Who uses MH with an acrylic tank?

TomToro

TomToro

The Old Guy
Oct 21, 2006
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I've been trying to setup a T5 system to grow sps in my 24" deep Clarity Plus tank. I think I'll need around 16x 54w lamps to get what I need. Or 3x 250watt Metal Halides and 4x54w actinics.

I read on this forum a horror story of the UV in the MH messing with the seams of the acrylic tanks and they burst.

Q: Does anybody here use MH on their acrylic tanks and if so, what's the setup?

1.How high from the water?
2.Do you leave the tops off the tank?
3.Did you have to trim the eurobracing or can I leave it alone?
4.Do you have a good size fan between the bulbs and the top of the tank?
5.Did you have to use a chiller?
I think I can do MH much cheaper than the T5's.
Thanks,
Tom
 
I am pretty sure it has not so much to do with heat as it does with the UV radition degrading the acrylic itself making the seams where it is "welded" together weak. Not sure what exactly what to do, have to think about it some more and maybe search some other forums for MH/acrylic disasters, I don't think it is very common, but I have read about more than a couple of failures over the years. It may be as simple as the proper UV shielding for the bulbs, I'll try to find out if you or no one else chimes in.
Matt
 
trippkid said:
I am pretty sure it has not so much to do with heat as it does with the UV radition degrading the acrylic itself making the seams where it is "welded" together weak. Not sure what exactly what to do, have to think about it some more and maybe search some other forums for MH/acrylic disasters, I don't think it is very common, but I have read about more than a couple of failures over the years. It may be as simple as the proper UV shielding for the bulbs, I'll try to find out if you or no one else chimes in.
Matt
Click to expand...

Thanks, Matt. I appreciate you looking into this. I wonder if it's a specific brand of tank that breaks down. Or...like you say, if I need to add additional uv protection. I'll be using the mogul socket mh which is supposed to have the uv protected bulbs as opposed to the double ended that need a shield. Hope I have that right. I wonder if the disasters have the same double ended bulbs hqi.

Tom
 
Yeah, not positive on this, but yes you do have it right about the bulbs, I still may think of double shielding the bulbs if you go that way, couldn't hurt as long as you keep it clean. I'll look around for some more info. What kind of time frame are you looking at, till you have new lights installed or ready to go?
Matt
 
trippkid said:
Yeah, not positive on this, but yes you do have it right about the bulbs, I still may think of double shielding the bulbs if you go that way, couldn't hurt as long as you keep it clean. I'll look around for some more info. What kind of time frame are you looking at, till you have new lights installed or ready to go?
Matt
Click to expand...

I just ordered the T5's x 8 ((2) 48"x 4 54w)for the actinic. They are including 4 12k along with the 4 actinics so I'm good for awhile on the low light stuff. I'm thinking within the next month I'd like to have all the lighting in place and then start buying/trading sps frags. That'll give me time to start building up my budget too.:)
Thanks Matt,
Tom
 
I think you'll be surprised with them, does the unit you ordered have individual reflectors, if not you can upgrade to them at some point if needed, I'll be running individual ones on my 120, along with 250 wt halides(these will be on for a shorter amt of time than I run now with my 175's and use the T5's longer than I use my VHO's possibly, going to experiment a little with lighting and schedules some time soon, when I stop spending all my money on new pieces and start buying much needed upgrades), but on a smaller 29 I am just going with a all in one reflector. Calling it an evening I think, talk to you again.
Matt
 
Actually the guy who wrote that article stated that it wasn't the acrylic that gave way it was whatever they used for the glue component pieces. whether that was 'weld on' or whatever else is what eventually failed and caused his tank to bow then eventually crack.
 
clown-lover said:
Actually the guy who wrote that article stated that it wasn't the acrylic that gave way it was whatever they used for the glue component pieces. whether that was 'weld on' or whatever else is what eventually failed and caused his tank to bow then eventually crack.
Click to expand...

Do you know where that thread was? I was trying to find if for a friend and couldn't. I remember something like 'Disaster' or something. Weren't there a couple more folks that had trouble too?

I was just on the Casco website and it didn't say not to use MH, but it said to leave a lot of space between the bracing and the halides. Sort of vague, but I think it was intentional. They make my Clarity Plus Aquarium.

http://www.casco-group.com/


• High output lighting (such as metal halide) should be mounted or hung well above your Aquarium to disperse the additional heat.
 
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