Metal Halides in hot areas....how do you do it?!

kookerson · 06/29/2007, 05:38 PM

I am trying really hard to make a decision on which lighting to go with on my new system......Im bouncing between T5's and Metal halides. The only thing that is stopping me from choosing metal halides is that the summer days up here in N. Nevada can get brutal, even though they only last about 3-4 months out of the year. I am currently running a 6" fan on my sump and have three 3" computetr fans in my canopy.........how do metal halides fare for you guys in hot areas?

McCrary · 06/29/2007, 05:55 PM

I have central air and a 14" canopy with some fans, so I don't really have to much of a problem. My tank runs about 81 F with the thermostat set to 77 F, so I turn my heater up to 81 so there is no temperature fluctuation. If you are using a swamp cooler or don't have AC then you are going to need a chiller.

T Man · 06/29/2007, 06:06 PM

I'm in Phoenix......I can barely afford to keep the stat at 82 degrees. There is no way I could live without a chiller with my MH's. Some people are able to keep the temperature down with a fan blowing across the top of the waters surface- something that is not an option for desert dwellers, if you want to protect your investment............buy a chiller. TinMan

kookerson · 06/29/2007, 06:19 PM

Thats kinda what I thought.....I just dont want to buy a chiller, Ive heard that they are noisy and bulky.....

messina06 · 06/29/2007, 07:18 PM

go with the Sunlight Supply t5 systems with individual reflectors. Sick setup and not hot at all

kookerson · 06/29/2007, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by messina06
go with the Sunlight Supply t5 systems with individual reflectors. Sick setup and not hot at all

Thats exactly what I was looking at, but was concerned if it would be enough for anemones....

Lotus99 · 06/29/2007, 07:24 PM

We're in the California desert, with daytime highs about 110F for most of the summer.

We don't even have high lighting yet, but the temps were getting up to just about 84. We got a chiller.

T5s will run cooler than MHs. Of course, you also have to consider if the heat the lights are producing will make the a/c have to work harder.

We're probably going to get the Solaris LED system for our tank. Sure, it's close to $3,000, but the cost of all that air conditioning each summer will probably offset the cost somewhat.

kookerson · 06/29/2007, 08:23 PM

Yeah, that Solaris LED looks pretty freakin' righteous, if I had the money, I would probably go for that too. But what do you guys think about T5's for anem's?

Lotus99 · 06/29/2007, 08:41 PM

My second choice was going to be a Tek T5 fixture. For sure, I would choose one with individual reflectors.

kookerson · 06/29/2007, 08:53 PM

Well, right now......thats the one that I am looking at. I just want to make sure that it is suitable for keeping most LPS corals and anemones......

sabbath · 06/29/2007, 08:55 PM

I don't think that you have to give up the MH look becuase of temps. Here is some info on it.

Quote:

Ok, we see how they work but which is best? Well I'm not going to tell, so there! Actually both types make fine lighting for a reef tank and there is a lot of misinformation about the differences between the two. This centers on that the fluorescent lights are a continuum source while MH is a point source.

A big myth is that MH lights are much hotter than fluorescents. That is really not so. A bank of 500 watts in fluorescents puts out around the same heat as 500 watts of metal halides. The fluorescent tubes spread that heat over the entire length of the tube. A MH light concentrates the heat in a small area. This aids in the belief that they create more heat. The light output is also overstated for a MH. Many say that they produce much more light than a fluorescent (s) of the same wattage. This is just the same as the heat. The fluorescent spreads the light out while the MH emits it in a small area. Sure it looks much brighter but if you add up the total illumination for the fluorescent there is not that much difference.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...hreadid=550860

LarryW · 06/29/2007, 10:49 PM

Is the tank an inwall? If you ran MH you would need fans blowing across the water to cause evaporation to cool the tank. I didn't want a chiller either, so I went with a 400w solaris.

06/29/2007, 05:38 PM	#1
kookerson Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 1,017	Metal Halides in hot areas....how do you do it?! I am trying really hard to make a decision on which lighting to go with on my new system......Im bouncing between T5's and Metal halides. The only thing that is stopping me from choosing metal halides is that the summer days up here in N. Nevada can get brutal, even though they only last about 3-4 months out of the year. I am currently running a 6" fan on my sump and have three 3" computetr fans in my canopy.........how do metal halides fare for you guys in hot areas?

06/29/2007, 05:55 PM	#2
McCrary Can't Stop Time Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,079	I have central air and a 14" canopy with some fans, so I don't really have to much of a problem. My tank runs about 81 F with the thermostat set to 77 F, so I turn my heater up to 81 so there is no temperature fluctuation. If you are using a swamp cooler or don't have AC then you are going to need a chiller. __________________ Matt Patience is the best remedy for every trouble. Titus Maccius Plautus (254 BC - 184 BC), Rudens

06/29/2007, 06:06 PM	#3
T Man ~PPPPPPP~ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Emerald City Posts: 1,045	I'm in Phoenix......I can barely afford to keep the stat at 82 degrees. There is no way I could live without a chiller with my MH's. Some people are able to keep the temperature down with a fan blowing across the top of the waters surface- something that is not an option for desert dwellers, if you want to protect your investment............buy a chiller. TinMan __________________ He that can have patience can have what he will. ~ Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: click the "TzFuture" folder in my profile

06/29/2007, 07:24 PM	#7
Lotus99 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Southern California Posts: 1,398	We're in the California desert, with daytime highs about 110F for most of the summer. We don't even have high lighting yet, but the temps were getting up to just about 84. We got a chiller. T5s will run cooler than MHs. Of course, you also have to consider if the heat the lights are producing will make the a/c have to work harder. We're probably going to get the Solaris LED system for our tank. Sure, it's close to $3,000, but the cost of all that air conditioning each summer will probably offset the cost somewhat. __________________ "So long, and thanks for all the fish" Current Tank Info: 125g reef, gobies, cardinals, softies and LPS; 36g Neo Nano tank; 10+ FW tanks

06/29/2007, 08:41 PM	#9
Lotus99 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Southern California Posts: 1,398	My second choice was going to be a Tek T5 fixture. For sure, I would choose one with individual reflectors. __________________ "So long, and thanks for all the fish" Current Tank Info: 125g reef, gobies, cardinals, softies and LPS; 36g Neo Nano tank; 10+ FW tanks

06/29/2007, 06:19 PM	#4
kookerson Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 1,017	Thats kinda what I thought.....I just dont want to buy a chiller, Ive heard that they are noisy and bulky.....

06/29/2007, 07:18 PM	#5
messina06 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: ft lauderdale, FL Posts: 364	go with the Sunlight Supply t5 systems with individual reflectors. Sick setup and not hot at all

06/29/2007, 08:23 PM	#8
kookerson Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 1,017	Yeah, that Solaris LED looks pretty freakin' righteous, if I had the money, I would probably go for that too. But what do you guys think about T5's for anem's?

06/29/2007, 08:53 PM	#10
kookerson Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 1,017	Well, right now......thats the one that I am looking at. I just want to make sure that it is suitable for keeping most LPS corals and anemones......

06/29/2007, 10:49 PM	#12
LarryW Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Colorado Springs, CO Posts: 1,778	Is the tank an inwall? If you ran MH you would need fans blowing across the water to cause evaporation to cool the tank. I didn't want a chiller either, so I went with a 400w solaris.