Is Metal Halide 150w enough?

[Gtownguy487]

Is Metal Halide 150w enough for a 29 gallon frag tank? It will have SPS and LPS in it. It does not have a sump but has a 65g coralife skimmer on it..

 

[Gtownguy487]

Its a 15000k bulb

 

[bvoss]

You might manage SPS with. 10k bulb. 150 is a little marginal. Unless you keep SPS pretty close to the light.

 

[sirreal63]

If you ask someone who uses them and has for years then it comes down to equipment. Trying to use 150's on a deep tank makes it harder. Fortunately a 29 is not a deep tank. A properly setup 150 can outperform a poorly setup 250. PAR is not just about wattage.

What fixture is it and what ballast, and which 15k bulb?

 

[Gtownguy487]

Im not sure. I asked a friend if he had a spare fixture and he told me he had a 150w halide with a almost brand new bulb thats 15000k for $80. He is unreachable right now but told me to be at his house at a certain time today to pick it up if i wanted it..

Tank is 30" x 12" x 18"
I will need good lights for photos from frag tank.
Just curious if id be able to use that before i made the long trip over there

 

[Gtownguy487]

If you think something would be better please provide link so I can check it out

 

[sirreal63]

Yes you should be able to use the light, if it is the XDE 15k bulb, it is a very low PAR bulb, but that isn't the end of the world either. Is your goal growth, color or photos?

 

[cl800]

Check out this TOTM from 05. This tank is 160 gallons and lit with two 150 HQI's and a couple of power compacts.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-02/totm/index.php

 

[Gtownguy487]

Yes you should be able to use the light, if it is the XDE 15k bulb, it is a very low PAR bulb, but that isn't the end of the world either. Is your goal growth, color or photos?

Both, Id like for it to have growth and color,

I want the frags to be able to sit in the tank for a few months before giving them out so I can have them encrusted on the plug perhaps

 

[Gtownguy487]

Check out this TOTM from 05. This tank is 160 gallons and lit with two 150 HQI's and a couple of power compacts.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-02/totm/index.php

Thanks for link will check it out

 

[sirreal63]

You will get the best growth from a good 10K and if needed switch to a 14K Phoenix or 20K Radium to help with color. Of course this is all dependent on water quality.

Beware of people telling you cannot use 150's, what they are really saying is they could not or did not and assumed you could not. My experience has been the opposite, you can if you choose the right equipment. Trying to put them over a 30" tank is never a good idea but for more shallow tanks they have benefits and work well. Bulb, ballast and reflector are important, just as they are with any halide or T5 setup.

 

[Gtownguy487]

Thanks Jack, Ill let u know bulb and fixture specs when i pick it up in 3 hours

 

[Gtownguy487]

175w Halide
XM175/D6 Bulb
Bulb is 1 ft off of water

 

[sirreal63]

what is the ballast and reflector? A pic would be very helpful. That bulb is stronger than many 250 watt halides, and with it being over a 29, you can go with a higher k bulb and still get good growth.

 

[allsps40]

My second reef tank was a 29G with a Coralife 150W Clampon fixture. I had great results keeping sps with a Coralife 20K bulb in the 29G. I did have a sump and the same CSS65.

 

[Gtownguy487]

I will look at ballast when i get home and take pictures

I dont have a sump or refugium and I have no other lighting besides the halide
Do you think it will be alright?

Hope it will still be good for photos and growth

 

[cody6766]

I think the only issue you may have is coverage on the ends. You may want to keep lower light corals on the outsides. You will be fine in the middle.

 

[pete33]

I ran a 150w over my 29. The SPS's were in the top half and the light sat about 4" of the surface. The reason I went with a 250w is because I hung it and wanted space to work on the aquarium. The new unit is about 9" above the tank. So, yes, it can be done if you don't keep them on the very bottom.

 

[Gtownguy487]

 

[HaroldT]

yeah, it will work just fine.

I had a Coralife Tank Mount 150 watt halide light over a 24 gallon nano and it worked great. No problem keeping SPS growing. I kept them higher up in the tank but they did well under that light.