how high should I hang my halide?

[Saltyreefer1]

Hi all.

I know the light is too strong for a 55 gallon. But I'm getting a good deal on it so I would like to make it work.

It is a 55 gal tank with softies, LPS, and nems. The light I'm considering is 2x400w metal halide, 2xT12 48in actinic. I am going to build a custom hood for my 55 so am trying to figure out dimensions.

How high should I hang the light or have the top of the hood above the tank to make this setup work?

Thanks in advance!

 

[tkeracer619]

That isn't a good deal unless it comes with a chiller and all you have is very high light sps.

Between power use and heat you will spend more in the long run.

 

[Saltyreefer1]

That isn't a good deal unless it comes with a chiller and all you have is very high light sps.

Between power use and heat you will spend more in the long run.

Its a 100 dollars and I need to upgrade anyways in the near future from my marineland reef leds. It has fans with it but no chiller for the sump.

Too much light then and skip the deal?

Thanks.

 

[kevin_e]

Yeah I agree, that's is not something I would ever consider unless I had Acropora on the sandbed with a chiller. That is WAAAAY too much light that will just end up bleaching your coral.

I an 2 250 watts metal halides on my 55 SPS tank and kept them in the bottom half of the tank. Heat was an issue until added two 4" computer fans and the tank still reached 80 degrees regularly.

 

[kevin_e]

Is this one of those Ebay units with those small halde reflector pods?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AQUARIUM-LI...Domain_0&var=560062843292&hash=item3cbdfd9990