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FAQs about Metal Halide & Halogen Lights and Lighting for 200 Gallon
Plus Marine Systems Related
FAQs: Metal Halides 1,
Metal Halides 2, Metal Halides 3,
Metal Halides 4, Metal Halides 5,
Metal Halides 6, Metal Halides 7,
Metal Halides for Small Systems,
Metal Halides for 40-200 gal. Systems,
Metal Halide Lamp Issues, Metal
Halide Fixture Issues, Metal Halide
Heat Issues, MH Repair Issues,
Compact Fluorescents,
Regular Fluorescents,
Lighting Marine Invertebrates,
LR Lighting, Tridacnid
Lighting, Small
System Lighting, Related
Articles: Metal Halide
Light, & Lighting Articles,
Coral System Lighting, Chromis
viridis in a coral, where they hide from predators... including fish
collectors. Here in Fiji. | 
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Limited MH Lighting Options Available...What’s Best For 43” Deep Reef? –
11/13/07
Hey guys,
<<Hey Marc>>
Have been through your
website, fabulous amount of information.
<<Indeed...is quite the
collective effort>>
Had a question for you, more or less your opinion
on what I should be doing actually.
<<Always happy to present my
opinion>>
I have a 380 gallon reef/fish tank which is 43" deep.
<<Mmm...I hope you are seven-feet tall with a 45” reach...>>
It
currently runs 4 x metal halides, 400 watts and 25,000K.
<<Quite
“blue”...with this depth tank/lighting I’m thinking “deep water” reef
environment...>>
I know that it should have a blue tint to it, but it
really doesn't seem too.
<<...?>>
The lights themselves do, but
the actual water seems quite white.
<<Unless there is something
“wrong” about these bulbs, you are likely just “used” to them. Replacing
one with a lower Kelvin temperature; say 10000K, would probably reveal a
stark contrast>>
There isn't much space in the installation for
additional lighting.
<<I see>>
It’s relatively difficult getting
MH bulbs here, it has to be mostly imported at great expense.
<<Uh-
oh...where is “here” I wonder?>>
The only readily available & cheap
bulbs are 6,500K.
<<Hmmm, Iwasaki maybe? This Kelvin temperature is
really quite ideal for “reef” applications. It contains quite enough
“blue” light for the photosynthetic organisms and provides the most
PAR/best penetration over most other “aquarium” bulbs. But...most
hobbyists do find it to be too “yellow” for their tastes>>
Do you
think if I switched to 4 x 6,500K this would make a large impact on the
aquarium or the conditions for the reef?
<<Indeed...as just
mentioned>>
Is their a way to get a bit of blue glow into the water?
<<Oh yes!>>
Perhaps some small lamps, but would they penetrate the
43"?
<<Some 48” 54W HO T5 Actinic lamps with good reflectors should
serve this purpose. They will provide little “useful” light at this
depth (leave that to the metal halides), but should give the
“appearance” you are after. Just “how many” will be up to your sense of
aesthetics>>
In a nutshell, what lamps do you suggest I run for best
conditions for the reef taking into account my fixtures and/or same
question, but taking into account I'd like a bit of blue if possible.
Thanks!
<<As outlined...but do feel free to write back if I’ve not
been succinct. Eric Russell>>
Regards,
Marc Steeb
Lighting Choices Over Large Aquarium...some corals 3/13/07
Hello,
<Hi.>
I have just set up a big tank and need to add some
lights. I need your advice on what to go for. The tank is 3000litres,
3.2 metres long by 1.3 metres wide and water depth is 0.8 metres.
<Mmmm so roughly 667 U.S. gallons....sorry we aren't on that system
yet.>
I have a lot of live rock and added some more Fiji rock a
month ago. I do not have any hard corals but I might add some soft
corals later on but I'm more into my fish.
<Okay.>
So I'm not
sure how strong to make the lights. Here in South Africa, I can choose
from the following Aquamedic lights:
<Hello.>
1.2 metre
Sunbreams which are 1 x 54w actinic t5 plus 1 x 54 watt white. How
many would I need?
Aquasunlight unit which is 2 x 250 watt metal
halide and 2 x 54 watt t5s.
Aquasunlight unit which is 2 x 150
watt metal halide and 2 x 54 watt t5s.
<I would go with he 250's
simply for sheer size of the aquarium. If you are planning to keep the
corals centralized in the middle of the tank, these systems could be
fine but if you want to keep the all over a larger span of the
tank....one consisting of at least 3 MH bulbs would probably be better.
Just FYI.>
Many Thanks,
<Of course.>
James.
<Adam J.>
Too much MH lighting? 11/26/07
Hello WWM crew,
<Hey George, JustinN here with you on this fine evening>
I have a
concern about lighting. In your opinion, is 1200 watts for a (@ 200
gal.) 33" deep x 72" long x 24" wide reef set-up too much?
<Mmm, all
depends how its distributed across the tank.. May be a bit excessive for
your plans.>
I am not attempting any SPS species. Mostly soft
corals, some Trachyphylliidae, and Caulastrea. I do get more algae on
acrylic then I like, but a trade off I guess.
Nitrates =0
Phosphates=.2
Ca++= 475-485
Alk= 4.5
pH= 8.4
salinity=
1.025
<Identify the source of your phosphates, and I'm sure you'll
see a decrease in your algae buildup, however, diatoms on the glass are
pretty much an inevitability.>
I have thought about cutting back to
about 4 watts per gallon. My concern is that I have two T. Crocea's at
the substrate. Will that be sufficient for them?
<Should be>
I
have been employing other controls for algae as well. I tested my salt
mix and phosphates run zero. I do twice monthly water changes, utilizing
RO water, of course. And, I try to not overfeed, but probably do a
little, like everyone else.
<Try increasing this water change
regimen to weekly, and you will likely see a subsequent decrease in both
phosphates and diatom growth.>
I read on your site that you
recommend phasing the light source for a reef, and that makes sense due
to the limit of 'peak' sunlight in natural reefs. Is there a way to
attenuate the MH lights so that they are not blasting all the time? Like
a dimmer, I guess.
<Bingo.>
Thanks for all your fantastic
insight.
Regards,
George
<Cutting back on your light will
likely have no deleterious effects, especially if done gradually, and
may have a positive effect on your pocket book. Hope this helps you!
-JustinN> Re: Too much MH lighting? 11/26/07
Justin-
<George>
Are you familiar with a way to dim MH lights?
<Am aware of a few ballasts with dimmer controls, namely IceCap and PFO>
If not, am considering going to 3x 250W retro fit fixtures, and perhaps
a pure actinic?
Thanks,
George
<Well George, I seem to have
misspoken on dimming technologies for MH, they appear to be an
electro-magnetic ballast only option. I was aware of these when I spoke,
and had confused some conflicting information I had previously read
about dimming VHO bulbs with MH. Unfortunately, I don't think there's an
off-the-shelf solution to dim your halides, without replacing the
ballasts. Try pricing out replacement ballasts, you may end up finding
its still as or more feasible than changing out all fixtures entirely.
Hope this helps you! -JustinN>
Re: Too much MH lighting?
11/26/07
No problem. Well, as long as you're on task here, I
thought I'd pick your brain just a little bit more...if you would be so
kind....
<Pick away, my friend>
I believe I can 'downgrade' the
bulbs to 250's, and that might be a simple way to do it?
<Mmm... I
would definitely consult owner's manuals, if not directly contacting the
manufacturer re this... If the ballast is not capable of the down step,
you will end up with a burst bulb very quickly...>
Switching gears
to what my concern was, to reduce the phosphates, thereby reducing the
nuisance algae.
<Ok>
In between emails, I was doing some reading
about refugiums. They seem to be very beneficial.
<Absolutely>
My problem is this, I have very limited space in sump. Already running a
skimmer in there, which is working very well. On the left side, the two
returns have 100 micron filter socks, no space there. I suppose if I
could figure out a way to put macro-algae on the right side where the
skimmer lives...but the intake pipe would suck it up. I do, however,
have some space outside for a small tank. Would it be possible to just
run in/out in a small refugium...to the tank directly? Or to the bigger
sump tank?
<If you have the extra flow from your overflow source (or
are not against adding another source), the outside solution would
likely be best. I would, for simplicity's sake, tie this directly to the
tank, both the overflow to the 'fuge, as well as the return. It would
simplify the reworking of the plumbing, for sure. The larger space you
can afford here, the better.>
Regards,
George
<As far as
phosphates go, perhaps you could utilize some form of chemical
filtration, such as ChemiPure or RowaPhos in your sump somewhere, in an
area of high flow. Hope this helps you! -JustinN>
Re: Too
much MH lighting? 11/26/07
Again, thank you for
sticking with me. fast responses, etc.
<No worries>
I will
definitely visit my LFS where lights were purchased re: bulbs, etc.
Supplemental HQI Lighting On A 900 Gallon Tank 8/6/06
Salutations!
<Hello Tim>
I'm currently in the process of setting
up a rather large aquarium, a 10' x 4' x 3' monster (3 feet deep). The
tank is acrylic, and has 3 large 30" square cutouts on the top.
My
setup is as follows:
1) I live in Arizona in a house with a flat
roof.
2) I installed 3 24" Solar tubes in the ceiling directly over
the tank. The tubes extend down to about 18-24" off the top of the
tank, and don't precisely
line up with the cutouts. The two on the
ends are slightly to the outer edge of the tank, and all three are more
towards the back of the tank. (Joist placement issues)
3) The tank
is in a dedicated room, (front of the tank is picture-frame style into
the living room) so aesthetics of the fixtures is unimportant.
4) I
plan to dedicate this tank primarily to shallow water SPS and clams.
I suspect that the three solar tubes, while providing a huge amount of
light and hopefully offsetting my electric bill, will not be enough
light for this tank. I also think that for aesthetic reasons, I will
need some blue or actinic lights to offset the natural sunlight
coloring.
Along those lines, my current thinking is to add three
20,000K 400W HQI MH fixtures to the tank. However, because of where the
tubes are, these would be centered more towards the front 1.5 feet of
the tank. I'm concerned that alot of my light will go directly onto the
sandbed and the living room out the front face. I was thinking perhaps
I could angle the fixtures towards the rear of the tank, but I'm not
sure if this will cause a high loss of light through reflection off the
water surface. The other option would be to put 2 halides over the
braces between the solar tubes, but I am concerned about the effect of
the high intensity light being directed directly at an acrylic panel. I
suspect I will end up mounting a fan on the wall blowing crosswise
across the entire tank to keep the heat down. Also, the room is
air-conditioned.
So:
What kind of supplemental lighting would
you recommend for this setup?
How would you position the lamps?
Is a 400W HQI too much power? Maybe some other combination? I can
always also run them for only a few hours each day to simulate a
mid-day-sun.
Any other thoughts on lighting this monster?
<Tim,
a few questions before I can proceed. First, is the tank currently set
up and running? If so, are any SPS corals or clams in the system at
present, and,
how are they looking with just the solar tubes? James
(Salty Dog)>
Tim Re: HQI Supplemental
Lighting on 900 Gallon Tank...Mmm, How Many Solar Tubes Per Gallon?
8/7/06
> <Tim, a few questions before I can proceed. First, is
the tank currently set up and running? If so, are any SPS corals or
clams in the system at present, and, how are they looking with just the
solar tubes? James (Salty Dog)>
No. The system isn't up and
running yet. I'm just about to add live rock and begin the cycling
process.
As far as the lights.. I think my primary concern is not to
over-power the corals. I realize I may be in a bit of uncharted
territory here. I will say, that the tubes light up the whole living
room through the tank, and the light rays seem to be fairly direct, as I
get the ripple effect like a MH light would.
But hey. I'll have the
most accurate moonlight system of anyone.
<Tim, to be honest with
you, I'd see how things go with just the tubes. You may have enough
light here along with eliminating heat problems from 400 watt
lamps. See if your investment works before spending more money. Also,
in future replies, please include/reply to previous
correspondence. James (Salty Dog)>
Tim
Another one of
those Lighting Questions 11/16/05
Hi, I'll make this short,
I have a 300 gallon, standard size 8' long x 30" high. I have gotten rid
of all of the sharks and eels from it and am taking my existing reef
tank and moving everything to the 300 and downsizing to one tank. From
there I will the begin the long and expensive process of populating it.
So, I already have 2 175 12,000k Sunburst bulbs on the 100 reef. I want
to utilize the 175's so that I can save money, so what I am considering
is 2 250 watt 14,000 halides on
either end and the 12,000 175's on
the inside, along with 4 65 watt Actinic PC's.
<For looks, I'd put
the brighter, higher watt MHs in the middle.... the lower on the
outsides>
Now, keep in mind that I live in the Los Angeles area and
electricity is really expensive.
<Am just south of you... and
understand>
If I can have SPSs at the top of the tank I would be
happy and all other mushrooms and LPSs lower in the tank. What do you
think??
Thanks
<Can be done. Bob Fenner> Metal Halide
Lighting with Acrylic Tank 12/20/2005
Hi Girl(s) and guys,
<Hello Jem>
I have spent more hours than I care to remember reading
information on your site. It really is something to be very proud of on
your part and has taught me so many things, however I am still slightly
confused regarding MH lighting.
I have a new acrylic aquarium 120" l
x 30" h x 24" w (305 cm l x 76 cm h x 61 cm w)<WOW!> and am planning on
putting two Arcadia 3 series pendants one 160 cm and one 110 cm pendant
over the tank for light. I am planning on having 5 x 250w MH and 2 x
58w and 2 x 30w linear fluorescent actinic tubes.
The set up is for
a full coral reef tank with hard and soft corals and Tridacna clams.
Could you let me know if you think this is enough or too much light for
this aquarium and what height I need to keep the bulbs above the tank -
is 8 - 12" about right, <Yes> as I have read so many differing heights
for placement of MH lights in various places. As it is an acrylic tank
it has large covered areas of acrylic across the top of the tank and two
large uncovered areas. Presumably, and from what I have read, the MH
bulbs should not affect the acrylic on the tank - is this so? <Yes, heat
will affect the acrylic if the bulbs are too close without fan cooling.>
if it does affect the acrylic
what other options do I have? or do I
have to try to place the MH bulbs in the areas where there is no acrylic
covering? <I would have lids made for the two large openings. The
acrylic does act as an excellent UV filter.>
Is it possible to put
MH bulbs inside a canopy of an aquarium? I assume they would be too
close to the top of the acrylic tank and water surface?
hence the
use of pendants by most people. <It's done all the time but on a tank
10' long it would cost a pretty penny to have one made out of furniture
grade wood and probably a gazillion cooling fans.>
Also what is the
best light range to have 6500K - 10000K or a mixture of 6500K - 10000K
and 20000K? <I like the 10K to 20K range.>
Can you have too much
lighting for marine fish? <Yes, but you shouldn't> i.e. is the amount
of light I am planning going to affect the type of fish I can have in
the aquarium and if so where can I get information on this matter.
<Search our WWM for info on fish before you buy so you know their
requirements. Getting back to the lighting, with your 30" deep tank,
the 250watt bulbs will be borderline, especially with the pendant where
they will need to be about 10" above the acrylic. If this were my dream
I'd go with five 400 watt MH systems and place one light one foot from
each end and the remaining three at two foot centers for an even
balance. I'd also eliminate the fluorescent tubes altogether. I'd also
consider air conditioning this room also. James (Salty Dog)>
Thanks
in advance for your help on my questions. <You're welcome and Happy
Holidays to you.>
Regards
Jem Re: Metal Halide Lighting
with Acrylic Tank 12/26/05
Hi, <Hello Jem>
Thank you
for your helpful reply regarding my pervious questions. <You're welcome>
Further to your reply to me suggesting using 400w metal halide lights I
have looked for pendants with this power and have found that Aqua Medic
makes the Aquaspacelight 400 metal halide pendant. These units come in
120 cm length (2 x 400w MH) and 60 cm length (1 x 400w MH). The
question I have is that as my tank is 120" l x 30" h x 24" w (305 cm l x
76 cm h x 61 cm w) would it be better for me to have two of the 120 cm
units leaving a gap between them or two 120 cm units and one 60 cm unit
and have the units extending past the length of the tank? <Doesn't do
much good extending past the tank itself, wasting energy.> I presume the
two times 120 cm
units are the way to go and if so what spacing
should I leave between the units? <Not familiar with Aqua-Medic
fixtures. I'd contact Aqua-Medic regarding spacing since I have no idea
how far the light spreads from these pendants. Go
here; www.aqua-medic.com.>
Will 4 x 400w MH bulbs be enough light
for this size tank? <I'd feel comfortable with it.> If not, the same
company makes 1000w pendants that are 60 cm.s long and I could use three
or four of these units? <Overkill>
Just to remind you this tank is
for a full coral reef set up with hard and soft corals and Tridacna
clams. <Understand>
Thanks again for your comments and
recommendations which are very informative
and helpful to me.
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Regards
Jem
Lighting/Metal Halide Upgrade - 03/09/2006
I have a 300
gallon reef tank. I am using Three 250Watt Metal Halides and four 110
watt Super Actinic VHO's. My SPS are at the top of the tank about 4
inches below the water and have never done well and always turn brown. I
have all types of corals and fish. My tank is 24" deep by 96" long by
32" wide. The lights are 14" from the bottom of the bulbs to the surface
of the water. I am considering replacing the 250 Watt with 400 Watt
Metal Halides in hopes to create a healthier environment for my corals
as well as being able to keep SPS from turning brown. Would this be a
beneficial improvement/gain for the corals or only a gain for my
electric company. <In a 24" deep tank that large, a definite
improvement.> If so what would be the best way to convert over? Change
all bulbs over at once or one by one? I was thinking doing it one by one
placing a screen just above the water to block some of the new intensity
while continuing the normal light cycle. Then start poking holes in the
screen periodically to start letting more light in over a couple of
weeks of time. What do you think? <I'd make the transfer one at a time,
wait a week before doing another. Don't think you need any filtering as
we are only going up 150 watts per week. Not a great increase for the
size of the tank.> I also just purchased a LUX meter, not really sure
why but I heard it was nice to have. <My father-in-law was a gadget
man. We called him Inspector Gadget.> Any tips on how to use it and get
the most out of it? <Just read the manual or ask the manufacturer.> The
probe is submersible so I can check light intensity all the way to the
bottom of the tank. Thanks for your help! I want to make sure that I do
this right so that none of these animals suffer because of my
stupidity! <You are on the right track, Curtis. James (Salty Dog)>
Curtis
Lots Of Light- Lots of Options! 3/23/06
Wet Web Media Crew,
<Scott F. with you today!>
I have a 300
gallon reef aquarium. Because of price issues, I have ended up with 8-
175watt 20k HQI metal halides and 8-96 watt actinics for my lighting.
The tank dimensions are 96L X 24 T X 36 W. What issues, questions or
arguments would you have with this setup versus say 4- 400 watt 10K
metal halides?
<To be honest with you, it sounds quite nice.
However, the electrical draw may be comparable to what the draw would be
if you went with the 4- 400 watt setup. My thinking is that the real
issue might be the PAR value of the 20K bulbs versus 10k bulbs. If
you're intending to keep high-light-loving Acroporids and other corals
of this type, you'll get better growth out of the 10ks. On the other
hand, I like the aesthetics of 20ks, and you may get nicer colors out of
the corals. Having 8 fixtures means 8 bulbs to change, and 8 ballasts to
service- essentially 8 things that can fail; 8 more things to keep track
of. On the other hand, having 8 different pendants means that you can
"put the light where you want it".>
Will this lighting be sufficient
for SPS coral or clams?
<Either will suffice; all depends on your
goals- high growth rate versus aesthetics.>
This light setup is not
really typical for this size tank- it seems- so that is why I ask.
Thanks SO much
Jason
<No problem, Jason. I'd do the math, in
terms of energy consumption, and examine which makes more economic sense
in regards to your goals. Best of luck to you! Regards, Scott F.>
Lighting for a 360 gal
I just bought a 360 gallon acrylic
aquarium and I am working on the placement for the MH. I have four 250
Watt HQI MHs. << Sounds good, I'd consider 400 watt halides but you
should be fine. >> The tank is 6' wide,
4' deep, and 2' tall. <<
Only 2 feet tall? Then 250 watts should be good bulbs. >> I have read
that you should place a MH lamp every 2
feet. So I would have two
rows of three lamps for a total of six lamps.
However, the middle of
the aquarium top is all acrylic. I have read on your website that you
should not place MH lights directly over the acrylic and try to place
them in between the opens. If I am to do this I would be able to fit 6
lights over the aquarium. My question is this. Should I just have 4
lamps over the openings or should I have 6 lamps and have 2 of them over
the acrylic top? << Ooh tough question. I'd probably go with four bulbs
at 400 watts each, or four bulbs at 250 watts but add some VHO actinics
to go with them. On a tank that size, I'd even consider 6 bulbs over
the open areas if you can fit them. >> As always... Thanks for your
help! << Good luck, nice sized tank. >>
Steve
<< Blundell >>
Kelvin Temp - 1/13/05
I have read your lighting FAQs and
haven't seen my particular question.
<Then you missed it! It's on
lighting FAQ page 3, answer #14, paragraph 2, line 26, letter 47. Just
kidding>
I have a 225g reef that is 30" deep. I have two 400w HQI
Pendants with e-ballasts about 9" above the water. Tank is at 80-81
stable (Night/day).
My question has to do with the temperature of
the bulbs. I don't have any other lighting and was wondering if I don't
have adequate red green spectrum? There is plenty of intensity.... to
the point where mushrooms, softies, etc need to be place in the centre
of the tank on or near the bottom (two coral head reef setup) for them
to open fully. So my question is: Provided you have intense 20k
lighting... is it still necessary to have lighting in the 6500, 10k 14k
area?
<As I am not aware of the species you are attempting to keep,
I will provide as general answer as I can...at least for the species
commonly kept in this hobby. Most photosynthetic organisms from
tropical reefs prefer 'warmer' Kelvin temperatures (5500k-6500k range)
as they evolved to utilize sunlight, which is 5500k. However, they are
for the most part very adaptable, and should do fine with 20k
lighting. They will not grow as fast as they would under a warmer bulb,
though>
Thank you for your help..... and what a great source of info
your site is. It is my primary source when
looking at new specimens
or problems. Thank you.
<You're very welcome - we try!>
Scott
McAdam
<M. Maddox> MH Lighting
Hi, I'm planning a
lighting system for a 215 gal reef rank. I want to keep some SPS corals,
clams, and some softies--a full blown reef tank.
I have a PC fixture
that will produce about 200 W of actinic light. I'm thinking that I will
need about 800 more watts of light.<your figures are correct.> At this
point, I think that two 400 W MH lights would be the best way to fill
that gap. Please say if any of that sounds like a bad idea.<I would go
with three 250's> Since it's a pretty large scale lighting system, I'm
obviously looking for ways to cut costs. I'm somewhat handy, so my plan
is to buy some pretty good ballasts and bulbs and to build the fixture
myself. I wondered if you could recommend one or two ballasts. Can you
comment on the 400W Universal Magnetic M135 Ballast -Pulse Start Metal
Halide they sell on hellolights.com for $86.00? Any information you
could give me about MH ballasts would be greatly appreciated. Should I
use 10,000 or 20,000K
halides for my application?<10K or 20K, the
choice is yours. The Universal ballast will work fine, especially if
your on a budget. The electronic ballasts do increase bulb life and
intensity. Another ballast would be the "Blue Wave brand". They
usually sell for about $100-115 on the internet. James (Salty Dog)>I
really appreciate your site and the Conscientious Marine Aquarist, a
great resource that I consult often. Thanks very much,
Justin
Armstrong Metal Halides for now and
in the future - 1/28/04
Hi,
I currently have a 55 (48x12x20)
gallon tank with 440watts of VHO lighting, but I am considering an
upgrade to MH lighting. <Very good. Any reason why?> Here is my
dilemma. In a year or two, I would like to upgrade to a larger tank
with dimensions 60x24x36, <By my calculations (if this is the inner
dimension, would be about 225 gallons approximate) so I would like to
buy lighting that can be used in both tanks. My plan would be to buy
one 250W MH light now, and add a second with the new tank. <Well, if my
calculations are correct you will probably want more light than that for
the future tank. I am thinking of maybe one 400W now and add or another
or maybe even 2 more later.> But I am wondering if 1 bulb is enough in
the 55 G tank, and if 250W bulbs are sufficient for the depth of larger
tank. <one 400w would be ideal for the 55 gallon with no need for
actinic supplementation (unless you want more visual aesthetic balance,
which I don't really like myself) but once you move to a bigger tank you
will want to add a few more metal halides to maintain intensity and PAR
levels> Would 400W bulbs be better in the large tank? <Yes> What
configuration(s) would you recommend? <one 10K metal halide for the 55
gallon and three for the 225 in the two 10K, and one 6500. Of course,
this all depends on being able to mitigate the heat issue and what type
of animals you intend to keep>
Thanks, <Sounds good. ~Paul>
Dave
Aquarium cross braces
I appreciate all your support in the past
and am presently trying to solve a problem with my 330g tank. It is
84"x30"x30" and it is 3/4" glass. When the built the tank in my home
they put two 1/2" glass 14" cross braces in 14" from each corner. This
lead to a 14" opening 28" opening and then a 14" opening. The problem I
am having now is the left and right halide is directly over the cross
brace. This is dimming the light and I am sure must be changing the
spectrum of the bulb.
<Agreed>
Not to mention also warming the
brace itself. My question to you is do you know, or know someone that
would be able to help me fix this with problem with smaller braces
having to be thicker or some other solution?
<Not smaller... but you
could cut the current braces and move them to the middle of the tank>
I know from what I have read that they should have spaced them out more
evenly. This would have helped to some degree but the braces need to be
about 8" wide to really help with the lighting. Thanks a lot for your
help and have a great day, Ian.
<Is it worth considering moving the
lights out over the side cut-outs and adding a third (perhaps higher
wattage and temperature) MH to the middle area? Bob Fenner> Re:
Aquarium cross braces
I am sorry for not giving you the complete
information on my lighting.
Currently I have 3 175W Halides 10000K
and two NO Actinics. I also have a combination of SPS and LPS corals,
clam, leathers. I don't mind your idea of moving the lights around. I
could move the two end ones out over the 14" opening. Then I thought I
could add another 175W Halide to the middle opening so there would be
two. Would this be enough lighting for over my tank or should I consider
getting two more halides of higher wattage for over the cross braces.
<For this depth (30 total inches if memory serves) I might well increase
the wattage of the center MH... perhaps a 250 Watt Pendant... and move
your clam, perhaps some SPS there>
If so what would you recommend for
over my 30" deep tank?
Thanks for all your help it is greatly
appreciated.
<Many possibilities... perhaps review the MH FAQs
archived on WWM re others choices in lamps, fixtures. Bob Fenner>
A Light Conversation...
I have gotten great advice from you guys
before and now I need some advice on arguably the costliest and most
controversial aspect of my new tank. If possible I would really
appreciate Anthony's opinion on this subject, but would also like some
differing views.
<Scott F. here tonight!>
Here is my tank, about
2 months into the design process, I figure it will be done in about a
year. About 300 Gallon 84L x 24W x 37D. A 7 inch DSB and about two
inches of extra space at the top of the tank leave appx 28 inches of
water. I don't intend to have the tank filled within a year, like most
I see. Rather I will be taking my time and allowing corals to grow,
while still leaving plenty of swimming space for my beloved fish.
<Great idea!>
Only 200 lbs of LR will be used, this should leave me
with plenty of room for many years to watch the inhabitants grow. Other
than fish this will be a clam and SPS tank. I am not looking for
extraordinary growth, but would like to have healthy colored corals and
clams that will be beautiful for many years. The clams will not be on
the substrate but will be a few inches higher. The remainder of the SPS
corals will be at all different heights in the tank. What do you
suggest for lighting? My local fish store insists that 2 175 watt 10k
Ushios on an electronically moving track will work just fine. As long
as I use electronic ballasts (icecap 20% overdriving the bulbs) and good
reflectors (sunlight supply reef-optics). I agree that two bulbs will
work perfect if on a moving track (thanks for that article Anthony), but
I have yet to see an SPS system of this size with this little lighting.
<The track concept is an exciting and under-utilized idea, IMO. However,
if it were me, I'd go for higher-wattage bulbs, like 250 watts. I use
and highly recommend the Reef Optix III pendants with Ice Cap ballasts
and double-ended HQI bulbs. They are highly efficient, and really easy
to use. I've had great results with Aqualine 10000ks in this
configuration, and have been experimenting with some new 20000k bulbs as
well. Aesthetically, I prefer the look of 20000ks, but I think that the
10000k's offer the better PAR values>
I do agree with him on the use
of 3 or 4 T5s with electronic ballasts as supplemental lighting, 420nm,
450nm and possibly their 60/40 for better non-halide viewing. If this
set up will work how long should the halides be on for, just 6 or 8
hours, or can I have them on for 10 to accommodate better viewing?
<I
would go with the full 10 hour photoperiod for all of your lights. In my
opinion, there is no real advantage (other than energy consumption/heat
issues of burning the halides for a shorter duration.>
If you think
that this is too little light how about 2 250 HQI 10k in a Reef Optix
III, electronic ballast, on the same moving track?
<That's my
recommendation>
I think it would be great if 175s would work, save me
money up front and ongoing.
<Again, in my opinion, the cost
differential between 250watt HQI's and 175watt mogul bulbs is not that
great, particularly if you're using an efficient electronic ballast,
like the Ice Cap. And, I think that you will see the difference in your
coral growth over time.>
But I also really want all of the SPS corals
with the bright pigmentation, and want Maxima clams.
<Yep-go for the
250 watt bulbs.>
Thanks again for all your hard work and experience.
<My pleasure! Hope this helps. Please let us know how things progress.
Regards, Scott F> Acrylic Tanks and MH Lighting
We are
in the investigating process of the "big tank" (650 gal). We want to
leave the top open and use metal halide pendants for lighting since
everything except the viewing window will be behind the wall. In one of
the quotes for a custom tank the dealer said the tank has to be glass
because the metal halides will destroy an acrylic tank. I have never
heard this before and we had really decided that acrylic was the way we
wanted to go. Is there any truth to this? Thanks in advance for your
help and for the MANY questions that will be coming your way in the next
few months. Beckie
<No truth to it as far as I'm aware... Our old
companies installed hundreds of acrylic tanks with metal halide lights
in them... Bob Fenner> Acrylic Tanks & MH
Saw the post
about MH and acrylic tanks. Just wanted to add that most acrylic tanks
leave a considerable amount of acrylic in the top pane for structural
support. A MH placed directly over one of these acrylic struts will
likely cause that to crack.
<Ahh, yes... Needs to be offset, and even
then, suspended per manufacturer's recommendation... per wattage, a good
distance above the top>
But as long as the bulb is over a cut-out it
should be fine. (I'm speaking from personal experience: I cracked one of
my struts with a misplaced MH bulb. Others have traded thin acrylic
panes on standoffs as heat shields; not sure if this works.)
<Me
neither. Likely not absolutely>
A professional acrylic aquarium
craftsman also warned me that the normal practice of polishing the top
pane in order to round the edges of the cutouts can result in "crazing":
a network of fine surface cracks that can, over time, develop into a
real problem. MH bulbs might make any potential crazing worse. He bevels
his edges rather than polishes them to reduce the risk of crazing. Marc
<Good input. Thank you, Bob Fenner> One MH light over reef...
enough?
Hi: I am in Cochin Kerala India near the Southern tip of
India.
<cheers my friend from afar>
I have a 7ft by 2ft by 2ft
marine aquarium. It is lit with one 150W MH 10000K. I have also put some
4 15 W actinic tubes and a 30W & a 20 W daylight tubes (they are on both
sides of the MH.
But I feel that lights at the end are not enough.
What's your opinion?
<Indeed... it is not enough light if you wish to
grow coral along the entire length of the tank. But you can still avoid
extra MH lamps by strategically keeping low light corals and decorative
algae on the lower light flanks of the tank while placing the more
demanding corals directly under the MH>
The MH is HOT in Hot tropical
India. I cannot, as of now, afford a chiller.
<understood>
I
wanted to get some 36 W 10,000K CFLs (two to be on either end. But I do
not know where to get them. I searched the web for any seller in India
and the search was negative. Have you any idea where I can get them in
India?
<not sure where you might find them in India, but for any such
aquarium hardware you seek, I suggest that you contact the manufacturer
and let them earn your sale <G>. They can direct you to the closest
distributor or a mail order outlet. With kind regards, Anthony>
MH lighting vs. PC lighting
Bob,
I have just finished reading
the articles on lighting posted on your website. I still have a couple
of questions relative to this subject. I have a 300 gallon fish/invert
system. The tank measures 96x24x24.
<This is more a 240... a stock
shape system in the trade... about 231 cubic inches per gallon...>
I
am currently using 2-400watt MH and 2-175W MH bulbs to provide lighting
for the fish, leather corals, mushrooms, polyps, anemones, and some LPS
corals. Of course I have the usual problems of excessive heat, and ultra
high utility bills.
<I do understand this!>
Could I successfully
convert my lighting to PC's and still have my animals thrive?
<Yes,
in all cases... even if you have high-intensity light species like
tridacnids, many SPS corals, they will do fine, some better under CF
lighting... in a twenty or so inch depth of water system>
Would it
save me on my utilities and heat gain?
<Absolutely, on both counts>
And is there a table or matrix available to determine how many PC's and
what size (wattage) they should be?
<Maybe somewhere... haven't
looked for recently... Take a look at the links to lighting
manufacturers on the www.WetWebMedia.com site>
Thanks for your input.
Bob McCook
<You're certainly welcome. Bob Fenner> Lighting a
very deep captive system
Mr. Fenner, I am in the process of
purchasing a rather large aquarium. One 84" in depth.
<Wowzah, this
is a TANK!>
The company supplying the tank, Reynolds Polymer, claims
that it is impossible to maintain live rock at such a depth and wants to
sell me a fiberglass reef.
<Hmm, well... my or an actual rebuttal
might be that "live rock" is found in the wild at much greater depths...
But having another tank tied in... is a good idea>
My question is,
what type of lighting, what K and wattage, and what spacing is necessary
for the successful maintenance of a Fiji Rock reef. No corals etc, will
be part of the reef. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
<10,000 to
20,000 K for the very deep system... something above 5,000 Kelvin for
shallower... wattage for the big tank in the 1 kilowatt size... the
smaller, down to 175 watts, to 250 to 400... Much more to talk over my
friend. Please take a look on our site, particularly the articles and
FAQs on custom tanks: http://WetWebMedia.Com/tksstds.htm
http://WetWebMedia.Com/dessysart.htm
Bob Fenner>
Re:
Lighting a very deep captive system
Mr. Fenner, Understood so far
but what spacing should I do? Does a light cover an area 4x4, 6x6, etc.
In effect I am trying to estimate how many lights will I need, and how
bad is the electric bill going to be. Thank You very much, George
<Hmm, yes to the light covering a given space... best to set nearer to
each other (like two feet apart) on the very deep tank. The electrical
consumption can be calculated by the watts consumed per fixture/lamp
multiplied by the number of such fixtures/lamps which will give you the
watts consumed per hour, multiplied times your kilowatt hour charge
(likely about ten cents... unless you're in California)... you can get
from your electrical bill... and then multiplied times the number of
hours per day, week, month you intend to run them... Ex. one 1 kilowatt
lamp run an hour uses about 1 kilowatt hour of electricity... costing an
estimated ten cents per hour to run or at ten hours a day, about a
dollar per day, thirty dollars per month... If you pay thirty cents per
kilowatt hour (for ex.) you'd be charged near a hundred dollars per
month for this one light. If, when, where in doubt, call the utility
company. Bob Fenner> Acrylic Tanks and MH Lighting
We
are in the investigating process of the "big tank" (650 gal). We want to
leave the top open and use metal halide pendants for lighting since
everything except the viewing window will be behind the wall. In one of
the quotes for a custom tank the dealer said the tank has to be glass
because the metal halides will destroy an acrylic tank. I have never
heard this before and we had really decided that acrylic was the way we
wanted to go. Is there any truth to this? Thanks in advance for your
help and for the MANY questions that will be coming your way in the next
few months.
Beckie
<No truth to it as far as I'm aware... Our old
companies installed hundreds of acrylic tanks with metal halide lights
in them... Bob Fenner> Acrylic Tanks & MH
Saw the post
below about MH and acrylic tanks. Just wanted to add that most acrylic
tanks leave a considerable amount of acrylic in the top pane for
structural support. A MH placed directly over one of these acrylic
struts will likely cause that to crack.
<Ahh, yes... Needs to be
offset, and even then, suspended per manufacturer's recommendation...
per wattage, a good distance above the top>
But as long as the bulb
is over a cut-out it should be fine. (I'm speaking from personal
experience: I cracked one of my struts with a misplaced MH bulb. Others
have traded thin acrylic panes on standoffs as heat shields; not sure if
this works.)
<Me neither. Likely not absolutely>
A professional
acrylic aquarium craftsman also warned me that the normal practice of
polishing the top pane in order to round the edges of the cutouts can
result in "crazing": a network of fine surface cracks that can, over
time, develop into a real problem. MH bulbs might make any potential
crazing worse. He bevels his edges rather than polishes them to reduce
the risk of crazing.
<Good input. Thank you, Bob Fenner>
Marc
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