Since I am in my planning stage for my 2' X 2' x 1' (LXWXH) aquarium, I was planning on doing Halide lighting as I plan on keeping SPS and Clams. I have seen some shallow tanks similar to what I want to do, and the Halide pendant (mogul style bulbs) fixtures were placed maybe 8-12 inches above the tank. The HQI's were placed higher, maybe 18" above the tank. I want to have adequate light for my inhabitants, but have the bulbs low enough that my entire condo is not bathed in light (I know that is hard to do with Halides). Do HQI's produce more output of heat and light then a standard Halide (Lets say for example a 175W Halide vs. a 150W HQI) and is this why they need to be placed farther from the top of the tank?
Halide or HQI
- Thread starter robitreef
- Start date
That is one my options, but my original post was whether the DE HQI's produce more light output, and subsequently more heat that a SE Halide? I have a few LFS's in my area that use SE on a tank with the same depth, and they have it only 8-12" above the tank, while the HQI's are placed higher.
Well, I guess I am thinking about my viewing angle. My tank will be 12" High and the stand I am placing it on will be 30" high. So it almost makes it eye level if you are sitting. I wouldn't want to be looking at the tank, and then staring directly in the path of the HQI. I figure that the SE halide if put closer to the tank would maybe shield the light coming out a bit, and scatter the light at lower angle. I could be totally off on this, so most likely I will just have to make some more observations at my local stores.
Similar threads
- Sticky
