mh or pc
- Thread starter 242bats
- Start date
teen
Active Member
depends on what you want to keep. i can tell you, other than the electric bill, you'll be much happier with the MH.
im guessing 6 ft tank so at least 2 x 250w MH. possibly 2x 400w if you plan on keeping a lot of light demanding corals.
you'll more than likely need a chiller with that kind heat though.
pc light over a tank that big you'll be better off keeping a lot of soft corals like shrooms and leathers. lps up higher.
i say do it right the first time and just go with the MH.
im guessing 6 ft tank so at least 2 x 250w MH. possibly 2x 400w if you plan on keeping a lot of light demanding corals.
you'll more than likely need a chiller with that kind heat though.
pc light over a tank that big you'll be better off keeping a lot of soft corals like shrooms and leathers. lps up higher.
i say do it right the first time and just go with the MH.
242bats
Member
i would like to keep a mix of soft and hard corals
i have at this time a 400w mh and icecap 660 t12 440w, but planing on two more 250w mh and some moonlights. and it is a 72" x 24" x 24" i have two pc on a 75gal and just does not seem to do as good as i have seen mh do on this post
thanks for the help
thanks for the help
reefjunkiee
Member
Originally Posted by teen
http:///forum/post/3151308
depends on what you want to keep. i can tell you, other than the electric bill, you'll be much happier with the MH.
im guessing 6 ft tank so at least 2 x 250w MH. possibly 2x 400w if you plan on keeping a lot of light demanding corals.
you'll more than likely need a chiller with that kind heat though.
pc light over a tank that big you'll be better off keeping a lot of soft corals like shrooms and leathers. lps up higher.
i say do it right the first time and just go with the MH.
6 ft tank = 3 MH
http:///forum/post/3151308
depends on what you want to keep. i can tell you, other than the electric bill, you'll be much happier with the MH.
im guessing 6 ft tank so at least 2 x 250w MH. possibly 2x 400w if you plan on keeping a lot of light demanding corals.
you'll more than likely need a chiller with that kind heat though.
pc light over a tank that big you'll be better off keeping a lot of soft corals like shrooms and leathers. lps up higher.
i say do it right the first time and just go with the MH.
6 ft tank = 3 MH
browniebuck
Active Member
I am in the process of setting up a FOWLR tank...heard from the wife of the guy that I got it from that it was a 120, the guy said that it was a 150, I measured it and it appears to be a 125 (72x18x22).
The tank did not come with a light...so I obviously want to get one (though, to start, I will use my 48" from my 55 and just kind of center it). My question is....when looking to purchase lights (I am originally only wanting FOWLR), would it be cheaper (in general) to get to smaller lights or one 72" light? I was thinking of getting 2 30" lights and just kind of centering them on their half of the tank (is this even a reasonable idea?).
With that depth, if I were to buy PC lighting (whether it be 2 30" or 1 72" light), would I be able to keep some corals if I decide down the road that I want to? I started adding corals to my 55 but, over time, let it go. Now that we have gotten the bigger tank, I am getting better equipment, installing my own RO unit (rather than going to the store and filling up gallon jugs...much more of a pain with this tank), and will be taking better care of it so that my wife and I can finally enjoy our family room the way that we intended to all along.
Sorry for the long wind, but want to make sure that I am getting good equipment as well as saving money where I can.
The tank did not come with a light...so I obviously want to get one (though, to start, I will use my 48" from my 55 and just kind of center it). My question is....when looking to purchase lights (I am originally only wanting FOWLR), would it be cheaper (in general) to get to smaller lights or one 72" light? I was thinking of getting 2 30" lights and just kind of centering them on their half of the tank (is this even a reasonable idea?).
With that depth, if I were to buy PC lighting (whether it be 2 30" or 1 72" light), would I be able to keep some corals if I decide down the road that I want to? I started adding corals to my 55 but, over time, let it go. Now that we have gotten the bigger tank, I am getting better equipment, installing my own RO unit (rather than going to the store and filling up gallon jugs...much more of a pain with this tank), and will be taking better care of it so that my wife and I can finally enjoy our family room the way that we intended to all along.
Sorry for the long wind, but want to make sure that I am getting good equipment as well as saving money where I can.
posiden
Active Member
Originally Posted by 242bats
http:///forum/post/3151537
it does not matter right now about the 250w mh i will get them in month or so but for now the icecap and the 400w mh will be just fine
I am posting out of couriosity.....What would make you post so confidently after asking a question?
http:///forum/post/3151537
it does not matter right now about the 250w mh i will get them in month or so but for now the icecap and the 400w mh will be just fine
I am posting out of couriosity.....What would make you post so confidently after asking a question?
242bats
Member
Originally Posted by Posiden
http:///forum/post/3151751
I am posting out of couriosity.....What would make you post so confidently after asking a question?
I guess I sound more confident than I am. I think it's ok but I'm looking for other opinions. Lots of folks out there with more experience than me.
http:///forum/post/3151751
I am posting out of couriosity.....What would make you post so confidently after asking a question?
I guess I sound more confident than I am. I think it's ok but I'm looking for other opinions. Lots of folks out there with more experience than me.
242bats
Member
Originally Posted by SCSInet
http:///forum/post/3151875
I have a 180g mixed reef with 3x250w and everything is doing great.
If I were to consider an alternative technology, it would be T5 to MH, not PC. PC is outdated, is less efficient than halide, and has really high maintenance costs.
that sounds great the big thing that i was worried about is that i have a 400w now and was thinking of adding two 250w is that to much for the 180g
http:///forum/post/3151875
I have a 180g mixed reef with 3x250w and everything is doing great.
If I were to consider an alternative technology, it would be T5 to MH, not PC. PC is outdated, is less efficient than halide, and has really high maintenance costs.
that sounds great the big thing that i was worried about is that i have a 400w now and was thinking of adding two 250w is that to much for the 180g
teen
Active Member
Originally Posted by reefjunkiee
http:///forum/post/3151344
6 ft tank = 3 MH
is this a written law or something im unaware of?
http:///forum/post/3151344
6 ft tank = 3 MH
is this a written law or something im unaware of?
scsinet
Active Member
that sounds great the big thing that i was worried about is that i have a 400w now and was thinking of adding two 250w is that to much for the 180g
I'd probably be okay.
Teen, the reason why you put (3) over a 6 foot tank is because 6' tanks almost always have 2 crossbraces, 2 halides over a tank with 2 braces would create shadows.
I'd probably be okay.
Teen, the reason why you put (3) over a 6 foot tank is because 6' tanks almost always have 2 crossbraces, 2 halides over a tank with 2 braces would create shadows.
242bats
Member
ok as someone that has not ever had a mh just pc and vho, i now know what a 400w mh looks like. i have 10k 400w in the center of a 180 and 4 110w vho in the tank. that is a lot of light. but it looks very good to me. i will see how it goes. i will play with the 10k, 14k, 20k, over time and see what is best for the tank.
