Lighting Systems

[Markster]

In going from PCs to MH, what is the rule of thumb on distance from tank, phase in time on MHs, and placement of softies?

Stats: 75 gal, have eight PCs (4 65W 10K, 2 65W 7100, 2 65W true actinic) - going to 2 175W 10K MH and 2 65W true actinic or 2 65W Smartlamps

ANY COMMENTS ON NUMBER AND TYPE OF PCs WITH MHs IS WELCOME ALSO.

I plan on building a custom canopy with an open back and top. I don't know exactly I am going to arrange it where I can access the tank without too much trouble with the canopy.

[TexasState]

Skip out the PC and use two URI VHO Superactinic instead. Normally, you would want the MH bulb to be about 8 inches off of the water. 175W is a popular size, so you'll be able to find bulbs for it cheap. I don't like to use closed canopy b/c it tend to trap heat and make it hard to access the tank. My favorite is to use HQI pendant. HQI bulb are available in 250Watts and 150Watts.

[Ed]

ANY COMMENTS ON NUMBER AND TYPE OF PCs WITH MHs IS WELCOME ALSO.

It usually boils down to personal preference. The show tank at AA has two 175W XM 10Ks and four 32W actinic PCs. To my eyes it results in a crisp white light. Stop by and take a look if you have the chance.

HTH,

-Ed

[Markster]

TexasState....what about an acclimation schedule (PC TO MH) for the livestock? I have read something on having the lights so far up and then moving them down at intervals until where you want them and also with short and then long light intervals to an eventual 10 hour day.

[witecap4u]

You could start out running the halides for like 4-6hrs a day for a week or two, and then add another two hours for a week or two and so on untill your at your desired time.

cs

[TexasState]

You can do the hours slowly as witecap 4u said. If you don't have much corals, you can leave them on the bottom of the tank, then slowly raise them up.

Check out the griplock system: http://www.griplocksystems.com/ Company that uses the griplock system are: SLS, AB AquaMedic, Gieseman. The griplock system would cost $30 to $50 for a pair, depending on who you buy them through.

[Jimnorris]

Markster,
Why are you wanting to switch to MHs?
Jim

[Markster]

Jimnorris, I would like to duplicate your fast growing tank. I want to be able to do acro frags and other hard corals that require hight lighting. I have always wanted to do MH but never took the dive. Since I found this deal on Ebay, I decided to go for it. I seem to always do things later and spend more money than necessary. Chalk it up to an eagerness to improve my reefkeeping.

[matt]

Hey Markster;

You're going to love your MH lights. IMO, they are much more natural looking than any kind of florescents. As some others have suggested, I think the vho actinics are a nicer color than the PCs, but there are new "true actinic" P.C. bulbs which are an improvement over the older blue bulbs.