Metal Halide Lights

pgfraser · #1 07-16-2007, 10:22 PM

Hello All,
I'm considering purchasing a metal halide light fixture for my reef tank and was wondering if anybody has any recommendation of a fixture and an appropriate size of fixture for my tank. It is 90 gal and is 18"Lx48"Wx25"H. Looking for something with mostly soft corals with potentially a few hard ones not overly intense of a fixture but sufficient. Thanks!!

bv_reefer · #2 07-16-2007, 10:45 PM

-hey pgfraser just got some double-ended metal halides last month(20k)
about as blue as they come I'm pretty sure. -anyways when picking metal
halide, things can get expensive, but let me be the first 2 say that for reef tanks lighting will be the center of everything. It will determine what clams,corals, and even fish u shud get. -I'm goin' softies so i got 2-70 watt
metal halides bulbs. But honestly for a tank that size it's hard 2 say, myb
2-250 watt bulbs. also if ur considering going double-ended like me u'll have 2 get a piece of glass 2 tone down the amount of uv radiation that enters ur tank cuz double-ended don't have that uv protection membrane and pass way 2 much uv radiation. -for a tank ur size you'll definitly need good penetration

Mik_101 · #3 07-16-2007, 11:08 PM

If you are going to be getting DE 2x250 mh it is equivalent to 1 400w SE mh. It just gose to show the difrence in the bulbs. If I wher you I would get 1 400w SE MH for your tank.

bv_reefer · #4 07-16-2007, 11:31 PM

-pretty sure I'd go with 2-250 watt so the light can spread out more rather than being intensified in the middle.

Mik_101 · #5 07-16-2007, 11:34 PM

I would go with 1 400 watt SE a. because more ligh b.neater no big mwss.

Aquattro · #6 07-16-2007, 11:42 PM

Dual MH or T5 48" strips are your best choices. Personally, a 4 ft tank for me would mean 2 x 250MH