MH Lighting recommendation for a 27"tall tank

BigAirHarper · 07/11/2008, 04:19 PM

A friend is setting up a custom aquarium, dimensions 32"L x 14"W x 27"H and wants to go with MH. Do you think a 150W HQI is sufficient considering she only wants to keep softies and LPS, no SPS. Or do you think because of the depth she so go with the 250W? Thanks for the input. And feel free to suggest a good fixture as well.

joshkennedy07 · 07/12/2008, 01:56 AM

I would go with the 250 with a 20K bulb. The 150 would probably be fine, but since the tank is 32" in length the 250 will illuminate the tank better.

Who knows, may not be too long before she wants SPS (it happens) and the 250 can handle that.

What type of fixture does she want?

I like my AquaMedic Pendants.
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_Aquari...an_lights.html

I ran a Hamilton hqi fixture for a few years, its a good fixture too.

BigAirHarper · 07/12/2008, 11:50 AM

Well as far as fixtures go we had looked at the aquamedics and the current usa sunpod hqi. We would really like to go with the outer orbit but its too wide for her tank. Let me know what fixture you would side with. And do you think the 20000K would be too blue? I was thinking of something more like a 14000K but I haven't seen the 20000K so I can't really make a judgement call.

heller792 · 07/12/2008, 02:36 PM

I have recently upgraded to a 27 inch high and 39 inch across aquarium. I was using my 150w mh for my softies with no problems what so ever, infact my pulsing xienia had never looked so good. But eventually the sps bug got me and now I have a single 250w pendant using an arcadia 14000k lamp and things are perfect. The amount of money I have wasted buying things that I have then bought again in the name of upgrading. Guess weve all done it

07/11/2008, 04:19 PM	#1
BigAirHarper Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Destin, Florida Posts: 513	MH Lighting recommendation for a 27"tall tank A friend is setting up a custom aquarium, dimensions 32"L x 14"W x 27"H and wants to go with MH. Do you think a 150W HQI is sufficient considering she only wants to keep softies and LPS, no SPS. Or do you think because of the depth she so go with the 250W? Thanks for the input. And feel free to suggest a good fixture as well.

07/12/2008, 01:56 AM	#2
joshkennedy07 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: California Posts: 248	I would go with the 250 with a 20K bulb. The 150 would probably be fine, but since the tank is 32" in length the 250 will illuminate the tank better. Who knows, may not be too long before she wants SPS (it happens) and the 250 can handle that. What type of fixture does she want? I like my AquaMedic Pendants. http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_Aquari...an_lights.html I ran a Hamilton hqi fixture for a few years, its a good fixture too.

07/12/2008, 11:50 AM	#3
BigAirHarper Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Destin, Florida Posts: 513	Well as far as fixtures go we had looked at the aquamedics and the current usa sunpod hqi. We would really like to go with the outer orbit but its too wide for her tank. Let me know what fixture you would side with. And do you think the 20000K would be too blue? I was thinking of something more like a 14000K but I haven't seen the 20000K so I can't really make a judgement call.

07/12/2008, 02:36 PM	#4
heller792 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: wigan Posts: 652	I have recently upgraded to a 27 inch high and 39 inch across aquarium. I was using my 150w mh for my softies with no problems what so ever, infact my pulsing xienia had never looked so good. But eventually the sps bug got me and now I have a single 250w pendant using an arcadia 14000k lamp and things are perfect. The amount of money I have wasted buying things that I have then bought again in the name of upgrading. Guess weve all done it