400watt MH for a 75gallon?

[captexas]

I am considering changing my 58gallon saltwater tank to my 75gallon freshwater tank and increasing the lighting. I have several commercial/industrial 400 watt metal halide light fixtures that are normally used in large buildings like Home Depots and Lowe's. I wanted to see if a single 400watt MH would be too much for the 75 along with using the 4 95watt VHO lights I have currently. I was thinking of actnic on the VHO's and not sure what kind of bulb I should try with the MH. Any ideas?

Tim, I think you once mentioned you have used these light fixtures before, what did you use?

Thanks, Chris Parker

[Chris]

Chris the problem with those bulbs is more than likely they're not of the right spectrum you'll need to maintain healthy corals. 6500K (http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1999/dec/art1201/f26.gif) is excellent for growth while 10,000K (http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1999/dec/art1201/f28.gif) often looks better to human eyes.

A lot of the bulbs used for commercial/industry fixtures are in the 3500K rating and won't help much unless you're trying to grow algae.

:?

[captexas]

Chris,
I wasn't planning on using the original bulbs. I was thinking of around a 10k bulb, but wasn't sure which kind would be best with this kind of ballast. It probably won't run any of the high-end bulbs, but should be able to run the others. I was hoping to get peoples input first on if the 400 would be too much or not for the tank and then if it is okay, what bulb combinations people like with VHO's.

Thanks

[Chris]

Ahhhhh okay that's good to hear then :grin:

The only sort of problem you might have would be heat in the canopy(if you're using one). I'm guessing the dimensions of the tank might be about 48" x 18" x 21"?

If you can get the ballast to work, i'd say go for two of them and get some nice reflectors. A single MH bulb covers about a 2' x 2' area, but with the right reflector and if it's raised up enough you could easily cover 3' x 2'. You're still better off with 2 bulbs though to light your full tank.... it might look a little odd with a bright center and the rest of the tank much dimmer from only one bulb.

You'll have some awesome light in that tank 8)

[captexas]

Right now the tank is in use as a freshwater planted tank. I never built the canopy for it so my options are open on that issue. My main thing is finding a home for the freshwater fish I have in it now and then I can work on it for awhile to get is set up.

LOL, yes two 400's MH and then the VHO's would be a lot of light! :shock:

Just have to find a way to keep from having a fish boil or house fire! :flamer:

[Chris]

Cool.. 1180 watt's of light. :shock: That's almost as much as I have on my 200G setup :oops:

With that much light you could get some awesome clam/sps growth.

If you wanted you could easily sell the VHO setup to help differentiate the cost to pay for the 400W bulbs. Strickly MH works well too.

8) <~ that'll be you anytime you're in the same room as the tank :P

[Reefdude]

I've got a 250 watt halide, 2 55 watt pc's, and 2 95 watt vhos mounted in a canopy and it doesnt produce any real heat issues. I added about another inch of wood on the canopy to raise it up, and have a fan blowing across it. The glass gets pretty warm but nothing ridiculous. I do keep the glass tops on so that no water gets splashed on my bulbs.

[matt]

Hi;

A single 400 watt MH bulb with 4 VHO tubes is definitely not too much light for a 75. As Chris suggested, consider using 2 MH bulbs, unless the extra electricity cost is scaring you. (It would scare me)

A classic combination is Iwasaki MH bulbs with VHO actinic. I like the idea of selling 2 of the VHOs, especially if you have 2 ballasts for the VHO set up. Then run 2 400 MH Iwasakis with 2 95W actinics VHOs. Many people would consider this an ideal light system for a 75, and you could find a reflector that would hold the whole system.

As far as 10k bulbs go, the Ushio/Hamilton bulbs are very popular; that's what I have with no actinic support. I like the color; very crisp with no yellow or blue tints noticable.

Matt

[Brett Wilson]

I agree with Matt on this. I have a 45 breeder with a 400W radium (20000K) + 2 3' T8 osram actinics and it is not too much light at all. I would like a second 400W even, but havent haggled that other pendent from vinh yet. haha ;) .

With a 75 I would personally run two 400W's with some actinics. I like the 20,000K radiums but if you want more growth you will need to mix a 6,500K in there as well. like maybe two 400W 20,000K's and a 250W 6,500K. Another idea would be to just run two 400W 10,000K's for the middle of the road approach.
This opinion based on me running the following on my tank in the past:
Two 3' NO's then one 175W MH (10000K), then one 250W MH (10000K) plus one 175W MH (10000K), then I added the actinics, then I scraped the 175 and 250 and have the one 400W now. All on the same 45G breeder, which I should have pictures of up soon. :)
The nicest blue (with no real yellow) color I have seen in a 10000K was in a newer hamilton.

-Brett

[TexasState]

but havent haggled that other pendent from vinh yet. haha .


I'm waiting for you to give up first, so I can have a matched pair. :-o These two Hamilton pendants can be hook up into one pendant.

Chris,
If you want a test setup, you can borrow mine for a few short days so you can make up your mind. I have a single pendant & ballast. I have a 65K Iwasaki, and 20K radium in 400 Watts. Just remember, you break and you pay.

[TexasState]

One light over a 75 will work too, but it's going to look uneven.

http://www.swt.edu/~xp42012/2001/55gallon-iwasaki-september.jpg
http://www.swt.edu/~xp42012/2001/55gallon-sunburst-september.jpg
You can keep one 400W MH on the right for the SPS, then keep the soft, lower light corals on the right with your current VHO.

[Brett Wilson]

I'm waiting for you to give up first, so I can have a matched pair.
Vinh, you arent kidding anyone. Name one light setup you kept for over one year..... yeah I thought so. hahahaha all in good fun.

:-p

-Brett

[newtosa]

My 75g (album is in gallery) has 1 400w mh on the right, and 1 175w mh on the left. Four 32w actinics add good color but not much else. It's been that way for about 3 years now, and what follows is just some random things I've learned:
- The 175 Aqualine and Ushio 10k bulbs (doesn't matter which) have put out much more than the 1/2 you would expect next to the 400 (tried Ushio 10k, then ALS 12k). Visually, there's not even really that much difference after the first month (never tried anything more scientific).
- Traditional mh ballast gives up very *little* intensity to electonic ballast in the 175w range, and very *much* intensity in the 400w range. (I tried the Champion Blue Line - POS.)

(next post)....

[captexas]

Thanks for everyones input, much more than I expected to get! :D

I think I am going to order one Iwasaki bulb and give it a try on my 58gallon first. See how I like it with the actinics. It may be awhile before I can get the 75 setup as I will need to get rid of the livestock and will need to find a bigger skimmer for it as I only have an Aqua C Remora on the 58.

Thanks again!

Chris

[Tim Marvin]

You won't like the Iwasaki. The corals tend to change to dark greens and browns, although they grow corals very well they don't have the look you want unless you suppliment a bunch of actinic. Radiums have been getting good reviews and Dr. Mac, which everyone seems to like uses them on his tanks. The commercial ballast will overdrive the bulbs and make them more white than the yellow, but I would still run the radium. One light will work placed over the middle and the shaded areas on the sides can be used for brains, mushrooms, and other corals needing less light.

[kjswift]

Can anyone tell me a good place to order MH bulbs from? Thanks

[dow]

I've heard very good things about Ocean Encounter (http://www.oceanencounter.com/), but I haven't ordered anything from them. Their prices look to be pretty good, though.

[dow]

I've heard very good things about Ocean Encounter (http://www.oceanencounter.com/), but I haven't ordered anything from them. Their prices look to be pretty good, though.


OOPS! Duplicate post.

[Janice]

I've heard very good things about Ocean Encounter (http://www.oceanencounter.com/), but I haven't ordered anything from them. Their prices look to be pretty good, though.

The bulb I am most interested in is $3.oo less at OE.com than at hellolights.com.

justletmein - I would be interested in what you can get the 175w Ushio 10K for from hellolights.com wholesale site.

[Brett Wilson]

Josh,

I might be interested in some NO/VHO bulbs when you place your order.
Just let me know when, please.

Thanks,
-Brett