Opinion Needed: Lighting Purchase

[fencer]

I have 300 watts of MH on my 72g and actinics as well. I would like more wattage on the MH for SPS

[kwirky]

the 250W is quite versatile and with the 20k bulb it'll meet your needs. It'll be nice and blue and be a good intensity for your softies and some stony corals. I have a 150W on my 24 gallon and will be upgrading to 250W if I get heavily into SPS.

If you want to change to SPS or high-light corals of the like you just go to a good 10k bulb for a higher intensity.

That's just fine and a great price. Find out how old the bulb is though, you may have to buy one if it's time to be replaced.

[Funkytone]

Fencer - Thanks for the knowledge

Kwirky - All of its brand new in the box, never used, so it sounds like a good deal.

Do you guys think I would need a chiller?

[fencer]

I don't have a chiller...temp with lights on about 29C and light off 27C...I also run a 33gal sump

[Skimmerking]

I have 2x 250 HQI on my 120 with mixed running 13K megachromes on mine and i have never needed a chiller..

[mark]

No sure what PCs you have (wattage wise) but if your intent is to keep with softies what you have for light may be enough already.

[ron101]

- A 20000K bulb will be very blue and consequently have relatively low PAR output. It will be roughly equivalent to a 150W 10000K but with the heat output of a 250W. Depends on your current lighting setup but I doubt your inhabitants will have much prob adjusting. As always, shorten the photoperiod and gradually increase it to be safe.

- IMO Tanks don't really need actinics. People need actinics. But the 20000k should be blue enough by itself.

- Temperature issues are very specific to each individual system. Ambient temperature, tank dimensions, and configuration of pumps/powerheads are significant factors in addition to lighting. Just because someone has the same lighting and doesnt have temp probs does not mean that you will not.

HTH

[Skimmerking]

And don't forget that a canopy will have an huge effect on the water keeping a high temp too, along with a humid place. My tank is placed in the basement in the spare bedroom and the sump is in a back room where ist cool all the time. having the sump in the basement is a great place for the sump you can usually have the humidity around 30-40% lower in the basement then under the tank in the stand.

P.S. OMI I think that Pc dont keep thier strenght very good, the power is usually gone around the 5-6 month period


HTH