MH Lighting Question?-Reef Lighting-3reef Forums

72RunningBlue · 05-12-2008, 01:08 PM

I have been considering upgrading from a T5 to a MH lighting system but here's where the Question comes in? Is it okay to use a metal halide 400 watt compaq bulb. Will that work? or does it have to be one you buy from someone selling them with high prices and a fish tag on them?
Also will I have to put a chiller on my tank if I purchase a light set like this? I have a 72 gallon bow front tank. How many watts should i have on my tank or number of metal halides fixtures?

paulg · 05-12-2008, 01:31 PM

rule of thumb is 5W per gallon.........not sure on your question, 400watt comaq bulb?

Chiller?..all depends after you set up your lights and run them.

I run 765 watts total on my 90 gallon, 2-250w MH, 4-65w CF and the rest of the wattage is LED moon lights. I have never had a problem with increase in water temp.

72RunningBlue · 05-12-2008, 01:37 PM

How high off the top of the water are your lights placed?
Also what I ment by the 400 watts MH is can I use a 400 Watt Compaq MH bulb on my fish tank or will it not support corals like the cool named ones by the fish companies?

Crabby Jim · 05-12-2008, 02:16 PM

The compact 400 MH you are talking about is a commercial outdoor lighting lamp that does not have the proper spectrum for a reef not even close that lamp is probably a 6000k or something like that in a reef MH lamp you will be looking for a lamp that is between 12000k and 20000k Totally different lamp I am an electrician so I was looking to use something that I could get easily and I found out that the reef MH lamps are totally different than the lamps you see in commercial/industrial lighting.

Crabby Jim · 05-12-2008, 02:19 PM

Oh by the way, I have a 120gal and I have 2 250w 12000k HQI MH lamps. my lamps are about 3-4 inches from the top of the water. Behind glass shields of course you do not want the lamp to get splashed by water or ......BOOM!!

72RunningBlue · 05-12-2008, 02:52 PM

IC well that helps
Another thing I got to ask is can i use those fixtures at all and just get the right bulbs or will that not work either?

Crabby Jim · 05-12-2008, 04:07 PM

You need to match the ballast to the lamp a compact 400 MH ballast can not accept any lamp but a 400 compact MH lamp. If you were to get a regular 400w MH fixture and ballast you could use a 400w MH lamp meant for a reef.

72RunningBlue · 05-12-2008, 09:35 PM

IC well I'll have to look more into but if anyone can help I got a 72 gallon tank and I want to best lighting for my tank. Price is not an object, be specific I want metal halides. What bulb spectrum, price, ballast. Pictures or links would be awesome too.

trent51593 · 05-12-2008, 11:41 PM

This is where i got my metal halide fixture ballast and all. Just look under the Grow Lights and find what you want. It works great just remeber to get a different bulb as those are for growing plants not corals. High Tech Garden Supply