MH with chiller or T5 with LED?

[tastydog]

First a little background. I have a 90 gallon mixed reef tank and live in a high desert climate that gets 100+ in the summer and is regularly 90+ for June, July and August. We do not have AC in this area, everyone uses swamp coolers, otherwise known as evaporative coolers. So, the house will sometimes get to be 85-88 degrees even when we are home with the cooler on all day. When we leave it will get really hot. I have to put a timer on the cooler to turn it on for 30 minute intervals during the peak of the day and run an overhead ceiling fan on high to keep things cool.

I currently own two fixtures and cannot decide between them.

One is the one I have been using since my tank was setup. It is a Current USA 4 lamp T5 54w fixture. I run two actinics and two 10k's. Recently switched to Geismann so they are not true 10k but something close. It has a single reflector for all 4 bulbs. With this lamp I run the tank completely open top and can keep the temp 82 with the swamp cooler on.

The other fixture is a Current USA dual 150 HQI double ended metal halide fixture with dual 96w PC actinics. I have to run a 1/3 glass top running under the halides and the fixture completely covers the top of the tank and is sitting on the feet on it. I do not have a canopy. I can keep it about 83 maybe poping to 84 with the swamp cooler on.

So, bottom line, I will need the chiller for the MH fixture no matter what to be safe when we leave for vacation and for weekends. I am almost thinking I should have the chiller regardless.

The lighting question is this. I LOVE the MH look and had no idea how much I would love it. The tank looks at least twice as good with and so much more natural. The shimmer and the colors are awesome.

I know I need more light than the 4 t5's under a single reflector. I was told that LED's may be able to give me the additional light I need and also create the shimmer effect. I am a good DIY'er and could build these and have been looking into it for some time now but never pulled the trigger.


Please offer some good advice, suggestions, experience and opinions please.

Brandon

[T Diddy]

I recently switched from metal halide to T5, and then T5/LED hybrid. My water was as high as 83 with the MH. It would fluctuate a good bit too. Now I don't use a chiller or a heater (I may add a heater during winter months) and the temp stays pretty constant, and comfortably in the mid 70s. The shimmer from the LEDs is very similar to the MH, but a trained eye could tell the difference.

I say go for it. You can easily DIY a hybrid version of your current fixture, or build a new one altogether.

[dan-in-gr]

Hi, I have a 90 gal also with dual 250 MH and 4T5's (Giesemann Infiniti), I also have a new Aqua Logic Delta Star 1/4 hp chiller. The tank is in the warmest room in the house, and am moving it in a couple of weeks to living room area where it is much cooler. What will help you dramatically with MH on the tank is to put a fan to blow over the water. I use a 16 inch fan set on high for real hot days and lower speed for normal days, this helps in keeping the chiller on less frequent.

[T Diddy]

...an external return pump will help also

[tastydog]

The chiller I have is an oceanic 1/4 hp. I have a Tunze return pump and can't make it external unfortunately.

Thanks for the replies guys, keep em coming, I still don't know what to do!


Brandon

[alton]

If your home will get to 88 during the day, you will need a chiller either way

[tastydog]

Well, I gave up and added the chiller and am going to stick with this fixture. I may replace retofit some T5's into where the PC's are now sometime in the near future. It just looks too darn good.

Thanks for the replies.