Jump to content
ReefCleaners.org

26w PC -> 175 MH... Too much for 5g?


Empty

Recommended Posts

Hi all,

 

I may be getting a *free* 175w ballast and *new* 10k Ushio bulb :D

 

I plan to put it in a pendant... Is it going to be too much for a 5g tank? I can suspend it fairly high, assuming the pendant can stop most of the light leakage(I will DIY the pendant).

 

I have a float switch en route to set up an auto topoff unit, and plan to add a 10g sump as well, so evaporation should not be a problem.

 

This means I can get that Maxima a few steps down the road and make the wife happy :D

 

~Empty

Link to comment

They say you can never have too much light but damnnnnn 35wpg!! I'm not sure on that one but since it's a free ballast.....if it comes down to it I would rather have a 10gal tank w/ the 175 then ditching the idea. Maybe it's time for a bigger tank :)

Link to comment

Heh. I have 2 10's and a drilled 20 here.

 

I may have to set up the 20 and just leave the 5 up long enough to cycle 15-20 lbs of rock... The funny thing is, the 5 is on the stand for that 20 right now, and the stand is a good fit for a 10g underneath.

 

~Empty, misty eyed

Link to comment

wpg means nothing.

 

a single halide might not have full coverage on a 20long just fyi. also a 150DE is going to put out more light and in a better spread than a 175SE

Link to comment

Unsped,

 

I know the fallacy of the old WPG- it's as wrong-headed as the fish-inches-per-gallon rule.

 

I realize the 175 will not cover a 20L, which is a shame since I have one I could merge with another tank (both are planted FW tanks- a 20l and a 55). The tank I am contemplating using is a 20g standard, which is drilled at the bottom on the back (I think the bottom is tempered). I think a single halide would cover it, as I generally hear a single pendant can cover 2'x2', and I plan to use a rectangular reflector.

 

My current thought is to make a hood to do this:

 

(O) = MHoo = 13w PCb = PC ballast____________|     .     | | b /(O) b ||__/     __||oo       oo|-------------- |   tank  |

 

The /'s are reflecter for the MH- the ballasts would be in an air compartment with no tank air.

 

I have the 2x13w PCs, and I would switch them to actinic with a 10k in the MH.

 

What do you guys think of that plan?

 

~Empty

Link to comment
Carl_in_Florida

You are gonna hate it It will never work. Waaaayy to much light. I will pay for shipping to send it to me so you won't be tempted to try it.

 

Just trying to help.

 

Carl ;)

Link to comment

Well, if that's the case, I may leave the 50/50's I have in the 13w PCs now. I was thinking I might do an unusual thing with the MH. I may mount it in the upper front corner of the tank (IE the part closest to your face) and bend the reflectors that way. I figure if I do that, the face of the rock will get more light (owing to the angle) and it would not be all that different from a southern-facing reef 20 degrees off the equator or so. Plus, a T. maxima is much more important to me (right now ;) ) than SPS is. You see, a T. maxima will get me laid, as my wife loves them :D

 

Carl,

 

If it's too much light for the nano, I'll just throw a 6500k bulb in it and put it on my 55g planted FW tank. I may have to turn the CO2 up a bit, but it would be fine there. Thanks for the generous offer though :P

 

~Empty

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recommended Discussions

×
×
  • Create New...