Metal Halides and Reef Tank
- Thread starter ari_bose
- Start date
farslayer
Active Member
No, you don't have enough halide coverage. Halides are typically good for about two feed, so two bulbs would give you a 48" coverage area (24" coverage per bulb). You would need another halide to get full coverage, otherwise you would need to position your corals properly under the halides.
Also, flow is very important for SPS corals, as is water quality. Make sure you have 20 to 40 times your tank volume in water flow per hour.
Also, flow is very important for SPS corals, as is water quality. Make sure you have 20 to 40 times your tank volume in water flow per hour.
yosemite sam
Active Member
You'll probably need 3 MH bulbs over a 66" tank. The general rule of thumb is 1 bulb for 24" of tank length.
teen
Active Member
Originally Posted by ratrod
PHP Code:
[/code]
IMO, 4 HQI 250w MH aren't much either
how is 4 x 250w over a 72" not much?
and to the thread starter, i would go with 3x 250 and you can keep anything, lighting wise that is.
PHP Code:
Code:
[code]
Farslayer wrote;
Just as a side, I have 4 250W MH HQI bulbs over my 125G (72").IMO, 4 HQI 250w MH aren't much either
how is 4 x 250w over a 72" not much?
and to the thread starter, i would go with 3x 250 and you can keep anything, lighting wise that is.
yosemite sam
Active Member
Originally Posted by ratrod
3 250w screw type MH, is way more than 4 250w HQI's any day
What are you basing that on? :notsure: 3 se MH bulbs are not more powerful than 4 de MH bulbs.
3 250w screw type MH, is way more than 4 250w HQI's any day
What are you basing that on? :notsure: 3 se MH bulbs are not more powerful than 4 de MH bulbs.
yosemite sam
Active Member
Originally Posted by ratrod
MH HQI's are fine but they are nothing in comparison to screw type even if they are the same wattage. I have a lot of both, and I understand what the manufactures say, but if you've ever seen the two right next to each other you'll see quit a difference
I'm still not sure what you're basing that on. Brightness? Some bulbs look brighter than others, but that doesn't have a lot to do with their performance in terms of emitting usable light.
The best DE bulbs, from what I have seen published, give slightly better PAR than the best single ended bulbs.
MH HQI's are fine but they are nothing in comparison to screw type even if they are the same wattage. I have a lot of both, and I understand what the manufactures say, but if you've ever seen the two right next to each other you'll see quit a difference
I'm still not sure what you're basing that on. Brightness? Some bulbs look brighter than others, but that doesn't have a lot to do with their performance in terms of emitting usable light.
The best DE bulbs, from what I have seen published, give slightly better PAR than the best single ended bulbs.
ratrod
Member
I'd love it if you were right, HQI's are a lot more simple right down to dealing with the heat. If you look at the finest reefs in the world the ones that grow the gigantic sps coral you'll see on an average that they are almost all using screw type MH equipment. I'm not saying you cant do it well with other stuff, I've done it, but if you look at the folks that are able to do this hobby were money is no object you'll see what their running and the success they have had. Pull up stevewest's post on this site for example
yosemite sam
Active Member
Do lots of people who have great tanks use mogul bulbs? Yes. Are mogul bulbs much better than HQI bulbs? No. This is simply not true. I know several people here in New York who have amazing tanks, tanks that have been Tank of the Month on other boards, and use HQI bulbs. If you search the web, you will find tons of amazing tanks with HQI lighting.
Lighting does not make the tank. The people who have amazing tanks don't have them because mogul bulbs are somehow better than HQI bulbs. They have them because they have many years of experience, and have excellent husbandry techniques. The differences between the bulbs are just not that great. Lots of people on this board ask lighting questions, and they shouldn't be misled into thinking that moguls are better than HQI lighting.
Lighting does not make the tank. The people who have amazing tanks don't have them because mogul bulbs are somehow better than HQI bulbs. They have them because they have many years of experience, and have excellent husbandry techniques. The differences between the bulbs are just not that great. Lots of people on this board ask lighting questions, and they shouldn't be misled into thinking that moguls are better than HQI lighting.
ratrod
Member
Dont twist what I said. I didnt claim that there werent a lot of amazing reef with HQI set-ups there are. As I mentioned I've had a few. But to say that it is misleding to poeple to say screw type MH are better than HQI's is wrong. I could show you a ton of reefs that are amazing with HQI's, but not like the ones with Mogals on an overall basis. Excellent husbandry goes without saying. Ask Bang Guy see what he thinks?
yosemite sam
Active Member
What are you basing your assesment of 'great' tanks on? Saying what is a great tank, and what is a great, great tank is subjective, as sometimes people simply have nicer colored secimens than other people. Obviously color is based in part on lighting and husbandry, but sometimes, some corals are just nicer than others of the same species, regardless of lighting.
I'm not trying to twist what you're saying, and I'm not trying to start a flame war, but the fact of the matter is that HQI bulbs are better than mogul bulbs. End of story. Saying that all the best tanks you have seen use mogul bulbs is annecdotal, and not based on anything but your personal opinion. All relevant technical data I have seen supports the opposite view. The differences between the two are not great in the first place, but to say that moguls are way better than HQI bulbs is giving bad advice.
I'm not trying to twist what you're saying, and I'm not trying to start a flame war, but the fact of the matter is that HQI bulbs are better than mogul bulbs. End of story. Saying that all the best tanks you have seen use mogul bulbs is annecdotal, and not based on anything but your personal opinion. All relevant technical data I have seen supports the opposite view. The differences between the two are not great in the first place, but to say that moguls are way better than HQI bulbs is giving bad advice.
reefnut
Active Member
Originally Posted by ari_bose
I am moving to two MH 250's and Hamilton T5 60" HO's for my 165 gallon 66X24X24 tank, is this enough lighting for me to have SPS and Clams. I am particularly interested in Acropora's and Pink Bird's Nest.
Ari
As the others have said it would be best to have a third MH... otherwise you will have lower light areas in the tank or even shadows. I have not heard of a 66" long tank, you may have trouble finding a fixture to fit. Do you plan to have a canopy?
HQI DE Bulbs are the way to go IMO... more light, more efficient and less heat. I have also read that they last longer but I haven't seen the data to support that.
btw, moguls have been around a LOT longer and cost less than HQI's... the simple reason they are seen more often.
I am moving to two MH 250's and Hamilton T5 60" HO's for my 165 gallon 66X24X24 tank, is this enough lighting for me to have SPS and Clams. I am particularly interested in Acropora's and Pink Bird's Nest.
Ari
As the others have said it would be best to have a third MH... otherwise you will have lower light areas in the tank or even shadows. I have not heard of a 66" long tank, you may have trouble finding a fixture to fit. Do you plan to have a canopy?
HQI DE Bulbs are the way to go IMO... more light, more efficient and less heat. I have also read that they last longer but I haven't seen the data to support that.
btw, moguls have been around a LOT longer and cost less than HQI's... the simple reason they are seen more often.