Lights for my 225 - Height off tank

[sjlesq99]

I am setting up a 225. i have a PFO light with 3 400 watt MH and 2 VHO actinic. My question is how high do I need to mount the light off the tank? I am installing the tank in the corner of my house and the ceiling is sloping down to the tank in that corner. The light will need to be placed right on the tank to make this work.

Will the tank over heat? Will the lighting be effective at that close distance over the water?

Will I burn anything at the top of the tank?

 

[mcliffy2]

I cant say for sure but I have never seen a metal halide this close to the water. Generally they are at least 8" from the water and with some (lumenbrights) 16" or so. If you can Id think about returning the light and getting a T5 setup, they can be 2-3" off the water.

 

[sjlesq99]

Has anyone converted from 400 watt metal halide to 250 watt? is there a big difference in the heat? I have a PFO hood and am thinking about converting 2 of the three MH from 400 to 250 watt. The light will be resting right on the tank and I am worried about the heat.

Is there a big difference between the electronic ballasts and the PFO tar ballasts? Can I buy an icecap 250 watt ballast and get the same connectors as the PFO ballasts?

 

[mcliffy2]

To be honest I really dont think putting any MH on the tank is a good idea. I have mine right now about 7 inches off the water and that seems to close to me.

 

[thi7b]

I have my 3-250mh 7inch above the water level. It's still heat up the water to 84 in the summer. I had to raise it up higher to escaped the heat issued. Does yours had the glass brace in the middle. I had heard a guy that cracked his due to heat.

 

[sjlesq99]

i do have a glass brace in the middle. When you say 7 inches off the water do you mean to the bulb or the glass at the bottom of the fixture?

 

[sjlesq99]

i do have a glass brace in the middle. When you say 7 inches off the water do you mean to the bulb or the glass at the bottom of the fixture?

 

[ycnibrc]

in my old set up since the canopy was built ten years ago it was only 8'' tall so when I mount the mini lumenarc the fixture sits three inches above the water. The bulb itself was 7'' above the water. To cool down the light I stall four 4'' fan to blow across. It's not a good design but it will work if you can install some type of fan to blow across the light that will dissipates the heat.

 

[macronut]

I have two 250w 10ks and the bulb is 10" from the water. I have two fans that run while the halides are on. My water temp only gets to about 80 degrees. I have a AC/heat vent in the ceiling near the tank and it is turned off during the winter months. In the summer months I open it to help keep the room cooler.

 

[cl2ysta1]

i have two 400w halides housed in lumenbrights. the bulb is 16" off of the tank and I love it. It makes it so much easier to get in the tank and there is no heat transfer. Best decision we could of made.

I always get the question as to how "spotlighty" they are here is a pic with one going

and both

 

[yaktop]

the closer to the water the more heat but also more salt spray that diminishes the light penetration. the shield gets spray on it it. waste of energy and the liklyhood of the bulb shattering is great.