400w metal halide
- Thread starter web2844
- Start date
Germanman
My fish are my babies
Thats good to hear. I need to save some money for a chiller before I use the MH. I have a few more questions. If I use a 12K bulb will I need actinics, and will I need other lights for a daylight/dusk effect. How high off the waters should I employ the bulb.
Germanman
My fish are my babies
You probally will need actinics, but with the PC's you already have just swap out those lights for actinics. You probally won't need all 300 watts of actinic, so I THINK 150 watts of actinic will be enough. You don't really need a chiller. Just hang the halides a bit higher. With about 10 watts per gallon, it wouldn't really make a difference if the halides are a bit farther from the tank.
I rememeber reading an article on lighting. It basically said that no hobbyist is going to match the intensity of natural light on the reefs, no matter how many lights they use.
I might disagree about the need for actnics... I bought some halides a little while back, and bought the bulbs in the 14k spectrum. I have noticed a great actinic glow along with beautiful crisp white...
I'm no expert, But I think Halides in this spectrum range give off ample of both... I love the shimmer effect that Halides have, and I love the intensity... My fish have clear shadows now!
If you take pictures in series you will see a drastic difference in the pictures from picture to picture even though they are of the same spot, and taken only milliseconds apart... You can really see the blue in one picture, and then the white in another...
The only reason I would use actics along with your halides would be to simulate dawn/dusk... personally I just use a combination of the rooms lights, then a flourescent light reflect abient light off the wall into the tank, then my halides... and then in reverse order for the night...
When It comes down to it. I think its personal preference... But I'd say, if they are already there use them...
As far as needing the chiller, I'd mount your halides and then when you have a day to check them out, turn them on and monitor them... if the temp starts to raise to high, turn them off...
Personally, I havent noticed a huge temp spike... granted Ive only got 2x 175w halides over 125g but I still need my heaters to keep my water at temp...
I'm no expert, But I think Halides in this spectrum range give off ample of both... I love the shimmer effect that Halides have, and I love the intensity... My fish have clear shadows now!
If you take pictures in series you will see a drastic difference in the pictures from picture to picture even though they are of the same spot, and taken only milliseconds apart... You can really see the blue in one picture, and then the white in another...
The only reason I would use actics along with your halides would be to simulate dawn/dusk... personally I just use a combination of the rooms lights, then a flourescent light reflect abient light off the wall into the tank, then my halides... and then in reverse order for the night...
When It comes down to it. I think its personal preference... But I'd say, if they are already there use them...
As far as needing the chiller, I'd mount your halides and then when you have a day to check them out, turn them on and monitor them... if the temp starts to raise to high, turn them off...
Personally, I havent noticed a huge temp spike... granted Ive only got 2x 175w halides over 125g but I still need my heaters to keep my water at temp...
