Does MH mean you need a chiller?

[Fanof49ASU]

I just realized that anemone's usually require MH, and I had intended to give it a try when my tank matures enough....

So now, I'm toying around with the idea of using MH on my upcoming tank (75g Oceanic Show). I've always related chillers with MH.....is this true? I realize (4) 250W MH would probably heat the tank pretty well and require a chiller, but would (2) 150W's or (1) 250W?
Would 150W penetrate a 21" high tank? Would I need a 250W?

Thanks.

 

[spjeff69]

I have two 250w MH. My temps are reaching 83. All of the livestock seem to do being okay. If it goes any higher, I'd probably invest in a chiller, or turn my air conditioning up. You'd probably be okay with 2 150 watts. Furthermore, I kept a bubble anenome in a 36 gallon with CFs, and it split twice.

 

[c_stowers]

It all depends on the temperature of your house and if you ever think ur AC will go out. If you have 2-250W halides and the house gets about 76 degrees, your probably going to have a problem keeping your tank below 84 without a chiller.

 

[Sk8r]

I have a 52 with a fan only [250mh] and ac set at a moderate rate. All I can do is hope the ac doesn't go out.

 

[wjhuie]

I have a 125 with 3 400w 20k's with the help of two fans I have not had any problems, never above 80.

 

[pitbullpooch]

Re: Does MH mean you need a chiller?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7993603#post7993603 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fanof49ASU
I just realized that anemone's usually require MH, and I had intended to give it a try when my tank matures enough....

.

t-5's work great with anemone's and anything else you put in your tank and you dont have to worry about the heat. i went from mh to t-5's and i loved the shimmer of the mh but to me the t-5's look great to and seem alot safer plus you dont have all the heat and the high electric bill

 

[waynesworld]

Well I thaught I was going to need one on the tanks that I had and brought one but have not used it yet. The 90 gal tank I have has 2 250s an a wallmat fan blowing on the top and stays around 78 and that is with the ac out in that part of the house.

 

[Fanof49ASU]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7993958#post7993958 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spjeff69
Furthermore, I kept a bubble anenome in a 36 gallon with CFs, and it split twice.

Great.....I'll keep thinking along the lines of T5's.

Thanks.

 

[platax88]

MH should be ok with the use of fans which will also increase evaporation. I have to 4" fans pointing down on the sump, which come on when the lights click on, an open back canopy and a 6" regular room fan mounted inside the top of the capopy, blowing the hot air out. Cool air gets sucked from the open back and cool hot air blows out.

Also remember that heat rises so ventilation on the topp of your canopy will help.

I run 2 175 on my 90 and barely ever reach 80

 

[KAiNE]

I have 3x250's. As hot as its been the last few weeks my house wont stay below 78 during the day, although thats changed now that the kids are back to school.
I dont use any large submersible pumps and use fans in the proper place.
I haven't seen over 82.2 .......yet.

 

[Sk8r]

I had the equivalent of t-5's in a previous tank, and I had a green carpet that started in relatively raw water and grew from 5" to over 12" [he was so folded it was hard to measure] before I took him back to the lfs. My clowns never forgave me, but he was taking my tank.

 

[Fanof49ASU]

OK.....a really stupid newbie question....
Has anyone run MH's on a part time basis? No regular schedule, just running them for the looks? Bad idea?
I like the shimmer as mentioned, but I'm not sure about running it all the time during the light hours.

 

[jiggy]

I USE 2 400W HALIDES ON MY 120 AND I DONT HAVE A CHILLER. I JUST USE A FAN TO BLOW OVER THE TOP OF THE TANK IN THE SUMMER. WHEN I WENT AWAY ON VACATION THE FAN FELL OVER AND MY TANK REACHED 95+DEGREES AND I LOST EVERYTHING. CHILLER IS JUST A SUPPORT MOD USED TO PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT.

 

[DMBillies]

I asked a very similar question about 2 months ago, with similar responses. I had a number of people say that they tried it, but didn't like having to constantly worry about the temperature and whether their AC was working. The biggest thing I would think about is how many submersible pumps you're running and how much heat those things are going to add in addition to the light.

For what it's worth, I went with a combo of T5's (which I bought) and VHO's (which came with the tank I bought). I haven't regretted that decision yet. Like you, I thought the shimmer that halides gave was really cool. I was able to actually emulate that a little by spraying my sump returns right on the surface and really getting some little waves up there. Not as good as halides, but it does create a little bit of the effect.

On the question of burning halides part time, I'm not sure that's a great idea (big lighting changes can actually "sunburn" and bleach out corals)... but aside from that, do you really want to invest that much money on something that you're only going to run when you want your tank to look extra cool? If so, this poor graduate student would be glad to take donations in exchange for unlimited visitation rights to my tank :lol:

 

[gflat65]

You all must have some well insulated houses. I keep the thermometer set at 72 and the living room stays 83. The house is only 10 years old, so there you have it... Great American worksmanship. That would be why we are looking for an older house...

I run (3)-250W DE and VHO's over my 125. Without a chiller, it runs 85-88. My 120 has (2)-175W, and it runs about 82. The 20L QT has a 175W over it and it runs about 84... The A/C is furthest from the large tanks, so the room they are in stays warm (just happens to be the living room). If I could, I would, but in every house I have lived in in the last ten years, any MH over a tank required a chiller (even a 40H with (1)-175W MH and (2)-VHO's) to keep temps from spiking to over 90... Sure would be cheaper in electrical costs...

 

[ocd_mariner]

Speaking of well insulated houses....


My house was built and passed inspection with no insulation in the attic.

Thank god for a warranty.


/end thread hijack

 

[KAiNE]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7998106#post7998106 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gflat65
You all must have some well insulated houses. I keep the thermometer set at 72 and the living room stays 83. The house is only 10 years old, so there you have it... Great American worksmanship. That would be why we are looking for an older house...

I run (3)-250W DE and VHO's over my 125. Without a chiller, it runs 85-88. My 120 has (2)-175W, and it runs about 82. The 20L QT has a 175W over it and it runs about 84... The A/C is furthest from the large tanks, so the room they are in stays warm (just happens to be the living room). If I could, I would, but in every house I have lived in in the last ten years, any MH over a tank required a chiller (even a 40H with (1)-175W MH and (2)-VHO's) to keep temps from spiking to over 90... Sure would be cheaper in electrical costs...

My house is 15 yrs old. I am with you, I'd rather have an older home. My house stays hot in the summer but yet I have a serious CO2 problem.

One thing I found... when I got my controller, first thing I noticed was that the temp was WAY different than my 5 other temp measuring devices. The other ones were within a degree of each other but the controller was 3 degrees higher than any of them. Of course I felt that the controller was wrong so I contacted the manufacturer and they said "highly improbable but possible". So I sent it in to be recalibrated. Got it back... same thing.
Luckily my boss was a pharmacist way back when and had a 24" glass thermometer. According to that, my controller was correct and all others, including a pinpoint were WRONG.

IME - not using submersable pumps will prevent requiring a chiller but having one is good insurance.

 

[gflat65]

Funny that you mention temp measuring devices... I just bought three Coralife thermo's. I tied all three probes together and put them in the sump. If one reads 77.4, another will read 76.4 and the third reads 77.9. Gotta love the accuracy and precision. Of course, the thermometer that was on the tank was reading about five degrees higher than it appears to have been. I need to find a nice glass thermo to see what is correct... At least the three that are off are consistenly off by the same amount (not an exponential).