metal halide from water?

[westin]

I am getting metal halides for my 55g tank. 36x15x20.
I have 2x96w PC in right now but can add 2x175w MH inbetween.
I was wondering how far the MH would have to be from the water? Thanks for the help.

 

[Wilafur]

i typically have my mh's 10-12" above the waterline.

 

[westin]

Do you think 6" would be to close?

 

[westin]

I have 2 4" fans in the hood and a chiller to help controll the heat

 

[Bebo77]

you can di 6" but it will really heat up your tank..

8-12" is best

 

[westin]

It shouldnt be hard to lift it 4" then. Put in a spacer of some kind.

 

[Bebo77]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7561363#post7561363 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by westin
It shouldnt be hard to lift it 4" then. Put in a spacer of some kind.

lol are you talking to yourself?

 

[slavearm]

If you are using pendants, cut a hole in the top of your canopy and mount the bottom of the pendant flush with the top of the canopy. This will keep ALOT of the heat out of the tank. Using this method, my MH actually heat my tank LESS (2-3F) than my retro 4x96W PC did.

Mine are about 6" off the water (pendant), but the bult itself is about 8" off.

 

[westin]

kinda maybe some input would be nice. I have had this tank for a year in July. My fist fish 4 months ago, diamond goby. 2 months ago a BTA its split in two then a pair of ocellaris last week. Those BTA are tuff. The split half went into the overflow and thought he was a dead. I let him be and by the end of the day one half was up and moving while the other took 2 days to pull through. Now I have 3 of these in my tank. The Ocellaris will go in it at night for a little but thats about it.

 

[westin]

Thanks for the info. I might do that. how long do you have your MH on during the day?

 

[Gooli]

mine are at 7" but if i could do it over again i would do it at 10" or so.
reason # 1 - heat
reason # 2 - the color of most corals close to the water surface get washed out in white

 

[slavearm]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7561475#post7561475 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by westin
Thanks for the info. I might do that. how long do you have your MH on during the day?

Halides are on for 12 hours per day (just checked my aquaprogram) I might lower this hahaha... I think I borked the program when I wrote it a couple months ago.

T5 Supplementation is on for 11 hours per day

 

[Fmellish]

Mine are 13". I wouldn't want them any closer, they are like minature suns.

 

[818]

I have mine at 10'. I had them first at 6 but had my temp go up 4F. So I mounted them up to 10 inches and my temp only went .5F.

Like Josh said, they really are like little suns

Sam