GrantM3 Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 So I have a marineland 27g w/ glass top and a medium aquaclear HOB refugium. Current lighting is a 26w (i think) PC on the refugium so that lighting is taken care of... now for tank lighting I have the stock LED double bright unit that came w/ the tank and has worked excellent for my cycle and firefish. As for getting rid of the top it is out of the question. I have a 3 year old and the last thing I want to find are pennies in my tank lol. I currently also have a wonderful firefish that isnt the least bit shy and has great personality I dont want him to walk the plank so to be and find him on the floor. So down to the lighting... Metal Halide pendant probably the 150w sunpod or fishneedit fixture. Either way living in SC even w/ the AC blasting in the house it can reach ~75-80* in the house and humidity is sky high here on the coast. I have had fresh water planted tanks before topless and were talking about a gallon a day or so of evap on a 10g... Will the MH be to hot w/ a fan on top of the fixture or is the heat over exaggerated? T5HO options would be most likely the 20" Nova Extreme unit w/ the 6x 18W T5HO's. I will definitely miss the shimmer effect from the current LED's but if the metal halide units produce to much heat it seems to be out of the question. Plans are to grow some select SPS at the top and possibly a RBTA and Clam at the end of this year once tank is 10-12 months old. Link to comment
evilc66 Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Heat is an issue with MH, but the effect can be limited with how you set it up. Raising the fixture off the tank will help situations. Sometimes the legs just put everything too close to be practical, so you have to hang it. Now, a lot of people panic when they see that it has to be hung, as they don't want to mess up their ceiling. You don't have to hang from the ceiling to get the job done. There are many examples of people making hanging arms that attach to the stand. If heat is still an issue with a few fans pointing at the water, then a chiller may be required. T5's will be better in terms of heat, but it's not as major as people think. Link to comment
GrantM3 Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 Heat is an issue with MH, but the effect can be limited with how you set it up. Raising the fixture off the tank will help situations. Sometimes the legs just put everything too close to be practical, so you have to hang it. Now, a lot of people panic when they see that it has to be hung, as they don't want to mess up their ceiling. You don't have to hang from the ceiling to get the job done. There are many examples of people making hanging arms that attach to the stand. If heat is still an issue with a few fans pointing at the water, then a chiller may be required. T5's will be better in terms of heat, but it's not as major as people think. I suppose I can go ahead and get the MH first and always sell it if I heat becomes an issue. As you say a lot of people really seem to exaggerate on the heat it seems. At least the t5ho guys. I plan on doing LED in the future once I find a fixture to DIY it in and everyone figures out the whole color spectrum deal. Link to comment
evilc66 Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Well, I think that until a real, reef specific LED is created (sorry, but that Orphek one isn't), what we have now is as good as it's going to get. The neutral white and royal blue combo covers 95% of the issues with color. To me, that puts them right on par with MH lamps and the color rendering they have, if not better. Link to comment
GrantM3 Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 Well, I think that until a real, reef specific LED is created (sorry, but that Orphek one isn't), what we have now is as good as it's going to get. The neutral white and royal blue combo covers 95% of the issues with color. To me, that puts them right on par with MH lamps and the color rendering they have, if not better. True... I am also impressed w/ some of the newer combos I have been seeing such as the rapidLED 4 color that is seen here in this lighting forum. Link to comment
jeremai Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 could you post a photo of the tank with the double bright? I'm picking up this combo in a few days and I'm curious. Link to comment
GrantM3 Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 could you post a photo of the tank with the double bright? I'm picking up this combo in a few days and I'm curious. Its great for FOWLR and Zoas are opening but stretching for it! Wanted to test w/ a 10$ zoa frag. Here you go! Link to comment
GrantM3 Posted February 4, 2011 Author Share Posted February 4, 2011 To bump this post w/o making a new one do you think a 4x 18w T5HO fixture (72w) would grow SPS in my tank (pics above of LR setup). Or would I definitely need the 150w MH for sps? I don't want to upgrade later if I don't have to. Link to comment
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