what would u do, for lights?

S

schulace123

New member
i got a 90 and havent been able to decide bewtween 6 bulb tek t5, or a 2 250 watt mh pfo mini pendent with evc ballast, here it is http://oceanencounter.com/Merchant2...de=OE&Product_Code=2HMHS599&Category_Code=MHS

what would u guys do? i want a mix reef, and in the summer we dont really keep the AC on upstaries where the tank is, so do u think mh will heat it up to much?or can i just put a fan buy it?

i am leaning more twoard mh just cuase it is better for a mix reef, and i like the shimmer lines....but it gets so hot.
oh ya i also am not buying a chiller, ha...
 
T5. You can keep anything under T5. Heat is less. HOWEVER, you won't get the nice shimmer lines.
 
T5 IMO. The only advantage I see in your case for metal halides is the shimmer/glitter lines as moonpod mentioned. I think 250w's upstairs is going to cause some heat issues.
 
T5 will be cooler but keep in mind they get pretty hot too.. After they are on for a min the bulbs are to hot to touch... I had 12x39 watts of t5 over my 125.. I didnt' like it at all.. Looks ok but growth was slow and it looked alot like PCs just with a lil more blue.. I changed them out to a Coralife 3x150 mh fixture.. Love it looks 20 times better.. The first thing people say when they walk in my office now is wow that tank looks great....!!!
 
i prefer mh over, basically, any other kind of lighting.

it is just more visually impactful for me.

heat issues can be solved with good evap cooling and slapping a chiller on your system. not having a chiller, imo, is not worth it in constant worry if my tank is going to be too hot cuz the day might be warm, did i turn on the central ac etc. all it takes is one good hot spell in your tank to basically kill almost everything. i hear more loss stories cuz their tank got too hot than any other thread.

of course, if you live in alaska, where it really never gets too warm even in the summer, then i guess perhaps one can get away without a chiller.
http://seattle.about.com/cs/weathe1/l/bljuneauclimate.htm
 
ya see the thing is i wont have any money for a chiller after my lights......i live in minnsota, so it will be fine in the winter....but in the summer it stays around 75 or 80...
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6546500#post6546500 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by schulace123
ya see the thing is i wont have any money for a chiller after my lights......i live in minnsota, so it will be fine in the winter....but in the summer it stays around 75 or 80...
Click to expand...

evap cooling is an amazingly effective method of cooling your tank down.

i have my vornado fan (very powerful and quite compact) attached to a temp controller to kick in at 78...and if dat dont do it...then my second temp controller kicks in my chiller at 80.

here's a pic of my evap method. this is probably overkill in your situation but i wanted to show how close the fan is to the water surface and that it is directly pointing down into it. the air escapes through the other side, taking with it heat and moisture.

2005-12-30CA.jpg
 
That is what I use for a chiller in South Florida. It is amazingly effective at keeping the tank temp down. Another method of keeping the temp down is put as few watts in the tank as possible.

Use MJ's converted to MaxiStreams to get the flow you'll need. You can get away with 2 MJ 900's (only 19 watts) for your circulation.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=717034
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=750022

Use a CC airstone skimmer which can be as few as 9 watts and those from an external air pump which won't heat the tank at all.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=680552

Use as small a return pump as possible. In your case with a properly configured skimmer you can get away with 120 gph through your sump.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=550482

Use as small a bulb as possible for your fuge lighting to keep heat down.
http://www.melevsreef.com/fuge_bulb.html
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=313318

And finally, I would use 3 watts per gallon of T5. That will allow you to keep SPS's in the top of the tank as well as softies at the bottom in the shade. Plus, will generate much less heat than MH's.
 
Are t5 that much cooler in the long run. Let's think about it. On an average a metal halide is about 8 to 12 inches long if you shortened a t5 to the same length how much cooler would a t5 be . i don't think the difference is worth the loss
 
I'm sorry but what? First of all, T5's are more efficient in a pure PAR per watt aspect. Secondly, the same heat over a larger surface area is the definition of more efficient cooling. That is the entire point in air conditioners and heat exchangers; its why they work. Thirdly, you can get away with far fewer watts of T5 than MH. This is 3.5 watts per gallon of T5 over a 200 gallon tank and has been running in this setup for 2 years. Search for Iwan here to read the whole thread.
T5.JPG
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6550802#post6550802 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ChemE
I'm sorry but what? First of all, T5's are more efficient in a pure PAR per watt aspect. Secondly, the same heat over a larger surface area is the definition of more efficient cooling. That is the entire point in air conditioners and heat exchangers; its why they work. Thirdly, you can get away with far fewer watts of T5 than MH. This is 3.5 watts per gallon of T5 over a 200 gallon tank and has been running in this setup for 2 years. Search for Iwan here to read the whole thread.
Click to expand...


I've read that thread!! Thats what talked me into T5s at my office insted of MH like I have at home.. I promise you I had less growth with my T5s then my MH.. Par doesnt' mean better growth.. Even sanjay says that.. I had 12x39 watts of t5s thats 468watts. I changed over to 3x150s thats 450 watts.. Not only is the tank brighter but Growth is 2x better and Shimmer just makes the tank look more realistic..IMO MH is just simply better.. Not to mention a bulb change for my T5s was 12X20 bucks Thats 240 bucks.. Mh mh Bulbs are 55 each.. Thats 165.00 For MH bulbs!!.. I'm sorry I just dont see the advantage to T5s.. Maybe if you have major heat problems but even then 150 watt mh runs about the same temps...My 125 stays the same temp with 150 MH as it did with T5s.
 
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