Installed 250W Ushio on my 20 H today =)

[littleprince]

I like the color with a bit of actinic. Just a touch more.

 

Theres about 2-3 weeks in summer before the A/C is turned on in my condo that can get really hot. So heating was a definate concern. I also didnt wanna burn my corals, and didnt wanna risk water splashing on the bulbs since I'm a complete clutz. So I built an 18" high hood! Haha... The bulb is probaly about 15" off the surface of the water. Suits me just fine. The tank looks bigger now with the MH, coz it penetrates and lights every little crack in the back.

 

Unfortunately I dont have a digital camera yet. I'm still waiting for the foveons to become more popular. These were shot with my webcam real quick. I'll probaly have some film developed and scanned from my slr later this week. More pics are available at my website. www.myfishes.com

 

 

 

Tank Shot.

 

 

 

 

With my super tall hood.

 

 

Just to mention some stuff. In case your wondering, thats a piece of glass from my 65g african cichlid tank. It has some hard water stains on it, so I figure it blocks a fair deal of light. This is confirmed by the fact that the glitter lines are less apparent directly underneath it.

 

I made the reflector out of aluminum sheeting. It actualy extends down several inches from the bulb. I'm gonna write an article about my reflector design a bit later, because theres some things about it I feel make it more suited for a nano reef than something like a spider or pfo reflector.

 

Temperature? Not a problem... In fact it warms my tank less than my PC's/NO used to. The reason? Coz its so far off the surface. I actualy turned off my desk fan as I've found its not necessary. The temperature of my tank doesnt seem to rise at all, wherase before it could go 2-3 degress if I keep the fans off. Putting my hand at the surface i feel very little radiant heet. Above the bulb touching the wood, you can barely feel any heat after running for 45 mins.

 

I think this has been a great investment.

[Cyber]

Er, 250W on a 20Gal? what are you trying to replicate? Coral Reef on Mars? hehehe.

[littleprince]

It doesnt look all the much brighter than the pcs/no I had before.

Nicer color imo, and much better spread. IE all corners of the tank are lit, even deep down behind the lr.

 

Glitter lines are giving me a headache though.

Have you seen lunchbuckets 20 on reefcentral?

I believe he has a 400w radium, with 2 13watt pcs or something like that.

=)

 

hes going for the venus reef tank with the spectrum of a ghost pluto look.

 

PS. Avg temp on Mars is lower than here on earth. 4th planet vs 3rd.

[Cyber]

Do you have a reflector? My 175W Aqualife with reflector is so bright that when I stand in front of it, people can see the bone in my body....hehe, j/k.

 

But my 175W with spider reflector is very bright for my 40Gal, and I put it only 3-4" from the water (I seal off the top with glass, no heat problem and I dont have fan either). I dont have a tower canopy. Tower canopy makes me kinda wonder if it's a fish tank or a closet with the fish tank as the base.

 

Cyber

[littleprince]

I'm surprised you dont have a heat problem like that.

 

My PC's could heat the water a couple degreess before.

 

I built my own reflector. Not as elegant as the spider reflector, but parabolic, and I dont think that bad. It extends farther down, so it reflect some of the light a typical spider reflector would miss when the bulb is this high off. It wouldnt be much of a problem with the bulb a few inches off though.

[NanoReefer53]

Lovin that light ? I had a 400w Iwasaki on my tank with no heat problems and every coral loved it. I'm sure you'll love the results the 250w gives u.

I would lower the light though, and put a fan blowing across the water. Have the fan adjacent to the bulb so reduce the most heat.

[Fishtails]

Nice looking.

 

I'm about to install a 150 watt HQI on my 35 gallon tank.