Metal Halide Only

[malx]

Anyone here ever run a Metal Halide tank only? Upgrading my nano tank and I'm thinking of going old school on the light but would only have room for one light.

The tank will be 30" wide so was thinking of going with a 24" 4 bulb ATI sunpower but maybe MH is a cool thing to do?

I'm only keeping one sea anemone and two clown fish.

 

[fcmatt]

Metal halide is more for sps due to costs of running it. I think an anemone would be fine under a 4 bulb sunpower. How deep is the tank?

 

[mcgyvr]

Nothing "cool" about MH Just the opposite..
But of course you can run just MH..

 

[malx]

Metal halide is more for sps due to costs of running it. I think an anemone would be fine under a 4 bulb sunpower. How deep is the tank?

Not deep, 11"

 

[tjm9331]

just the anemone and no corals...I'd go with the sunpower over the MH, MH will raise the temp of the tank significantly also since the tank isn't that deep a MH might be too much light for the nem and it would hide in the shade and therefore you wouldn't see it much.

 

[malx]

Nothing "cool" about MH Just the opposite..
But of course you can run just MH..

Depends. This tank is in my office which is decorated mid-century modern--like Mad Men. I wanted the tank old school looking.

 

[on the spot]

I believe a 150 would work fine. You might not find the color temp you want though.

 

[on the spot]

...mid-century modern...

did you have a fixture in mind?

 

[smatter]

See if you can find a Giesemann Nova, one would look sweet on your tank. I used to run straight metal halide for years.

 

[Sk8r]

Of course. And they're good, but produce a lot of heat and take a lot of power. And the bulb replacement every 6-8 months is pricey. Still, you can get MH units for way cheap used---and they'll do great forever, or until you decide to go LED, if ever.

 

[UTCReefer]

Of course. And they're good, but produce a lot of heat and take a lot of power. And the bulb replacement every 6-8 months is pricey. Still, you can get MH units for way cheap used---and they'll do great forever, or until you decide to go LED, if ever.

True except for the pricy bulbs part, if you look around there are budget bulbs that work really well too. Try Plusrite bulbs for ~$12-$15 a piece, you'll be able to grow sps at the bottom of your tank. My bulbs last around 12 months pretty easily.

 

[hkgar]

Try Plusrite bulbs for ~$12-$15 a piece, you'll be able to grow sps at the bottom of your tank. My bulbs last around 12 months pretty easily.

Don't think they have any with a K value over 7K?

 

[hkgar]

oops

 

[thegrun]

I loved the old Radion 20K bulbs, but I'm not sure if they still make them in 150 watts (if at all). I think I have an old (never used) ELOS 14K DE bulb laying around somewhere if you do go MH and need a bulb.

 

[hkgar]

The "old" radium 20K bulbs are still around. I have 3 250W over my 180, but I am going to try 14K's next bulb change.

 

[UTCReefer]

Don't think they have any with a K value over 7K?

Plusrite has 20 and 22K, to my eyes they are more like 14 and 20K. Not as blue as radiums but not far off either. My lights are single ended 400W bulbs

 

[maddmaxx]

True except for the pricy bulbs part, if you look around there are budget bulbs that work really well too. Try Plusrite bulbs for ~$12-$15 a piece, you'll be able to grow sps at the bottom of your tank. My bulbs last around 12 months pretty easily.

ive been using Plusrites as my main halide bulb for well over 10+ yrs now. never needed a pricey bulb...

 

[Xxero]

I like your avatar maddmaxx! :bigeyes:

 

[malx]

See if you can find a Giesemann Nova, one would look sweet on your tank. I used to run straight metal halide for years.

Aha that is really cool looking!

 

[malx]

I like your avatar maddmaxx! :bigeyes:

It's great!