MH lighting for a 75g

NanoGurl · 04/10/2007, 05:44 AM

Hi all,

Okay, I was going to get T5 lights for my 75, but I am also thinking about just doing MH lights. This is what I've had before and I like them.

Question:

Would 2 x 150MH be enough lighting on a 75g? I already have two hang on light fixtures but I wanted to maybe switch them to the phoenix 14k since I have no blue accent lighting.

I'm keeping mainly shrooms, rics, zoas, lps but i wanted to be able to keep a few SPS frags.

Is it worth it to buy 250w x 2?

Thanks.

Krazy · 04/10/2007, 07:01 AM

I'd say use what you have for now and maybe hold off on the SPS...

But then I can also say 250x2 is so worth it (I've got 250x2 and I love them on a 90gallon though)

If you have a canopy, hamilton makes some nice retrofit kits

NanoGurl · 04/11/2007, 12:25 AM

ty

klam114 · 04/11/2007, 12:46 AM

I think the 2x 150w MH will work fine. Phoenix 14,000K has good par and excellent blue coloring. You would need to put the SPS at the top of your tank and you shouldn't have any problems. But if you can afford the 2x 250w MH, that is better for SPS or clams. If you're not going to get heavily involved with SPS, then the 150s should be fine.

klam114 · 04/11/2007, 12:53 AM

I just read through your progress on the setup of your new tank, great thread. Here's what I posted tonight about the ASM skimmer you were thinking of, I would go with something different.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...86#post9697186

hogben · 04/11/2007, 12:59 AM

I had two 250s and one 150 hqi on my 75 gallon while I planned on going heavy sps. Plans changed and I downgraded to all three 150s hqi (dual 20k and a 10k, although I will prob switch back to dual 10k and a 20k).

I definately do not believe 250s are necessary on a 75 (~18" of water?) unless you plan on growing sps on the bottom of the tank. But if the added heat and cost of running them is no issue then there is nothing wrong with using the 250s.

NanoGurl · 04/11/2007, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by klam114
I think the 2x 150w MH will work fine. Phoenix 14,000K has good par and excellent blue coloring. You would need to put the SPS at the top of your tank and you shouldn't have any problems. But if you can afford the 2x 250w MH, that is better for SPS or clams. If you're not going to get heavily involved with SPS, then the 150s should be fine.

Thank you. I only have one SPS birdsnest right now and wanted a few small ORA frags to see how they would do. For now, the zoas and all are the main focus with some fish and my eel so nothing real crazy. With how dirty my eel gets a large SPS tank even with the right lighting is not possible.

NanoGurl · 04/11/2007, 01:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by klam114
I just read through your progress on the setup of your new tank, great thread. Here's what I posted tonight about the ASM skimmer you were thinking of, I would go with something different.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...86#post9697186

Ahh!! Now you tell me I just placed the order! :P It's okay, I like the G3 we had one before. It will work for now, but that was interesting reading, thanks.

Thread *WILL* be cool once we can get going again.. kinda stalled now finding out info but ty

NanoGurl · 04/11/2007, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by hogben
I had two 250s and one 150 hqi on my 75 gallon while I planned on going heavy sps. Plans changed and I downgraded to all three 150s hqi (dual 20k and a 10k, although I will prob switch back to dual 10k and a 20k).

I definately do not believe 250s are necessary on a 75 (~18" of water?) unless you plan on growing sps on the bottom of the tank. But if the added heat and cost of running them is no issue then there is nothing wrong with using the 250s.

Thank you, good info! No, I don't plan on many SPS at all, just a small handful. I also thought the 150 would be okay, but thought since we are going 14k instead of 10k maybe the extra watts would help offset some?

I think i'm going to try the 150w phoenix 14k since i have a fixture already and upgrade from there if/when I have too.

Rhodesholar · 04/11/2007, 07:36 AM

I am keeping SPS in a 72 with (2) 150 watt MH (I have PC also but don't count it) and I can keep acros in the upper half of the tank. They grow well but I think I would have better color if I was hitting them with more light. I run mostly in the 10k spectrum, and I have recently ordered some high PAR bulbs in 10k to see what difference that makes.

So bottom line, yes you can keep SPS successfully with that setup, I just think 250watt or more would be better IMO.

Krazy · 04/11/2007, 08:23 AM

If you go with 250's you can always run 20k's

Then you can get a couple clams too and not even have to think twice if they'll be ok or not

Nah if you have the 150's they'll work just fine as others have said...

klam114 · 04/11/2007, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by NanoGurl
Thank you, good info! No, I don't plan on many SPS at all, just a small handful. I also thought the 150 would be okay, but thought since we are going 14k instead of 10k maybe the extra watts would help offset some?

I think i'm going to try the 150w phoenix 14k since i have a fixture already and upgrade from there if/when I have too.

If you have DE HQI MH and want to just try them out the Phoenix 14,000K bulbs without committing a lot of money into bulbs, my local dealer changes his MH bulbs religiously every 9 months, even though the recommend exchange time is 12 months. How do I know, he is maticious and marks all his fixture with the month they need to be change and when it reaches that month, they all get changed. I know he also only leaves the MH on one of his display tank for only 5 hours daily, not more, not less, because it's on a Aquacontroller. He always keeps these bulbs for anyone who may want to try out a fully burned in bulb to checkout the coloring. There's about 3 months easily left on these bulbs and he usually sells them very cheap. If interested, PM me.

NanoGurl · 04/11/2007, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rhodesholar
I am keeping SPS in a 72 with (2) 150 watt MH (I have PC also but don't count it) and I can keep acros in the upper half of the tank. They grow well but I think I would have better color if I was hitting them with more light. I run mostly in the 10k spectrum, and I have recently ordered some high PAR bulbs in 10k to see what difference that makes.

So bottom line, yes you can keep SPS successfully with that setup, I just think 250watt or more would be better IMO.

Thanks! Goodluck with the new bulbs! I have a birdsnest that is growing like crazy under 14k right under the bulb.

NanoGurl · 04/11/2007, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Krazy K
If you go with 250's you can always run 20k's

Then you can get a couple clams too and not even have to think twice if they'll be ok or not

Nah if you have the 150's they'll work just fine as others have said...

I like how you think!

NanoGurl · 04/11/2007, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by klam114
If you have DE HQI MH and want to just try them out the Phoenix 14,000K bulbs without committing a lot of money into bulbs, my local dealer changes his MH bulbs religiously every 9 months, even though the recommend exchange time is 12 months. How do I know, he is maticious and marks all his fixture with the month they need to be change and when it reaches that month, they all get changed. I know he also only leaves the MH on one of his display tank for only 5 hours daily, not more, not less, because it's on a Aquacontroller. He always keeps these bulbs for anyone who may want to try out a fully burned in bulb to checkout the coloring. There's about 3 months easily left on these bulbs and he usually sells them very cheap. If interested, PM me.

Awww.. I just placed my order for them last night! Thanks though, sounds like a great deal for anyone interested in trying them out.

04/10/2007, 05:44 AM	#1
NanoGurl Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Earth Posts: 4,306	MH lighting for a 75g Hi all, Okay, I was going to get T5 lights for my 75, but I am also thinking about just doing MH lights. This is what I've had before and I like them. Question: Would 2 x 150MH be enough lighting on a 75g? I already have two hang on light fixtures but I wanted to maybe switch them to the phoenix 14k since I have no blue accent lighting. I'm keeping mainly shrooms, rics, zoas, lps but i wanted to be able to keep a few SPS frags. Is it worth it to buy 250w x 2? Thanks.

04/10/2007, 07:01 AM	#2
Krazy Registered Member. Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Albany, NY Posts: 2,941	I'd say use what you have for now and maybe hold off on the SPS... But then I can also say 250x2 is so worth it (I've got 250x2 and I love them on a 90gallon though) If you have a canopy, hamilton makes some nice retrofit kits

04/11/2007, 12:25 AM	#3
NanoGurl Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Earth Posts: 4,306	ty

04/11/2007, 12:46 AM	#4
klam114 Moved On Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 685	I think the 2x 150w MH will work fine. Phoenix 14,000K has good par and excellent blue coloring. You would need to put the SPS at the top of your tank and you shouldn't have any problems. But if you can afford the 2x 250w MH, that is better for SPS or clams. If you're not going to get heavily involved with SPS, then the 150s should be fine.

04/11/2007, 12:53 AM	#5
klam114 Moved On Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 685	I just read through your progress on the setup of your new tank, great thread. Here's what I posted tonight about the ASM skimmer you were thinking of, I would go with something different. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...86#post9697186

04/11/2007, 12:59 AM	#6
hogben Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 376	I had two 250s and one 150 hqi on my 75 gallon while I planned on going heavy sps. Plans changed and I downgraded to all three 150s hqi (dual 20k and a 10k, although I will prob switch back to dual 10k and a 20k). I definately do not believe 250s are necessary on a 75 (~18" of water?) unless you plan on growing sps on the bottom of the tank. But if the added heat and cost of running them is no issue then there is nothing wrong with using the 250s.

04/11/2007, 07:36 AM	#10
Rhodesholar Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Crivitz Wi Posts: 754	I am keeping SPS in a 72 with (2) 150 watt MH (I have PC also but don't count it) and I can keep acros in the upper half of the tank. They grow well but I think I would have better color if I was hitting them with more light. I run mostly in the 10k spectrum, and I have recently ordered some high PAR bulbs in 10k to see what difference that makes. So bottom line, yes you can keep SPS successfully with that setup, I just think 250watt or more would be better IMO.

04/11/2007, 08:23 AM	#11
Krazy Registered Member. Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Albany, NY Posts: 2,941	If you go with 250's you can always run 20k's Then you can get a couple clams too and not even have to think twice if they'll be ok or not Nah if you have the 150's they'll work just fine as others have said...