too much MH on a nano?

jjlove · 12/27/2009, 11:44 AM

how much light time should i have on my 24g nano with a MH 75w. i have leathers and some SPS.

Amici316 · 12/27/2009, 12:00 PM

Your goal should be to keep your temp stable on the tank. Usually people run a halide for 8-10 hours on a tank. I tend to stick to the 8 hour side since I didnt notice any more growth at 10 hours and figured I am only wasting power and evaping more with my fans. Make sure you monitor your corals to be sure they are not getting bleached or to much light.

reefscape15 · 12/27/2009, 12:07 PM

I think you could go all the way down to 5 hours if you notice algae growth or tank temp increasing. It depends alot on the reflector and how high off the water it is, and also how far under the surface your corals are. In my tank I have almost all my SPS frags only about 6" or less under the surface of the water with a 250watt 20k in a DIY reflector sitting 3" above the water surface. The tips of my Pink Digi only have maybe 2" of water above them at the most. This scenario can apply to small tanks too. 24gal isn't really all that small, and I've seen people with 10gal tanks with a 250watt MH on them. It's all in how you want to set it up and what you plan to keep. If your temp is stable (enough) and there are no big algae issues that arise from too much light, and the corals are happy and growing, you will be fine.

12/27/2009, 11:44 AM	#1
jjlove Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 236	too much MH on a nano? how much light time should i have on my 24g nano with a MH 75w. i have leathers and some SPS.

12/27/2009, 12:07 PM	#3
reefscape15 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elmira Heights, NY Posts: 2,812	I think you could go all the way down to 5 hours if you notice algae growth or tank temp increasing. It depends alot on the reflector and how high off the water it is, and also how far under the surface your corals are. In my tank I have almost all my SPS frags only about 6" or less under the surface of the water with a 250watt 20k in a DIY reflector sitting 3" above the water surface. The tips of my Pink Digi only have maybe 2" of water above them at the most. This scenario can apply to small tanks too. 24gal isn't really all that small, and I've seen people with 10gal tanks with a 250watt MH on them. It's all in how you want to set it up and what you plan to keep. If your temp is stable (enough) and there are no big algae issues that arise from too much light, and the corals are happy and growing, you will be fine. __________________ A new beginning........... JIM Current Tank Info: 5g standard softie/zoa tank, just starting a 20H

12/27/2009, 12:00 PM	#2
Amici316 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 85	Your goal should be to keep your temp stable on the tank. Usually people run a halide for 8-10 hours on a tank. I tend to stick to the 8 hour side since I didnt notice any more growth at 10 hours and figured I am only wasting power and evaping more with my fans. Make sure you monitor your corals to be sure they are not getting bleached or to much light.