400 watters without a chiller?

reefman77 · 12/16/2006, 03:46 PM

is anyone running 400 watt single ended bulbs without a chiller? im looking to upgrade my lighting over my 120 from 150 watt DE bulbs and Idealy I would like to run 2x 400 watt radiums on a PFO HQI ballasts but I am worried about the heat. worst case I will probably just use 2x 250 watt radiums. the lights would be in a small canopy too, only about 8" high. Do you think this is possible?

Blown 346 · 12/16/2006, 04:08 PM

I dont think you will be able to cut down on heat that much in a canopy even with fans without a chiller.

I would go with the 250's as 400's would be alot and would really shock the corals in the tank.

EnderG60 · 12/16/2006, 04:59 PM

Fans are your friend!

I have a 400w on my 58g and I dont use a chiller. Just keep a fan blowing under the halide across the top of the water. evaporation will be a bit much, but water is cheap.

and get magnetic balast and use 20k XM's, they are cheaper and brighter with about the same color as the radiums and last longer.

musty baby · 12/16/2006, 05:39 PM

You can absolutely make two 400s work. I have two 400w 10ks and two 110w actinics on my 90 gallon (55 refugium), with one 90mm fan on each end pulling air out of the hood. MH on 8 hours, actinics on 12. I get about a 3 degree swing in temp. You'd have even more temp buffer by having more water.

For a 120 I would personally use 3 250 watt bulbs, but if you want to do 400s I think it is definitely an option.

SCR · 12/17/2006, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ryansholl
You can absolutely make two 400s work. I have two 400w 10ks and two 110w actinics on my 90 gallon (55 refugium), with one 90mm fan on each end pulling air out of the hood. MH on 8 hours, actinics on 12. I get about a 3 degree swing in temp. You'd have even more temp buffer by having more water.

For a 120 I would personally use 3 250 watt bulbs, but if you want to do 400s I think it is definitely an option.

I also have almost the same set-up and no chiller. I have two fans on each end. Note: the coral love it.

ACBlinky · 12/17/2006, 11:02 AM

I have 2x400W SE 10K MH on my 90g with no heat issues, though I haven't had them long enough to go through a hot summer -- things are fine now, but we may need a chiller come June. As EnderG60 mentioned, having a fan move air between the lights and water surface helps a lot. My fixture also has two smaller fans, one at either end, that come on with the actinics.

I run the T5 actinics 11am-11pm, MH 2pm-8pm and the fuge lights 8pm-2pm so they're on 18h/d but off and not contributing extra heat while the MH bulbs are on over the display (fuge light is 2x40W PC; I was running them 24/7 and seeing a 2.5*F swing -- having them off midday really seems to make a difference). Temperature is pretty steady -- 78.5-79F by the end of the 6h MH photoperiod, 78F the rest of the time.

Island Hopper · 12/17/2006, 11:45 AM

Running two 400 w with 4" fans on each end of canopy blowing in to cool the bulbs. My tank is in the basement, so in the winter I use a heater to maintain temp. 150 gal.

wojo · 12/17/2006, 12:44 PM

i think chillers are overrated

when i installed my 2 * 250W on my 75 gallon my temp went up to 84F. So i added 2 small fans (80mm) each blowing on the bulb and now the temp is stable @ 80.4F at all times! I dont even have my canopy drilled, fans are inside!

Fans are your friends.

12/16/2006, 03:46 PM	#1
reefman77 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: naperville, IL Posts: 729	400 watters without a chiller? is anyone running 400 watt single ended bulbs without a chiller? im looking to upgrade my lighting over my 120 from 150 watt DE bulbs and Idealy I would like to run 2x 400 watt radiums on a PFO HQI ballasts but I am worried about the heat. worst case I will probably just use 2x 250 watt radiums. the lights would be in a small canopy too, only about 8" high. Do you think this is possible?

12/17/2006, 11:02 AM	#6
ACBlinky Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Peterborough, ON, Canada Posts: 4,954 Blog Entries: 20	I have 2x400W SE 10K MH on my 90g with no heat issues, though I haven't had them long enough to go through a hot summer -- things are fine now, but we may need a chiller come June. As EnderG60 mentioned, having a fan move air between the lights and water surface helps a lot. My fixture also has two smaller fans, one at either end, that come on with the actinics. I run the T5 actinics 11am-11pm, MH 2pm-8pm and the fuge lights 8pm-2pm so they're on 18h/d but off and not contributing extra heat while the MH bulbs are on over the display (fuge light is 2x40W PC; I was running them 24/7 and seeing a 2.5*F swing -- having them off midday really seems to make a difference). Temperature is pretty steady -- 78.5-79F by the end of the 6h MH photoperiod, 78F the rest of the time. __________________ "The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." - Isak Dinesen Current Tank Info: 150g mixed reef, 30g sump/refugium, LED lighting, 100lbs LR, coral beauty, flame angel, blue & yellow tangs, gobies, damsels, 6-line wrasse, lawnmower blenny, dottyback, clown pair, rabbitfish, shrimp, crabs, CUC.

12/17/2006, 12:44 PM	#8
wojo Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Bartlett, IL Posts: 752	i think chillers are overrated when i installed my 2 * 250W on my 75 gallon my temp went up to 84F. So i added 2 small fans (80mm) each blowing on the bulb and now the temp is stable @ 80.4F at all times! I dont even have my canopy drilled, fans are inside! Fans are your friends. __________________ "you work to live, you don't live to work" Current Tank Info: 75g Reef, 100lbs LR, 20g Sump/Fuge, (2)250W 12k Reeflux MHs, (2)110W Actinic VHOs, Dosing DIY 2-part w/ Aquamedic Twin Doser, all controlled by ReefKeeper2

12/16/2006, 04:08 PM	#2
Blown 346 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 6,596	I dont think you will be able to cut down on heat that much in a canopy even with fans without a chiller. I would go with the 250's as 400's would be alot and would really shock the corals in the tank.

12/16/2006, 04:59 PM	#3
EnderG60 Plumbing Engineer Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 3,260	Fans are your friend! I have a 400w on my 58g and I dont use a chiller. Just keep a fan blowing under the halide across the top of the water. evaporation will be a bit much, but water is cheap. and get magnetic balast and use 20k XM's, they are cheaper and brighter with about the same color as the radiums and last longer.

12/16/2006, 05:39 PM	#4
musty baby Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: over yonder Posts: 1,751	You can absolutely make two 400s work. I have two 400w 10ks and two 110w actinics on my 90 gallon (55 refugium), with one 90mm fan on each end pulling air out of the hood. MH on 8 hours, actinics on 12. I get about a 3 degree swing in temp. You'd have even more temp buffer by having more water. For a 120 I would personally use 3 250 watt bulbs, but if you want to do 400s I think it is definitely an option.

12/17/2006, 11:45 AM	#7
Island Hopper Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Southern Il. Posts: 198	Running two 400 w with 4" fans on each end of canopy blowing in to cool the bulbs. My tank is in the basement, so in the winter I use a heater to maintain temp. 150 gal.