Metal Halide/ Cooling

[divetroop]

I have a 75 gallon tall reef tank with a 25 gallon sump( no refugium). I am planning on getting a metal halide retrofit kit with a double ended bulb. I went to my local LFS to check a retrofit kit out. The owner of the LFS told me that with a 150 watt bulb I might need a chiller and with a 250 watt I'll most definitely need a chiller. The 150 watt kit is $250 and the 250 watt kit is $300. What's your take on it? Any advice and/or help on this matter? :help:

75 gallon tank dimensions: :happyfish
36 inches long
15 inches wide
31 inches height
Also, the owner was kind of a sour grape.He wouldn't let me check out the kit at first. His reason for it was, "The kits are in the backroom so I can't show them to you." After a couple of minutes of talking to him he finally showed me a kit. He told me that I would need to bring the hood in and leave it for two days to get the light installed onto it. I told him that I currently run 3-65 watt PC flourescents on my hood and if by removing the hood from my tank for two days will it hurt the soft corals(Star Polyps, Mushrooms, Toadstool Leather, and a Frogspawn) that I have? His replied was, "I guess you have no choice".
I personally thought he was an a--h--e, but maybe it's just me. His employees are always super friendly. This hasn't been the first time he's made sarcastic remarks and been rude. I hate dealing with him, but today I had no choice. I was goind to pay for the kit up front but decided to leave the store and that I would think about it after the way he responded. The reason I shop there is because the employees are nice and helpful and I like to help out local small business. Should I buy the light from him or take my business somewhere else?

 

[teresaq]

I would check the internet first. I am going to buy a retro kit from a place on line, for 159.00 250 wtt which includes everything.
I think it all depends on how high your canopy is. It should be 8 to 10 inch tall. A lot of people use a clip on fan on the sump to help cool thier systems.

 

[reefreak29]

i have 250 watt 10000k , my tank goes up and down only 1 degree and there under a canopy what i did is connect a 4 inch fan thrue the top of my canopy

 

[lockemup]

Build your own custom canopy. This canopy cost less than $30 to build a couple years ago.
It is on my 90gal. I currently run 2x96w Actinics ans 1x175MH 6000K. I also have a 40W FL that I occasionally turn on, but this appears to be woirking fine for now. Note that this was when I first started and I have much more chit in the tank these days :joy: ...

 

[clown52]

I am about to be (its in the mail) running a 400w 10,000K MH on my tank as well as the PCs and moonlights I alreay have.
I have a canopy I made myself as well and was wondering. What would be the best place to put a fan? I was thinking of putting a fan in the end to draw air through, the back is open. Would I need a fan on both ends? Would I be better off putting one in the top of the canopy?
I was also thinking....what if I cut a large whole in the top of my canopy and then took another piece about an inch larger on each side and make a raised roof with a space in between the two. I am thinking that this would let heat escape as well as keep out any dust.

 

[lockemup]

I placed a fan on one side drawing air in and another on the opposite end blowing air out. The air flows across the MH and I can feel warm air exiting the canopy when the MH is on, so I know I am reducing air temp from this.
I used plastic zip ties to attach the fans to air conditioning vents I have on each side of the canopy. I will post some pics of the setup today.