MH bulbs, what size tank do you have and post the amount of watts

[karvis]

ok, i am wondering what ammount of watts i should i get if i decide to get a mh system. i have a 75 gallon, long.

 

[trailer trash]

I burn 3 400 watters on my 180.
I would get at least 250 watt halides. The bulb choices are better than 175.

 

[reeferx]

I think this really depends on what corals you plan on having. If you are really just going to have shrooms, you don't even need halides.
Back to your question, I had a little over 5 watts per gallon on my 30 gallon. Although if you factor in the 60 pounds of Indo rock, etc.. that number goes higher.
If you stay with softies 5w/gal is a good ballpark figure.
People with stonies are going a lot higher than that. Around 10w/gal a lot of times.
I saw pics of a tank last week with a lot of stonies. This pycho had 2200 watts of halides on a 54 gallon corner tank! That's nuts.
~Another factor is the height of your tank.

 

[von_rahvin]

I have 3 400 watt MH ove my 135. If i was going to set up lights in a reef i would do what i ended up with. 400 watt MH backed by Actinic VHO's it looks great and i am happy, the corals grow like no body's business and it is all good.

 

[richierich2000]

I HAVE A 150 GALLON WITH 2 400'S

 

[richard rendos]

4 foot 120 gallon with 2 X 250 watt MH, and 4 X 110 watt VHO.

 

[karvis]

for a 75 gal. how many watts? mine is about 4ft long. how much $$$? an avg answer would help.

 

[trailer trash]

I use PFO HQI ballast and pendants and they cost me about $300 per light including Radium lamp.
You need at lest two halides and if I had to do it over I would use the AB 250watt HQI "Aquaspace" with the DE lamps.
Can be had for less than $900
You can get by much cheaper with DIY

 

[jacksonpt]

I bought two 250w MH for my 75g reef. As it turns out, I never got them setup, so now they are going over my 44g reef.

 

[oneflysi]

55 gallon with 2 175watt MH's and one 110watt PC.
i would recommend at least 2 250watt MH's for your 75.
and for a good price on MH's go to:
<a href="http://www.aquaticlight.com" target="_blank">www.aquaticlight.com</a>
-One

 

[karvis]

my dad is an electrican so he can get them cheap(he told me today) about $10's (yes tens less), tens add up. he found some that fit in regular sockets so he is going to fix them up for me.
do you use cooling fans?

 

[david s]

I went to a club meeting last weekend and a guy from aqua-medic was there doing questions and ansers he really knew his stuff and he said if you use hqi rather than mogal base u get more effect for the watts i questioned him on it. he said yes with a scientific anser and added thats why with hqi you should use a glass filter lense whatever that is lol it is somthing to do with the way the bulbs are made i have a mogal base mh setup myslef 2/175 ab bulb and 2/65 pc 7100 atinic <img src="graemlins//urrr.gif" border="0" alt="[urrr]" />

 

[trailer trash]

Yes you need a UV lense with DE(doulbed-ended) HQI lamps. Not with mogul-based HQI like 400 watt Radiums.

 

[karvis]

i am going to have self balasted...