Metal Halides?

[misguided]

Im doing a 28 gallon acrylic hexagon i made a canopy today out of Red oak very heavy! I was wondering i got about 6 3/4" from the top of the tank to the acrylic is that high enough for a 175 Watt MH? I was also wondering if the temp would rise too much if i could just add the ice probe i think its called?

 

[steve the plumb]

yes thats a small chiller.I have mine at about 12 inches.You will get heat off off the bulb if you are going to use the chiller then you sholudn't have a problem with heat.That one is for small tanks but I forget what size its rated for.You can use a fan aswell if you have the room.

 

[misguided]

it says 30 gallon 8-9 degrees below

 

[steve the plumb]

you should be fine.Are you going to put a fan in the canopy to vent out some heat?You may not need to because you are using a chiller but if you can vent it why not.

 

[misguided]

I been wanting to ask if that mH would be enough for a clam i have always wanted one. the tank will be 17" deep after the sand

 

[steve the plumb]

yes I have a 36 inch tank.With a 175 you shouldn't have a problem growing clams.I know aqua medic sells a 90 watt mh bulb(either 70 or 90) if you want something smaller.Are you going to put an actinic pc bulb aswell or just the mh.

 

[misguided]

would the 90 watt bulb be good enough for the clams? i was also looking at a quad 96 watt PC bulb would that be enough it turns out the chiller will only do 3-4 degrees on a 20 and 1-2 degrees on a 40

 

[steve the plumb]

I have half my tank covered by plexiglass.I find with a fan it cools the tank by 2 degrees but I am worried come summer when it gets hot.I will have to get an ac unit to cool the room down.I don't know if it will.I have sen clams in nano tanks with just pc bulbs so I think you would be fine.I would go for the 175 only because you would have more of a choice in bulbs.I think aqua medic is the only one that makes the 90 watt bulbs so you have less of a choice.You can find many 175 watt bulbs out there.You could go with a 14 k bulb.this will give you a nice white blue effect.You may not need the actinnics with that spectrum.If you are going to get a pc bulb then you can but a 50/50.This and a 14 k will look nice.

 

[misguided]

So you think the 175 MH without the chiller would be too much?

 

[steve the plumb]

I dont know for sure.I was running 1x 250 on my tank now I am running 3 mh.Heat is a factor.If you vent it and the room isn't to warm you might be able to get away with it.I found on very warm days my temp would rise to 86.Consider 1 250 mh on a 150 gal tank with plexiglass covering it.It has gotten better since I took halg of it off but come summer I might need an ac.You might consider keeping the tank in a room with A/C thus room and you stay coll in the summer.I dont think the chiller is worth it for 2 degrees.10 degrees I would say buy it you won't have a problem.I would try to ventilate the canopy this will help with the heat.