Metal Halide Question

wom001 · Oct 27, 2018

Fixing to pull the trigger on my ballasts but I wanted some to hear everyone's opinion. I have a 240g and I'm planning on going Sps dominant with some LPS n zoas for movement.

I was planning on placing 3 400w halides over my setup but from some new research iv been reading people are now saying it's overkill and 250s are a better option both power and heat wise. I am planning on running t5 or led supplement and to transition between day night but for the most part. Anyway love to hear yalls opinions,

One last bit. My tank is roughly 25inches deep from waterline to sanded.

DeniseAndy · Oct 28, 2018

Finally a lighting question I have experience with. I do not use LEDs, so most questions I have no idea. I have a 210g that is 7' by 24"x24". I run three 250w MH and 4 supplemental T5s (I think 39w). I have kept lots of sps with this light configuration. I see no reason to run 400W.

My MH are hung 12" off the surface of the water. When I measured par way back with sps growing, I had reading from about 350 toward top to 84 on sandbed. Now, I kept a crocea (most light needing clam) on the sandbed with these lights for over 9 years. Was full grown when I got it and was happy the whole 9+ years on sandbed.

mtraylor · Oct 28, 2018

Well this is a more complicated question than you think. I ran MH's on my existing aquarium for years and several of my previous aquariums that were 29 to 30" deep aquariums. I'm not sure on your dimensions but I can explain my experience.
I solely ended up running 3-400watt MH radiums with 2-180watt SVHO actinics in PFO pendent. Loved the setup but hated the electric bill. LEt me explain.

I started with 3-250watt MH's and the 2-180watt SVHO's in the PFO pendent. The color of the corals was good, but the aquarium looked a little dim to me. There were a few corals that wouldn't color up the way I wanted them, so after seeing some corals in California in some really nice establishments under 400Watts. I decided to go there. After the upgrade, there were no corals that I couldn't color up. Everything was wonderful. SPS, lps, zoa's etc. No issues. The 400watt MH's put off allot of heat. The corals are a little more vibrant and they do grow faster due to more PAR. That is what I noticed. Everything in my sandbed really popped as well. The 400's were far better overall as far as coral color.

Now that being said. With the 250watt MH's, I did not need a chiller. This is very important as far as electric consumption goes. When I went to 400MH's, I had to get a chiller due to the heat. I"m in Texas and the chiller was in the living room. Listening to it kick on and give off heat in the house and kicking on the AC was just a money pit. I started searching for better reflectors like in the sfilgio pendants, but MH's were out of style then and they no longer sold them. My idea was to try 250watts with better reflectors and see if I could get same color and growth on the corals with that setup and retire the chiller. That didn't happen and I converted to LED"s.

I think if you can get really good reflectors with your MH's and use 250MH's you will be allot happier with electric bill and equipment. Especially if you are using t5 supplement. If you go to 400's you will need one. Trust me.