Opinions on retro MH unit

[nano neophyte]

I'm pondering retrofitting the 7.5G desktop refugium system I ordered today with MH lights.  Aquatic Lighting Systems has a restrofit MH lighting system for a reasonable price that they claim contains both white and blue light?  1) Does this mean I won't need a actinic bulb?  2) Would a 175W 5500 Kelvin bulb do the trick or would you recommend going all the way with the 175W 12000 Kelvin bulb?  and 3)  Does this seem like a good product to you?

 

Thanks!

[NanoReefer53]

5500k is really yellow. i would get something more around 10k-15k. The 12k bulb is fine for a 7.5g tank. It has a blue tint to it so it'll be good. On a bigger tank though, the 12k wouldn't be as good since it dosen't have as much light output as the others (i'm assuming the 12k your using is a Sunburst.).

[Vixyswillie]

Quote: from nano neophyte on 2:37 pm on June 30, 2002[br]I'm pondering retrofitting the 7.5G desktop refugium system I ordered today with MH lights...Would a 175W 5500 Kelvin bulb do the trick...?

 

175W over a 7.5g sounds like a LOT to me, but I'll certainly stand corrected if others disagree. Any thoughts from the rest of you??

 

(Edited by Vixyswillie at 4:45 pm on June 30, 2002)

[FamousGuy]

sounds like overkill but a lot of people say you can never have too much light.  

[NanoReefer53]

u can never have too much light . dosen't matter bout watts, it's about intensity. If i put a 7g tank in my 20g right under the 250w bulb, wouldn't it be the same if 7g wasn't there in the same spot ? And i have corals right under there.

 

only problems you'll run into is heat on a small tank like that. make sure u have an auto-top off system so salinity dosen't flux so much.

 

(Edited by NanoReefer53 at 4:09 pm on June 30, 2002)