OK OK Im sorry but I have a small light question. Sorry

nitram

nitram

Member
I am getting a MH and PC setup and I have a choice of these bulbs.The PC = 4 X 96 watt power compacts ( 10k, actinic, 50.50, 6500k bulbs )
MH = 3 X 150 watt metal halide hqi with ( 10k bulbs. 13k bulbs or 20k bulbs )
384 watt PC
450 watt MH
= 834 watts
Will this be good for my 125 gal setup And which lights should I get with this setup.
Thanks for putting up with a neither lighting question
 
viper_930

viper_930

Active Member
They'll do good for any corals. If it were up to me, I'd get 2 10k PC, 2 actinic PC, and all 3 MH 13k bulbs.
 
shoreliner11

shoreliner11

Active Member
It depends which 10k bulbs they are offering. Personally I think Ushios are a little too yellow but if they offered a different 10k bulb I'd go with 10k's for mh and full actinic 03 for the pc's. Good luck.
 
nitram

nitram

Member
well I took the plung and bought me and bought the lighting system I got the 2 10k PC, 2 actinic PC, and all 3 MH 13k bulbs. It cost me 675.00 for complete system with fans and stands, I have been searching for the right system for weeks now and found without going retro fit this was the best price and quality. Even a retro kit with these lights would still cost you about the same as this one cost me. Here is a pic of it.
 
nitram

nitram

Member
I got it on that wonderful auction place online and do a search for MH and VHO lightning. There is a lot of lightning systems on there but this was the best one I found. If you want I can email you the link to his store.
 
caillou

caillou

Member
Would you let us know what you think of them once you've got the up and running. I found them on the auction site, Thanks. For the 125 is that 48" or bigger?
 
nitram

nitram

Member
Well The one I got is 72" because my tank was 6' long. But I noticed his gets a lot cheaper the smaller the tank. I should recieve the lights in about 4 days and will post how well they do. Although My 125 is still in its cycle process so I wont be able to put anything in it for a little while my ammonia and nitrates keep jumping back and forth so i dont know how much longer i got.but I will let you know how good they are.
 
tony detroit

tony detroit

Active Member
I think people really run the wrong lighting setups. If you run a 20K MH bulb you really won't need any supplemental, and will save money on bulbs and electricity.
 
pyro

pyro

Active Member
Sorry for not answering your chiller question, I'd just keep monitoring it. If you do, there are several DIY chillers ranging from a window air conditioner ducted to your sump to freezers with tubing run through them.
I have no expirience with metal halides, but see if your metal halides produce enough light to use your PC's as all actinics to help the color.
My 2 cents.
 
nitram

nitram

Member
I am sorry for not getting back to this sooner. I have had the lights set up for about 2 weeks now and I really like the system. One thing is my water temp is around 81 to 85 degrees and The new lights make the algae grow like wildfire so keep plenty of terbo snails in there. My water evap has doubled as well. I got my lights with the 6 in stands and I really dont like the stands, for one reason were the legs set it gets in the way of my aquarium lid so i cant open the lid as far as I need to when cleaning the algae off the glass. They also have the hangers for the lights that you hang from the ceiling, I wish I would have went that rought. One more thing I wish I would have done was go with the actinic bulbs for all 4 of the 96 PC bulbs insted of 2 actinic and 2 10000k I think the blues with the MH look really good with all the shimmer of lights running all over the place. All in all I am very pleased with the system. Here is a picture of it on my tank.
 
shoreliner11

shoreliner11

Active Member
Put a fan that blows over the top of the water. It will really help with your high temps. Your evap will increase a pretty good amount as well. IMO 81 is ok but 85 will start to stress fish and corals out a bit making them more susceptible to disease or infenction.
Aaron
 
caillou

caillou

Member
Thanks Nitram, I'm close to buying a similiar setup from the same guy. I glad to hear your satisfied with them. I've been debating the legs versus hanging them so that was some great info.
Thanks again,
 
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