metal halide question

[frenchie]

thinking about buying metal halide retro kit and need some advice
i currently have usa orbit 72" power compact 482 watts, 2 10,000 and 2 blue actnic, so if i got a retro kit 250 watts what bulb would be good to use 10,000k or 14,000k, or 20,000k. Needing more lights so later i can start adding some clams and other corals. I'm going to add retro kit to existing compact so don't know which color bulbs i should get.

 

[capncapo]

I think that I would verify that your Orbit is designed to work with that amount of heat first.

Bulb color is more or less a personal preference.

 

[STABB]

2nd MH question

2nd MH question

I have a 250 Watt MH retro kit. My question is wether or not that will be enough for a reef tank or will I have to get some kind of actnic bulb as well mounted into the hood by the MH?

Thanks
Ben

 

[levon15]

I have only a 250W SE 12k MH over my frag tank, 70 gallon rubbermaid and it works just fine.

Color is a preference really, what size tank are you throwing this 250 over?

 

[STABB]

35g hex tank... suspended about a foot (at least) off the water from the ceiling...

 

[frenchie]

work some overtime and got 72" outer orbit (current usa) metal halide combo hood has 3 150 watt 10,000k and 4 96 watt blue actnic and eight moonlights so i think i'm good with 834 watts combined over my tank and let me tell you that light fixture is freakin heavy shipping weight was 76 pounds. so now i got another light fixture for sale a 72" usa current power compact 384 watts 2 10,000k bulbs and 2 blue actnic. for 330.00 only used 2 months.