lighting question

[muttley000]

I am setting up my first reef, 29 gal, standard 18" depth drilled with a 20 gal sump/fug. It will evetually be a mostly SPS system with clams. I am going back and forth between a 175 watt 14 K MH and a 250 watt 14 K MH. Both fixtures have 2 x 75 watt VHO for the blue supplementation. The question is how high off the water should I locate the fixture? I am building my own canopy, so I have total freedom height wise. I am thinking 6 to 8 inches, but am looking for a few opinions, and maybe a tie breaker on the wattage.

 

[seattleguy]

Either wattage will work just fine. Use a good reflector and you will have more than enough light. (Luminarc or Luminbright would be good choices) 6 to 8 inches is also fine. Ventilation is important! Use good quite fans. Are planing for a chiller?

 

[muttley000]

Thanks for the input, this is a hamilton retrofit, and has a reflector built in, I don't think it is anything too fancy which is why I am leaning to the higher wattage to make up for lost light. I did not have luck finding a high performance reflector that would fit a 12" wide tank and leave me access to the top of the tank for feeding, etc. I'm not planning on a chiller, but will use 2 fans in the canopy pointing out to direct air from up the back of the tank (between sump plumbing) and out through the top, with a vent in the bottom of the cabinet to make sure air is flowing out from both fans. I plan on enclosing the back of the cannopy for aesthetics purposes. I hope that makes sense, I'm in a central air environment in June through September, the rest of the year its only 68 in the house.

 

[addicted2reefin]

u will have better bulb choices w/ the 250s

 

[muttley000]

Agreed addict

Any other opinions?