Please, I NEED your advice on this MH pendant!!!!

[OCDP]

Originally Posted by AJ_77

which brand bulbs do you want to run (are they made to burn vertically as well as horizontally)? Some won't burn very well, if at all, in that position.

We've all jumped at what we thought was the next best thing for our tanks, only to find that we were no further ahead.

A small MH would be great, providing you're able to deal with the stability issues (increased evaporation, salinity swings, water quality). Then again, 2 PC tubes in 55 or 65W should be OK. If your bulbs are pooched get some new ones...

Ok now that I am home I can respond a little better here , I don't have a specific brand name bulb in my head that I want to run, as I have no experience with any... something decent, wont break the bank, but fairly decent quality wise... I never knew that some bulbs wont burn horizontaly or vertically (i have also never heard of anyone saying this , nor have I read anything about this yet) So that's new to me.

The whole point of me putting up this thread was to get exactly this type of input, so I don't jump at what I think is the next best thing... why do you think I have the thread up? (you guys are just so smart....heh) But as far as I can see, the biggest issue as of right now , is that it's a bell pendant, big whoop.... can't I find a reflector down here, and wire it up (may have bulb problems?) orrr..... like I have tried to find an answer to for some time, a 175w bell pendant over a, let's SAY 50, or 40 gallon tank, might not be as nice as it would be over a shallow 20g tank.... correct? Do you think that this would change things at all? I mean exactly HOW bad does it look? haha


Lastly, I am aware of the stability issues, the temperature swings (will have to buy clip-on fans) .. The evaporation, I will just have to be more prepared, having a full bucket of top-off water ready to go, changing it daily. The salinity swings are not an issue if I am topping off daily. What exactly do you mean by "water quality" ? As in, nuisance algae growth from the switch? I am unclear. My bulbs are brand new... my fixture is brand new, the thing is, I had planned on upgrading before my little accident with my old fixture, I was just in such a panic and rush to get some lights over my tank that it didn't cross my mind to upgrade, so I just went and got the same thing again (DOH!) ... anyhow, it's not that the bulbs are pooched.. it's that tube lighting aint cuttin it for me anymore, I want the look of halides, no other lights will do that for me, and I just happen to find exactly what I was looking for... that's why I am making a big fuss out of this.

hahah hows that for a post