So Confused???? Lights?

[reptilicus]

NO = Normal Output fluorescent, these are your standard bulbs, not enough to grow most corals.
HO = High Output, where I live these are not available at all but from what I've read in the US they are rarely available any more as everyone is now using VHO instead as they have a much higher output.

 

[clownfish]

Would a 250W 20000K MH hanging pendant light provide enough light for a sea anemone and many corals in a 55 gallon tank? I love the look that MH creates. How much would a 250W MH cost to operate each month?

 

[kmr]

I am not a MH expert but think that would be O.K. You might want to add a Atinic blue 48" to the MH. You can operate it on a seperate timer to give a sunrise/sunset effect. The 250w MH running 10 hours a day would consume 2.5 kwhrs per day. On a 30 day month calculation that would be 75 kwhrs per month. Multiply 75 by whatever your electric co. charges you for a kw hour. Thats your cost to operate.

 

[reptilicus]

Hi,
a 250-watt MH will not light an area of a 55-gallon because the one pendant cannot cover all 4 feet of the tank. However, 2 of them would be prefect, and you could keep any coral you want under them. You will not need any actinic supplement if you are using 20 000K bulbs as they are already very blue, you may even consider using a slightly higher K rated bulb, such as a 12 000K, it just depends on what you like really.
Regards,
Tom

 

[kmr]

Well you learn something everyday. I didn't know how much sq footage that MH would cover only that the wattage was there. The color I know was pretty blue (20,000K). I was suggesting maybe a sunrise/sunset effect. Most MH systems I 've seen do that. O.K. not to though.