how long for one halide?

[njfish77]

how many feet of length do you get to one halide??? im getting a custom 36x24x20 tank and i was wondering if i need 1 or 2 halides?

 

[RichConley]

it really depends on the reflector/

 

[carpus]

and how high you place it. the higher, the more coverage

 

[murphreef]

i only run 2-250W Helios 20K HQI bulbs in my PFO mini pendants and PFO hqi ballast along with 260W of PC over my 180 and all my corals seem to be doing great ....

i have the lights about 8" off the surface of the water and i divided the tank in half and put one on each half and it seems to be just right

do i want another MH?? ummm yeah lol but my electric bill is already to much with this tank

heres a pic

 

[murphreef]

its hard to see but in have sps lps clams anemone and softies in there

 

[RichConley]

if you're worried about the electricity murphreef, why not ditch the PCs, and get another 250? same electricity, more light.

 

[murphreef]

thats true and actually i was thinking about that its just i had these left from another tank so i didnt have to buy anotehr MH....

but ive been thinking about that lately to get one more MH setup and ditch the PC's

 

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

i've run halide only, halide w/p.c. and halide w/vho......halide only, no matter the bulb, will not give you quite the pop to your corals - ime

 

[RichConley]

The problem with Halide only, and why most people see that EAGLES, is that Halide bulbs only have a spike in one place, either blue or purple. Usuualy people will run a bulb with a spike in blue and run the VHOs for supplementing purple. If you pick your halide bulbs well, you can avoid that.

 

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

yeah i know, but....name one halide bulb besides radium that gives actinic pop?

 

[murphreef]

my 250W 20K helios HQI bulbs do....

i run them with the PC just cuz i had them laying around and the PC is a 50/50 combo i kinda like it when the PC's are off and its just the 20K's on it looks awesome thats why i was thinking maybe ill add the other MH run those 3 during the day keep the PC but use those as a dusk and dawn effect what u guys think??

 

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

i'll admit i have not seen helio's lamps, so you may be 100% correct....but of XM, CV ReefLux, Phoenix, Aqua Connect, Hamilton, Giesseman(sp.?), Blueline, Ushio, Saki's, none give a true 'pop' like vho actinics.....so i haven't seen'em all and I could be 100% wrong

 

[murphreef]

lol and i can be a 100% wrong as well lol ive never ran actinic VHO's b4 so maybe were both wrong and right lol

all i know is that the helios 20k's look really nice too me its a crisp blue/white and all the colors stand out.... maybe not like the flourescent effect a actinic VHO gives but im not too into the purple look anyways

 

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

understand the purple turning you off, but with some 10K's its gone except for the 'pop'

the pic of your tank are very nice

 

[murphreef]

thanks ....

i should check out someones tank who has a set up with 10K and actinic VHO's u know ive never seen one in person all i see is 20k's now ....

hmmm ...

 

[njfish77]

Well i was thinking of upgrading my reflector to a luminarc if possible so i wouldnt have to but another halide since the tank alone is going to be about 700 with front pane starphire and thats a little pricey for a 15 year old but if i have to get the other halide. I wouldnt be worried if was doing like softies or lps but im not sure if my sps will get enough light, but well see what happens. Thanks for the help.

 

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7498797#post7498797 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by E-A-G-L-E-S
yeah i know, but....name one halide bulb besides radium that gives actinic pop?

You're saying one of these bulbs Pops, and the other doesnt?

 

[want2reef]

My Phoenix bulbs with E-Ballasts, sure give nice "pop".