well
 
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