MH for a 12 GAL!!!!

Discussion in 'Reef Lighting' started by OoNickoC, Oct 9, 2004.

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  1. OoNickoC

    OoNickoC Bubble Tip Anemone

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    I was thinking of uprgading to a 70wt MH with 24wt compact suspended above my 12 gal cube to support a carpet for my new clowns. Now im reading in a lil deeper and find that a 70wt MH wont produce the correct color temp (5400 or more) for greedy inverts. Is this correct, according to my research ill need a 250watt mh to get the right "color temp"....what about the HQI's? Would a 150watt hqi cook my tank if i raise it? And if not would it produce the "right light" for my needy inverts? Would i be better off stuffing 2-3 more 24watt pc's in a costum box...... :-/, i've got too many ideas here and need some focus.....
     
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  3. Matt Rogers

    Matt Rogers Kingfish

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  4. shawnz28

    shawnz28 3reef Sponsor

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    The only other consideration is do you like the blue look you get from actinic light supplements? If so and if you will not be able to use your current pc light for supplementation I would consider a 20K bulb. But then you also have keep in mind the higher the color temp though you get more blue they are not as bright.. The 10K's are very white but it is all dependant on what you like to look at.
     
  5. Mattgecko

    Mattgecko Plankton

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    I have a 150W 20K on my NanoCube and am less than pleased with it. I originally had a 70W 10K HQI / 32W actinic PC on my Minibow and I had excellent growth results, I did not need to use an Iceprobe and had little to no heat problems.

    A few months ago I upgraded to a Nanocube and add a 150W 20K HQI to my canopy. I have major heat issues in the summer, the Iceprobe can barely keep up, coral growth has Marjory decreased, and I'm pupping hot air in to an un-air conditioned condo. I am in the process of going back to the 70W HQI / 32W PC and removing the Iceprobe.
     
  6. Matt Rogers

    Matt Rogers Kingfish

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    Interesting. What 70w HQI bulb were/are you using?
     
  7. Mattgecko

    Mattgecko Plankton

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    I used the 70w 10K Ushio and really like the crisp white that it produced. The 150W is an Aqualine by Ushio (I think, I'd have to check to be sure).

    Off the subject: I'm new, whats the Karma points thing?
    Matt
     
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  9. Matt Rogers

    Matt Rogers Kingfish

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    (Karma is just for fun. If someone helps you out you can give them karma for it. I sometimes give some to people that don't have any as well.)

    Back to lights... looking at the size nanos you have in your sig, I can see why there was heat problems with the 150w. Not sure about the lack of growth though, perhaps it was related? :-/
     
  10. shawnz28

    shawnz28 3reef Sponsor

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    that was my first thought is how much fluctuation did you start seeing in temps when you moved to the higher wattage.
     
  11. Mattgecko

    Mattgecko Plankton

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    It ranged from 80 - 84 deg. in the summer, now that the weather is changing I'm not running the Iceprobe anymore and it stays 80 - 81.

    The canopy is an open back design with a hi-out put fan blowing in.
     
  12. shawnz28

    shawnz28 3reef Sponsor

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    I would be willing to bet now that the temps are more stable the growth rates improve.