29g 150w MH or 70W MH?

[Cutiewitbooty]

with a 14K you shouldn't need the acintics. My whole setup is 280 watts and has 1 150MH and 2x65watt acintics, i really like the dawnk/duck cycles that i can have in the tank. Here is a pic of my tank with just the acintics on.

 

[MX6import]

well I have one question while we are on the topic. I'm going to put a 250W over my 29G but would a SE or a DE be better. I tried to look for posts talking about both but could not find anything. any input would be great. one big thing is which uses less power and which gives off more light. thanks

 

[Techgrad]

I have talked to many and seen several tks with SPS and even clams under a 70 watt HQI .... Why is it that everyone thinks you have to blast the crap out of your tk. Believe it or not, there is such a thing as too much light.

To have additional lighting to simulate dawn/dusk is gr8, butI'm talking about blasting everything at once ... don't overdo ... It is unnecessary and will cost you a lot of $$$.

I think a 70watt will give you many options, reduce algea outbreaks and allow for the most broad spectrum of inhabitants. 150 watt would work, but I think is borderline too much. Anything more than 150 watts is overkill and a waste of money. MHO

 

[alien9168]

I disagree, on a tank this size, 175w mh is not overkill... eespecally for clams.. . go with the 150w or 175w...after that, techgrad is right, its overkill.

-alien

ps. tell us what you picked and post picks of your setup.

 

[Techgrad]

I still think 150 watt would be borderline too much, but I agree that it could work .... You will most likely have some heat issues to deal with and would really need to watch phosphates even more closely to prevent algea outbreaks that can quickly overtake your reef when you have so much light.

My main point is a 70 watt gives many positives over the 150watt ... less heat issues, less possibility for algea outbreaks, Less evaporation, Less power consumption, LESS $$$.

You can't go wrong either way, but take it from someone who has gone the overkill route .... You just end up frustrated b/c it is very costly to keep parameters under control when you have the burning sun shining over your aquarium.

My final advice is start with 70 watt .... If you want to upgrade, just sell the 70 and get a 150. Very simple. The one thing I learned in this hobby is that good equipment tends to hold its vaule if you take care of it

 

[aural]

70 watt over a 29 gal tank isnt even a good amount of light to keep softies. (it breaks down to what... less than 2.5 watts/gal)

I have a 150 watter over my 20L and have had NO heat issues, evap is no problem. manually top it off each morning, and i have never had an algae problem .

I personally think that a 175 would be the BEST solution for an LPS tank or the 150 if you were looking for a HOB type solution. (if you were interested in SPS, you would have to go with a 250)

 

[IsThisNameTaken?]

I definitely disagree with the post two posts ago. One thing I have learned about this hobby is that it doesnt matter how well you take care of your equipment, or what brand it is your not getting 75% of what you paid so do it right the first time.

I have run 150watt HQI's over 4 tanks ranging from 12 gallons to 46 gallons and have nothing to say but positive. And only on the 12 gallon was heat an issue. Like in an above post my Mom actually runs 2 150watt HQI's over her 29 and the growth, color, and general health of her inhabitants is awesome.

In comparrison I'm running a 70 watt over my 4 gallon and if my tank was just barely larger I would definitely be running the 150.

And none of the above tanks did I or currently have SPS. If they did I would upgrade to 250 watters

 

[MalawianDude]

It Appears that the canopy is not tall enough well tall enough but it changes the wood patern type so installing a larger fan won't work but instead we're gonna install a quad set of fans, two small fans on each side, now, would recommended be on one side have them blowing in and the other side blowing out? or all of them blowing outwards?

 

[alien9168]

Your right techgrad! Equipment Does hold its value. Heres a thought I Just got and want your input on, what about getting a pendent with intergangable ballests, so that when he wants to upgrade he can---without breaking the bank.

-alien

 

[Techgrad]

Hey alien ... how bout you go screw yourself .... how bout that??? .... you guys just reminded me why I left this board a long time ago. Bunch of know it all jack a**es with some nice people intermingled.

I never said 70watt was all there is .. only that it will work and I've seen it work. 75% ROI is pretty damn good last time I checked for used equipment.

Thanks for reminding me why this place blows.

 

[aural]

MalawianDude: have all the fans blowing inward. you dont need to exhaust it. the more fresh air you run over the surface of your tank, the lower your temperature will be.

 

[MalawianDude]

Let's not turn this into a battle of c**** thread guys.

Aural, inwards they all point? wouldnt that push stuff from the air into the tank constantly then? like dust and crap?

 

[alien9168]

tech grad- i definatly didnt mean to poke fun at you or diss you... frankly I was shocked to read your post---"go screw yourself"

All I was doing was asking for your opinion.

I never say anything, especially on these boards, to offend anyone.
Read other posts and you will see that is the case

Sorry if i ofended you.

-alien

 

[gjuarez3]

250mh

250mh

I have a 250w mh setup with reeflux 10k and 2 75w vho uri actinics powered by IceCap 430. I have 2 fans that blow at 85cfm so the tank actually gets cooler when hte lights come on. Here is a pic of the tank with just the reeflux 10k and no actinic.

 

[gjuarez3]

BTW, sps coming very soon.

 

[alien9168]

Hows the tunz?

-alien

 

[gjuarez3]

ITs pretty cool, I love it. THere was some detritus settling beneath the rocks on the tunze's side so I added a SEIO 620 on the opposite side. No more detritus. I bought a Euro-Reef 5-2 and it takes out everything. Malawi, I say go 250 and just add some powerful fans. Just make sure that you also have a auto-top off for all the water that gets evaporated.

 

[alien9168]

Can sombody actually explain to me what I did that was so offensive--i really dont understand. And to be honest its eating me away inside.

-alien

 

[gjuarez3]

I was actually trying to figure it out myself. ONe time I actually got a pretty nasty PM from some guy who was very offended by one of my comments. I swear I must have read my comment at least 10 times to see what the deal was and I couldnt figure it out. Dont worry about it.

 

[IsThisNameTaken?]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6978272#post6978272 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Techgrad
Hey alien ... how bout you go screw yourself .... how bout that???

Get a grip.

I have owned and used 70w,150w,250w both se and de, 400w se metal halides, A variety of different powercompacts, VHO's, and T5's. At some point I've used just about every lighting technology there is or at least the popular ones for this hobby so ease up with the attitude. I'm certainly not giving recommendations on lack of experience. Make sure your recommendations are based on experience and not just your cheap opinion.

We come to RC to learn and when someone like you is trying to stear someone in the wrong direction it's important that others with the experience step out and try to help someone from making a mistake they down the road will have to correct.

I just wish someone would have told me that before I took a bunch of "know it alls" advice and wasted a ton of money.

Bottom line.... Do it right the first time.


gjuarez3 - looking awesome. what else do you have running on that tank for filtration and such? certainly looks like your off to a great start.