seeking guidance from all the MH users out there

[Aquattro]

For a 36" tank, a single MH is pushing it unless you get a great reflector and hang it higher. 12" would be good, but at that height, I'd go 400w (personal taste). I'm currently building a floating canopy/light box that houses my gear, using a flat panel mount to "float" it.
Adding supplemental T5 would also work well.

[xenon]

We use ReefBrite Hybrids on our SPS coral bed and love them.

I would also recommend the 400w. Unfortunately, it won't spread the full 36". Even at 30" its pushing it.

[Trevor W]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

For a 36" tank, a single MH is pushing it unless you get a great reflector and hang it higher. 12" would be good, but at that height, I'd go 400w (personal taste). I'm currently building a floating canopy/light box that houses my gear, using a flat panel mount to "float" it.
Adding supplemental T5 would also work well.

Originally Posted by xenon

We use ReefBrite Hybrids on our SPS coral bed and love them.

I would also recommend the 400w. Unfortunately, it won't spread the full 36". Even at 30" its pushing it.

Thanks for the input guys!

So besides going with a 400W what else would you guys suggest?
I'm completely ignorant to Halides.

Would you guys suggest using 2 pendant reflectors @ 250W each or would you still go with 2 @ 400W each?

Also is there any reflectors that you would suggest for me to try and find?
Any places you suggest I try and source everything?

Or perhaps a better question is;

"If you were to start from scratch with halides with a tank of my dimensions what would you personally go with?"

[reefwars]

At 18" 2 x 250w is more than enough

[xenon]

We use six 400w fixtures over one of the 4'x8' coral beds and six 250w over the other 4'x8' bed.

You can barely notice the brightness difference but that may be because our tanks are only 13" tall.

[Myka]

I like T5s on a 36" tank. That's what I have on my 50 (36x18x18") and it does quite well. It has everything from softies to SPS in it.

[pinkreef]

I have a fixture that has two 250w MH and 2 actinic t5s
my tank is 4 feet and i think 20 inches tall. I like the combination and wattage. MHs get hot and 2 400w on your tank will be more light than you need I think.

[cblair]

I have a metal halide fixture and a t5 retro coming in as we speak. I plan to run a 250w radium on my pfo hqi ballast with two t5 and two 12" diy rapid led strips both with royal blue and 410nm uv. Should be a nice mix using all three light styles and my tank is 30x24x24

[StirCrazy]

ok, I am going to go a bit different, by not recommending 250 or 400, but rather find a bulb you like the look of first.

with the reflectors now days both will give you almost the spread you need, but if you have nothing on the sides then you don't need 36" coverage.

but seriously at 18" tall you don't need 400watts, the only reason to go to a 400 watt fixture would be if you like the look of the radium bulb, and even then you can have a darker radium or a lighter radium depending on if you run it on a normal 400 watt MH ballast or a sun agro ballast which used to be incorrectly called a 400 watt HQI ballast

my personal favorite was the Aqualine Buschke 250 watt 10K , but it is a SE bulb. I think it could be got in DE but the SE had a higher output. combine this with two URI super actinic VHO bulbs and you had a beautiful ice white color with lots of pop. weather you not you can still get these bulbs in Canada or not I don't know.

Start by looking at pictures of MH lit tanks and see what there using for there lighting equipment, find a look you like and go that way for bulb and equipment.

Steve

[apexifd]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

For a 36" tank, a single MH is pushing it unless you get a great reflector and hang it higher. 12" would be good, but at that height, I'd go 400w (personal taste). I'm currently building a floating canopy/light box that houses my gear, using a flat panel mount to "float" it.
Adding supplemental T5 would also work well.

if there is 1200w radium… you will probably use that too