MH/Coral Question

psusocr1

psusocr1

Active Member
o.k so currently on my 300 gallon tank i have 300 watts of powercompacts. my shrooms, polyps, leather etc. are doing great but i took the plunge and ordered a 400 watt MH kit with a 10K bulb.
All of my corals are very high to the top of the tank( all within 10-12 inches) fromt he lights. My question is if i hang the light right above all of my corals(which are all in the middle of the tank) and leave them at this placement will it be too much light or harm anything? also how high should i hang them from the top of the tank? and how many degrees should i eexpect the water temp. to rise?
what else can i keep under these lights? i dont want anenomes but what other corals can i have? brains? etc? please fill me in!!
i also have a fan blowing into my canopy at one end and out of the canopy at the other end with a half open back onthe canopy for free air circulation
 
dogstar

dogstar

Active Member
Did you order a set up for just one bulb ?? Should be able to keep anything under a 400 except low light stuff unless you place those low and shaded. Yes acclimate what you have now buy timeing the lights with a short to longer period on or start high and lowering them or by the screening method. All methods should take two to three weeks IMO.
 
psusocr1

psusocr1

Active Member
what do you mean by timign them etc.? im lost??
if i keep my softies where their at right now (real high ont he rocks) will they get burnt or anything?
 
dogstar

dogstar

Active Member
Run the light for only 1 hour for the first 3 days then 2 hours the next three day and three hour and so on. If you run them all day right from the start you will/could fry the corals.
 
psusocr1

psusocr1

Active Member
if i hang the MH's int he middle of the tank how far from the tank should they be? will it spread throughout the tank?
 
rujelus22

rujelus22

Member
It will spread through the tank, I would go with about a foot away from the water, but check your water temps you might have to move it further away depending on hot it gets
 
dogstar

dogstar

Active Member
Just one 400 watt lamp will give of a lot of light but depends on the reflector as far as how well it lights the hole tank and how long the tank is. Most reflectors keep the light within a 2 or 3 foot area. Of course the higher the light is the more it will spread.
 
psusocr1

psusocr1

Active Member
its an 18" batwing style reflector with a 400 watt 10 K bulb . my tanks is 96" inches long so if i place it int he middle right above all my corals and then put my 72" PC lightstrip to the front of the tank do you think this will work?
also as i said my corals are about 6-9 inches away from the top some are 6 some are lower at around 8 inches. but i have no corals anywhere else int he tanka nd dont plan on it, just in the middle and they span about 3-4 feet int he middle
i will leave the light on for an hour for the first three days then increase steadily?
do you see any problems or have any reccomendations?
 
psusocr1

psusocr1

Active Member
big QUESTION, FROM THE TOP OF MY CANOPY TO THE TOP OF THE TANK ITS 10" my corals are about 7 inhces at the highest one(the closest coral to the top) will this be o.k to hang my light here?? or will it be way too close?
so it will be 17 inches from the bulb to the highest coral and 10 inches fromt he bulb to the top of my tank
 
dogstar

dogstar

Active Member
Is it a retro fit, I thought it was a pendant. IMO 10 inches is not enough room to try to fit in a 400 watter. Thay bulb is huge. Its going to put alot of heat in the water that close.
 
jessecnc

jessecnc

Member
Get multiple MH's instead of 1 large one. Besides, on a 96" tank a single MH will not even be close to enough light. Not to mention it will probably look bad being bright in the middle and dim at the ends. Typically you should have 1 MH bulb for every 2' of tank length.
 
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