Would 150W MH be overkill on a 10 nano for shrooms/rics?

[redfishsc]

Howdy all. This looks like a great site. I kept aquaria for over 20 years, and then switched a 15g nano and a 55g fish/invert tank for a couple years, but had to sell it all due to a move into an 800 sq.ft apartment (seminary housing).

I am planning on setting up a 10g nano (it's all I really have room for) and will have mostly things like shrooms, zoos, star polyps, but would also like the option of trying some montipora, pavona, and similar. Probably no croceas.

I am debating on whether I should just buy a 70W MH or a 150, the price difference is around $60 but bulbs are about the same either way. Either a 14K or 20K bulb with no supplemental lighting (no room!)

I will build a hood that will have a fan in it to help with cooling so I'm not worried about heat as much (maybe build a pendant hood---- being a cabinet maker has it's advantages!).


My goal is to have a beautiful tank, but with a keen eye on the ability to trade in frags from the faster growing stuff to help subsidize the cost of the tank.

So will a 150 help produce better growth on things like shrooms, rics, stars, montipora, pavona---- or will I be overkilling the whole thing, burning the shrooms and wasting energy?

 

[SaltyDr]

I would think that 150 is overkill and will produce excessive heat.

 

[Cornelius240]

I have a 250w pendant over a ten gallon frag tank with shrooms and trumpet corals. The bulb is 12 inches from the top of the tank so I don't have any issues with overheating.

 

[redfishsc]

Hmm. So I can safely assume the 150 won't cause any problems then if you are using a 250.

Great!

 

[Henryreef]

I would say that it would be overkill, it would also be expensive and cause over heating. I would say T-5's or VHO would be plenty, even then the bottom would be the best for most shrooms.

 

[redfishsc]

Honestly guys I think I'm gonna do the PC thing. ahsupply.com has a nice 2X55W PC light that will fit just fine.

I think what I was really wanting from the MH wasn't the intensity so much as it was the flicker-shimmer effect.

 

[Screename_116]

Get a 70 watt MH.

 

[redfishsc]

I started to, but the bulb replacement cost is the same.

Well anyhow I wound up ordering a 4X24W T5HO system. Should be great!

 

[Henryreef]

That seems like a good choice but make sure it has antic

 

[redfishsc]

Thanks for the reminder---I got the Nova Extreme from Current USA and it comes with 2 10K and 2 actinic.

I hope the reflectors are good. It comes with individual reflectors for each bulb but they are not parabolic. Either way I don't see the parabolic reflector being a "make-it-or-break-it" over a 10