175 20K or PC for my 29 gallon?

smp · 01/28/2006, 01:20 PM

Right now I have a 29 gallon with the following:

1 x 55 pc 10k
2 x 65 pc one 10k and one actinic
2 x NO T5 actinic

I'm thinking of getting one 175 w 20K and running two of the PCs with it (actinic).

I guess the tank will be very blue this way. Right now I noticed that the zoos I have which are closer to the surface have much better colour than the ones down low and I want good zoo colour throughout the tank. Would the 175 watt be an improvement or would it be insignificant?

I'm buying this used so I imagine I will be replacing the bulb pretty soon and I would probably replace it with a 15K XM bulb.

Appreciate any info, thanks.

brickstone · 01/28/2006, 02:26 PM

I use a 175 w halide with 2 65 pc acintic in a pfo reflector. Halide is about 9 inchs off the water. Started out with an ushio 10k which I still found a bit yellow with the pcs. I now have a 14k hamilton which looks almost perfect by itself, but a little blue with the pcs. 20k, most likely quite blue. This is a good lighting combo for a 29, can keep almost anything if properly placed,

I run the halide 7 hours, pcs 12, controll heat with a single fan that runs only with the halide

pic isn't true colour, still trying to figure out camera

smp · 01/28/2006, 03:42 PM

Thanks for the info and the pic!
I originally built my canopy with MH in mind and made it pretty tall, I think 9" is how high off the water mine would be as well. Very useful info, thank you and it sounds just like what i want to do.

I could use some more commentary regarding zoos and hieght placement in tank .. would I be that much better off just getting a 250 watt setup? I have a frogspawn that sits on the bottom right now and it seems healthy enough but I don't think it's as good as it could be.

smp · 01/29/2006, 12:22 AM

bump~

smp · 01/29/2006, 05:30 PM

So would a 175 watt 20k MH setup be significanly better than my 3 PC bulbs?

01/28/2006, 01:20 PM	#1
smp Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 574	175 20K or PC for my 29 gallon? Right now I have a 29 gallon with the following: 1 x 55 pc 10k 2 x 65 pc one 10k and one actinic 2 x NO T5 actinic I'm thinking of getting one 175 w 20K and running two of the PCs with it (actinic). I guess the tank will be very blue this way. Right now I noticed that the zoos I have which are closer to the surface have much better colour than the ones down low and I want good zoo colour throughout the tank. Would the 175 watt be an improvement or would it be insignificant? I'm buying this used so I imagine I will be replacing the bulb pretty soon and I would probably replace it with a 15K XM bulb. Appreciate any info, thanks.

01/28/2006, 03:42 PM	#3
smp Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 574	Thanks for the info and the pic! I originally built my canopy with MH in mind and made it pretty tall, I think 9" is how high off the water mine would be as well. Very useful info, thank you and it sounds just like what i want to do. I could use some more commentary regarding zoos and hieght placement in tank .. would I be that much better off just getting a 250 watt setup? I have a frogspawn that sits on the bottom right now and it seems healthy enough but I don't think it's as good as it could be. __________________ K.I.S.S Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon reef, 2 x 250 Pheonix 14k on icecaps, 2 x Aquascience 17.5 on workhorse, ER RS-135, Tunze ATO Kalk bucket, 30 Gallon sump, MRC CR1 reactor, 2 x phosban reactor (Rowa, Carbon), 2 x MJ Mod, mixed reef

01/29/2006, 12:22 AM	#4
smp Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 574	bump~ __________________ K.I.S.S Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon reef, 2 x 250 Pheonix 14k on icecaps, 2 x Aquascience 17.5 on workhorse, ER RS-135, Tunze ATO Kalk bucket, 30 Gallon sump, MRC CR1 reactor, 2 x phosban reactor (Rowa, Carbon), 2 x MJ Mod, mixed reef

01/29/2006, 05:30 PM	#5
smp Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 574	So would a 175 watt 20k MH setup be significanly better than my 3 PC bulbs? __________________ K.I.S.S Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon reef, 2 x 250 Pheonix 14k on icecaps, 2 x Aquascience 17.5 on workhorse, ER RS-135, Tunze ATO Kalk bucket, 30 Gallon sump, MRC CR1 reactor, 2 x phosban reactor (Rowa, Carbon), 2 x MJ Mod, mixed reef

01/28/2006, 02:26 PM	#2
brickstone Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Vancouver BC Posts: 24	I use a 175 w halide with 2 65 pc acintic in a pfo reflector. Halide is about 9 inchs off the water. Started out with an ushio 10k which I still found a bit yellow with the pcs. I now have a 14k hamilton which looks almost perfect by itself, but a little blue with the pcs. 20k, most likely quite blue. This is a good lighting combo for a 29, can keep almost anything if properly placed, I run the halide 7 hours, pcs 12, controll heat with a single fan that runs only with the halide pic isn't true colour, still trying to figure out camera