Metal Halide Question

[matttamar]

I know lighting questions have been asked many times in past posts and I did a search but could not find the answer to my question. Currently I have a 75 gal tank with Coralife PC light fixture. Recently while searching for Metal Halides online I came across this deal. A 48" Odyssea MH hood with a total of 434w, It has 2 175w double ended HQi 20000k and 4 21w T5 actinic bulbs for $329. Is this a good deal? Would upgrading to this light allow me to keep almost any coral, anenome, or clam? How would running this light setup affect my electric bill each month? I would also like to say thank you to everyone here who as helped me and given me great advice. My tank is looking very good and yesterday I purchased my first coral, a single purple mushroom. I also forgot to ask is this wattage to much for my tank? I know it comes out too about 6 watts per gallon.

 

[dogstar]

Souds like a good deal but very very blue in color. May not provide best spectrums for most corals. If you have the option to chang to a 14k or 10k may be best. Depending on where you live and how long you run them could add 10 to 40 $$$ to bill. depending on set up, will add heat to the tank and hope the hood has good fans for cooling.

 

[matttamar]

Thanks dogstar, can anyone give me there suggestions on which mh hood to get? I was also looking at the coralife MH.

 

[1journeyman]

The HQIs don't appear to burn quite as "blue" as MHs. From the one's I've seen on display anyway.

 

[verde_ad]

My 20k Aqualine 250w hqi burns a little blue, but I don't think it is that blue. I don't suppliment any actinic though. I will be adding two VHO's soon. Most likely a actinic white and super actinic. I would say that all actinic, plus 20k halides would be a bit much blue. You probably would not see super good growth out of your corals either. JMO

 

[golfish]

Originally Posted by MATTTAMAR
It has 2 175w double ended HQi 20000k

175 watt DE bulbs are news to me.....They probably mean 150 watt.

 

[shawnts106]

What about this site that some guy posted about him going to Lows or Home depot and buying 2 175 watt Mercury Vapor Outdoor lights and putting them on his tank with new 10,000K bulbs... he bought 2 175 watts for like 21.99 each... really really cheap and it works... This is what Im about to do for my reef... buy these redo them and put 14K's with VHOs too!