Your opinions on MH

t5Nitro · 12/14/2006, 07:55 PM

We were going to get a MH fixture to replace the T5 Nova Extreme 4x39 watt. No canopies built for 46 bows, so it would have to be one with legs and sit on top of the tank. Well, it has 2 150 HQI 10k bulbs I think and then 2 actinics, along with LED lihgts on this fixture. At the store, we were told that the MH lights would fry my tank making it 10-12 degrees warmer, then if it's really that much, would the MH bleack the corals out?
Tank depth: 21" Corals on all levels of the tank.
Thanks.

bertoni · 12/14/2006, 07:58 PM

I don't believe MH is going to warm a tank any more than an equivalent T5 setup. I have MH over a couple of tanks now, and they showed no signs of heating at all after the upgrade. The corals might bleach due to brighter light, depending on your current setup. Some screening can help with that.

grimreefer01 · 12/14/2006, 07:59 PM

definately go with the HQI.. and a possible name change as well..

acclimate the lighting using window screen (maybe 2 layers) and remove a layer each week.. should do just fine

t5Nitro · 12/14/2006, 07:59 PM

Oh here is the actual light, it says 1x150 HQI and 2 65 watt
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...&N=2004+113352

t5Nitro · 12/14/2006, 08:02 PM

Ok, well, we were going to buy it, now thats 2vsLFS saying it should be fine, because they showed us even how high up they had their halides over their tanks and all this. With 21" depth, will it bother the fish at all? Then for coral the screening would work alright.

bertoni · 12/14/2006, 08:05 PM

I'm not sure that fixture is very efficient, but you should be able to run it without overheating the tank. If the tank has a cover, you might need to remove that and use a fan during the summer, for example.

If you have deepwater fish, they might object to brighter lighting. Some Anthias are in that category, for example.

t5Nitro · 12/14/2006, 08:06 PM

What fixture is very efficient? I can't bolt a pendant to a ceiling. (I could, don't want to)

bertoni · 12/14/2006, 08:09 PM

I don't know of any data on the all-in-one units like that, but the tiny reflectors are likely not very effective. I had that problem with the MH fixture I mentioned. I replaced it with a DIY setup, but I'm not sure how effective it would be on your tank. What are the dimensions?

t5Nitro · 12/14/2006, 08:12 PM

36x16x21

Tripspike · 12/14/2006, 08:24 PM

Nitro,

I have a 46 gallon bow that I am setting up along with my 42 gal. I have been researching lighting for the tank. I read a post from someone that had the single MH in the middle of a 36" light. They are reselling it now because the center brace on the tank created some huge shadowing effect that thy hated.

I have been leaning towards a Current USA fixture..looking for a good deal and waiting.

Model 1071: It has two 150W MH and four T5's plus 9 led moonlights. Here is a link to the fixture:

http://www.current-usa.com/outerorbithqit5ho.html

bertoni · 12/14/2006, 08:26 PM

That's a tough size to cover with MH. The fixture you listed might be about as good as can be done. I assume you're looking at the 36" unit, which has one 150 W MH bulb and two 65 W PC actinic supplements.

I'd consider using a Lumen Max 2 and building a stand to support it up over the tank. It's a DIY approach, though. Maybe there's a similar LumenArc model that's more prefabbed.

t5Nitro · 12/14/2006, 08:28 PM

Hmm, 300 watts isn't too much on these small of tanks? Plus the actinics to the 300? I just don't want my corals and fish to go nuts from going from 156 to something so bright.
The above message I said 300 watt, well on the sites it shows 600 some watts.

t5Nitro · 12/14/2006, 08:35 PM

Thats 14x the tank volume for watt though, too much.

Tripspike · 12/14/2006, 09:52 PM

I guess it depends on what you are doing with it. The single metal halide with the center brace is going to leave shadows as someone has experienced. Just thought I would share their pain.

The one I listed above is 456 watts total about 10x.

Trip

bertoni · 12/14/2006, 09:54 PM

I'm confused about what setup you're going to get, so it's hard to say much. Can you get the stats on the actual model you're considering?

The unit TripSpike posted looks a bit better for reflectors. Does your tank have a center brace?

2swift · 12/14/2006, 10:18 PM

The current has worked for me a bit pricey but I think worth it.jmo

E-A-G-L-E-S · 12/14/2006, 10:27 PM

Current Sunpod has a 2x150W 36" unit, i use it on my 58g with a simple 1x39W T5 for a little extra kick to my Phoenix bulbs.

The size of the reflectors do keep it as a narrow spread, but just fine for your tank.(to keep anything)

IMO

Tripspike · 12/14/2006, 10:27 PM

Is there anything in this hobby that is not pricey....

Trip

2swift · 12/14/2006, 10:39 PM

Oh 1 note I'm doing a test next week to see what put's out more heat my mh's or my mag seven! Trust me if it goes the way I think I'll be posting.

ACBlinky · 12/15/2006, 01:52 AM

The LFS employee that told you MH would heat the water 10-12 degrees is either being silly, or has a vested interest in trying to sell you a chiller or alternate fixture. I've got a 2x400W MH fixture with T5 actinics and built-in fans and moonlights on my 90g, very much like the type you're looking at. It's on legs about 8" above the tank and it does warm the tank by 1-2 degrees (F) by the end of the photoperiod -- nothing too alarming, and no more than my old PCs heated the 65g.

I agree with bertoni about the reflectors on fixtures like these, they're not the best, but I'm happy with mine. If you have a centre brace on the tank, don't settle for anything less than two MH bulbs -- one over the brace won't work well, you'll have shadows that drive you crazy.

Don't worry about watts per gallon, it really doesn't work. Light output per watt differs so much between different types of lighting, it's not possible to compare things like T5 and MH by the number of watts. When thinking about the amount of light over a tank I generally don't even include the actinics -- they don't provide nearly as much useable light for corals, they're mostly for eye appeal. IMO 2x150W MH is fine for a 21" deep 46g tank, it'll look fantastic

t5Nitro · 12/15/2006, 06:33 AM

Yes, the tank does have a center brace, so I guess thats common sense, it won't look well. The other link listed above for the current set up is too expensive for me.
Any ideas on a decent fixture with legs on it for a reasonable price, like the price on my first link? It is around 430 or so. The other one is 800.

E-A-G-L-E-S · 12/15/2006, 02:06 PM

36" Current SunPod

Tripspike · 12/15/2006, 03:50 PM

Nitro,

I contacted several online store to quote the Model 1071. The cheapest I have gotten so far is as follows:

$589.00 includes shipping. (from aquamartonline.com).

I am verifying the exact bulbs that come with the unit. If it comes with bulbs like it should I will be ordering Monday. Maybe if we order two we can get a better discount.

Let me know if you are interested.

Mike

On Dec 15, 2006, at 6:03 AM, Michael Triplett wrote:

Tripspike · 12/15/2006, 08:59 PM

They emailed me back and said the following bulbs do come with the fixture like I thought they should.

2x150watt HQi 10K and 4x39watt t-5 Dual Actinic

420/460nm and 18 lunar lights

$589 includes shipping sounds like a real deal for lots of great light.

I will be ordering one on Monday.

Mike

t5Nitro · 12/15/2006, 09:28 PM

I think I should wait, really wanting to upgrade tank sizes, maybe I can get a pendant. Anyone know where they sell reef optix?

12/14/2006, 07:55 PM	#1
t5Nitro Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,384	Your opinions on MH We were going to get a MH fixture to replace the T5 Nova Extreme 4x39 watt. No canopies built for 46 bows, so it would have to be one with legs and sit on top of the tank. Well, it has 2 150 HQI 10k bulbs I think and then 2 actinics, along with LED lihgts on this fixture. At the store, we were told that the MH lights would fry my tank making it 10-12 degrees warmer, then if it's really that much, would the MH bleack the corals out? Tank depth: 21" Corals on all levels of the tank. Thanks.

12/14/2006, 07:58 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I don't believe MH is going to warm a tank any more than an equivalent T5 setup. I have MH over a couple of tanks now, and they showed no signs of heating at all after the upgrade. The corals might bleach due to brighter light, depending on your current setup. Some screening can help with that. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

12/14/2006, 07:59 PM	#4
t5Nitro Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,384	Oh here is the actual light, it says 1x150 HQI and 2 65 watt http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...&N=2004+113352 __________________ ATI T5 club Current Tank Info: Left the hobby, looking to re-enter in the future

12/14/2006, 08:02 PM	#5
t5Nitro Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,384	Ok, well, we were going to buy it, now thats 2vsLFS saying it should be fine, because they showed us even how high up they had their halides over their tanks and all this. With 21" depth, will it bother the fish at all? Then for coral the screening would work alright. __________________ ATI T5 club Current Tank Info: Left the hobby, looking to re-enter in the future

12/14/2006, 08:05 PM	#6
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I'm not sure that fixture is very efficient, but you should be able to run it without overheating the tank. If the tank has a cover, you might need to remove that and use a fan during the summer, for example. If you have deepwater fish, they might object to brighter lighting. Some Anthias are in that category, for example. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

12/14/2006, 07:59 PM	#3
grimreefer01 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: South Eastern Michigan Posts: 138	definately go with the HQI.. and a possible name change as well.. acclimate the lighting using window screen (maybe 2 layers) and remove a layer each week.. should do just fine

12/14/2006, 08:06 PM	#7
t5Nitro Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,384	What fixture is very efficient? I can't bolt a pendant to a ceiling. (I could, don't want to) __________________ ATI T5 club Current Tank Info: Left the hobby, looking to re-enter in the future

12/14/2006, 08:09 PM	#8
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I don't know of any data on the all-in-one units like that, but the tiny reflectors are likely not very effective. I had that problem with the MH fixture I mentioned. I replaced it with a DIY setup, but I'm not sure how effective it would be on your tank. What are the dimensions? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

12/14/2006, 08:12 PM	#9
t5Nitro Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,384	36x16x21 __________________ ATI T5 club Current Tank Info: Left the hobby, looking to re-enter in the future

12/14/2006, 08:24 PM	#10
Tripspike Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bristol, CT Posts: 875	Nitro, I have a 46 gallon bow that I am setting up along with my 42 gal. I have been researching lighting for the tank. I read a post from someone that had the single MH in the middle of a 36" light. They are reselling it now because the center brace on the tank created some huge shadowing effect that thy hated. I have been leaning towards a Current USA fixture..looking for a good deal and waiting. Model 1071: It has two 150W MH and four T5's plus 9 led moonlights. Here is a link to the fixture: http://www.current-usa.com/outerorbithqit5ho.html

12/14/2006, 08:26 PM	#11
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	That's a tough size to cover with MH. The fixture you listed might be about as good as can be done. I assume you're looking at the 36" unit, which has one 150 W MH bulb and two 65 W PC actinic supplements. I'd consider using a Lumen Max 2 and building a stand to support it up over the tank. It's a DIY approach, though. Maybe there's a similar LumenArc model that's more prefabbed. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

12/14/2006, 08:28 PM	#12
t5Nitro Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,384	Hmm, 300 watts isn't too much on these small of tanks? Plus the actinics to the 300? I just don't want my corals and fish to go nuts from going from 156 to something so bright. The above message I said 300 watt, well on the sites it shows 600 some watts. __________________ ATI T5 club Current Tank Info: Left the hobby, looking to re-enter in the future

12/14/2006, 08:35 PM	#13
t5Nitro Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,384	Thats 14x the tank volume for watt though, too much. __________________ ATI T5 club Current Tank Info: Left the hobby, looking to re-enter in the future

12/14/2006, 09:52 PM	#14
Tripspike Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bristol, CT Posts: 875	I guess it depends on what you are doing with it. The single metal halide with the center brace is going to leave shadows as someone has experienced. Just thought I would share their pain. The one I listed above is 456 watts total about 10x. Trip

12/14/2006, 09:54 PM	#15
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I'm confused about what setup you're going to get, so it's hard to say much. Can you get the stats on the actual model you're considering? The unit TripSpike posted looks a bit better for reflectors. Does your tank have a center brace? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

12/14/2006, 10:18 PM	#16
2swift Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Ruskin,FLA Posts: 876	The current has worked for me a bit pricey but I think worth it.jmo __________________ Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Current Tank Info: 150g with twin FX4 canisters-Jebao 90Wave maker-2 AQUASKY Fluval Lights-AquaMaxx TS-2 Sulfur Denitrator

12/14/2006, 10:27 PM	#17
E-A-G-L-E-S Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lehigh Valley, PA Posts: 7,038	Current Sunpod has a 2x150W 36" unit, i use it on my 58g with a simple 1x39W T5 for a little extra kick to my Phoenix bulbs. The size of the reflectors do keep it as a narrow spread, but just fine for your tank.(to keep anything) IMO __________________ Smug Egotistical Contemptuous It's difficult to get a man to understand something that his salary requires him not to.

12/14/2006, 10:39 PM	#19
2swift Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Ruskin,FLA Posts: 876	Oh 1 note I'm doing a test next week to see what put's out more heat my mh's or my mag seven! Trust me if it goes the way I think I'll be posting. __________________ Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Current Tank Info: 150g with twin FX4 canisters-Jebao 90Wave maker-2 AQUASKY Fluval Lights-AquaMaxx TS-2 Sulfur Denitrator

12/15/2006, 01:52 AM	#20
ACBlinky Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Peterborough, ON, Canada Posts: 4,954 Blog Entries: 20	The LFS employee that told you MH would heat the water 10-12 degrees is either being silly, or has a vested interest in trying to sell you a chiller or alternate fixture. I've got a 2x400W MH fixture with T5 actinics and built-in fans and moonlights on my 90g, very much like the type you're looking at. It's on legs about 8" above the tank and it does warm the tank by 1-2 degrees (F) by the end of the photoperiod -- nothing too alarming, and no more than my old PCs heated the 65g. I agree with bertoni about the reflectors on fixtures like these, they're not the best, but I'm happy with mine. If you have a centre brace on the tank, don't settle for anything less than two MH bulbs -- one over the brace won't work well, you'll have shadows that drive you crazy. Don't worry about watts per gallon, it really doesn't work. Light output per watt differs so much between different types of lighting, it's not possible to compare things like T5 and MH by the number of watts. When thinking about the amount of light over a tank I generally don't even include the actinics -- they don't provide nearly as much useable light for corals, they're mostly for eye appeal. IMO 2x150W MH is fine for a 21" deep 46g tank, it'll look fantastic __________________ "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.

12/15/2006, 06:33 AM	#21
t5Nitro Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,384	Yes, the tank does have a center brace, so I guess thats common sense, it won't look well. The other link listed above for the current set up is too expensive for me. Any ideas on a decent fixture with legs on it for a reasonable price, like the price on my first link? It is around 430 or so. The other one is 800. __________________ ATI T5 club Current Tank Info: Left the hobby, looking to re-enter in the future

12/15/2006, 02:06 PM	#22
E-A-G-L-E-S Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lehigh Valley, PA Posts: 7,038	36" Current SunPod __________________ Smug Egotistical Contemptuous It's difficult to get a man to understand something that his salary requires him not to.

12/15/2006, 03:50 PM	#23
Tripspike Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bristol, CT Posts: 875	Nitro, I contacted several online store to quote the Model 1071. The cheapest I have gotten so far is as follows: $589.00 includes shipping. (from aquamartonline.com). I am verifying the exact bulbs that come with the unit. If it comes with bulbs like it should I will be ordering Monday. Maybe if we order two we can get a better discount. Let me know if you are interested. Mike On Dec 15, 2006, at 6:03 AM, Michael Triplett wrote:

12/15/2006, 08:59 PM	#24
Tripspike Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bristol, CT Posts: 875	They emailed me back and said the following bulbs do come with the fixture like I thought they should. 2x150watt HQi 10K and 4x39watt t-5 Dual Actinic 420/460nm and 18 lunar lights $589 includes shipping sounds like a real deal for lots of great light. I will be ordering one on Monday. Mike

12/15/2006, 09:28 PM	#25
t5Nitro Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,384	I think I should wait, really wanting to upgrade tank sizes, maybe I can get a pendant. Anyone know where they sell reef optix? __________________ ATI T5 club Current Tank Info: Left the hobby, looking to re-enter in the future