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Coral Vue Hydros

golden number for watts per gallon? MH or PC?


nano-nemo

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i know it varies with what you keep, but right now its mainly fish and inverts with an anemonie. In the future i plan on at least keeping a clam, possibly a few sps, but most likely just a clam (we all know what the leads to). I've read a lot of info on different lights, and right now and can build my own MH for less or about the same as what it will cost to get a pc hood. What wattage/type light would be best to start with? Is 5-7 watts/gal going to be sufficient? i see some running a 175 MH over their nanos?

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Reefer_Buddha

the "watts per gallon" rule is really a joke. Like you already know it depends on what you want in the tank. Some people can run 400w over a 20g and some people run 2x65 over the same tank. I say you can never really have too much light UNLESS its a ridiculous amount which not many people here do.

 

As far as best light ..well...thats halide and there is nothing better. If you can afford it i would definitely go for it. There are tons of diy threads about it from reefriot, krackerG and others that use a DE MH bulb usually 70/150/175 ushios, aqualine or tunze. If you use 10k youll want actinic supplements. If you use a 20k bulb you shouldnt need actinics (although the jury is still out on the real blue-ness of a 20k bulb). I run 200w over my 20L and i still think i could use more but its a personal choice really. Post what size tank you have and what you want in it and more people can help you .

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in the sig- starting up a 46 bow- my nano is already running pc's, thanks for reminding me though, it helps to post what size tank, my mistake.

 

im leaning toward the MH because i can get the pc actinics for free as my buddy is upgrading to mh as well, and he has no need for the 2 left over ballasts when he retrofits his hood becasue its a 4 by 65 watt pc

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good point, maybe 2 250 mh's would be good hmmmmmmmmm......how much more heat do the 250's produce over the 175? about as minimal as the price difference?

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