Metal halide

[Albertan_Reef]

Yes.

10-12 hours might be necessary since you will have a lot of area to cover with the three units. There is some science that suggests that 10 hours at 250 PAR is the same at 5 hours at 500 PAR, so longer periods can accomplish the same thing with less output.

You are going to have areas with lots of output and some areas in between the units that are less. This is cool and you can plan the placement of your corals with the acros under the lights and the lower-light stuff in the middle and front.

Some people leave the supplements on when the MH are on, but I turn mine off... you cannot see them anyway, so I save the wattage. I use VHO over some of mine, so I turn the on a few hours before and a few hours after. Leaving them on is no issue, especially if you need more output.

That’s kinda what I was thinking. And kinda like WWC does on there tanks. Lower par, longer photoperiod.

If I find I have to many dead spots I could always add another fixture.

 

[Velcro]

With a 3 foot wide tank you might want to consider Cozumel reflectors and 400w bulbs.

 

[Albertan_Reef]

With a 3 foot wide tank you might want to consider Cozumel reflectors and 400w bulbs.

I was thinking lower watts , longer photo period

 

[Saveafish]

I'm right there with you. Just shave a few inches off the top and side. I'm going MH. I looked hard and gave myself several headaches and a few bad dreams on it. I'm going with growers choice 315w CMH. For a couple reasons.
1. Its digital, not magnetic or electronic.
2. It'll drive any MH bulb, any HPS bulb. Pulse to probe.
3. 10v controller. Its crazy what you can do with controlling the ballast.
Con. You have to change out the 10$ monger base.
Google Growers Choice 315 CHM with controller.

 

[RCS82]

I'm an Albertan here too who just put up a couple 250w DE metal halides. I went thru Reef Supplies and got cayman sun reflectors, ice cap switchable ballasts for Hqi and Phoenix 14k DE bulbs, awesome color, love it. For your bigger tank you might want some 20" reflectors and supplement with t5s in front and behind. M/H is simple plug and play with the spectrum and intensity basically already done for you. But there is plenty of other options out there. The statement about absolutely needing a chiller is silly given the fact people live in different climates with different conditions.

 

[Albertan_Reef]

I'm an Albertan here too who just put up a couple 250w DE metal halides. I went thru Reef Supplies and got cayman sun reflectors, ice cap switchable ballasts for Hqi and Phoenix 14k DE bulbs, awesome color, love it. For your bigger tank you might want some 20" reflectors and supplement with t5s in front and behind. M/H is simple plug and play with the spectrum and intensity basically already done for you. But there is plenty of other options out there. The statement about absolutely needing a chiller is silly given the fact people live in different climates with different conditions.

Thanks! Nice to see another person from around here. And I agree on the chiller! It’s cold here 50% of the time, my chiller is Mother Nature , just open the fish room window.

 

[Jay Norris]

I’m totally new to metal halide lighting but a die hard t5 guy.

Currently in the process of planning a 500 gallon 8x3x3 tank and a member on a Facebook group suggested 3 metal halides instead of going LED.

If I go LED it will be 4x orphek atlantiks with 8x 54watt t5 (4x atinic and 4x blue plus)

If I go halides I’ll be accompanying them with 8 orphek 120or bars.

This is what I came up with on BRS as a quick look.

Hi, if you go the M/H route, you will need at least 4, and maybe up to 6 fixtures, depending on the corals you want to keep.

 

[RCS82]

Hi, if you go the M/H route, you will need at least 4, and maybe up to 6 fixtures, depending on the corals you want to keep.

I think 3 - 20" reflectors would do fine on an 8' tank. Using 4 would give you 80" of lighting if they were all butted up, more then enough. Plus I'm sure there will be supplementing front and back with t5s or led strips. My 2 cayman suns are only 12" reflectors over a 4' 90 gallon and they throw light over the whole tank.

 

[biecacka]

Sanjay used 3 400wt bulbs on his 500 gallon tank and I honk he had decent results....

I’m sure if you get a larger wider reflector you will be fine.

Corey

 

[CNDReef]

If it’s a mixed tank you’ll be fine with 3 mh.
You can use the front for some softies and lps. It all depends on your rock work and what type of corals and where you want to place them.

 

[Reefanatik]

I run 2 250W radiums on M80 ballast and 20" Cozumel Sun single ended reflectors, 4 T5 supplements and 2 SBar LED strips. I love having all three lights. My tank is 4"x3"x2". All lighting is in a canopy and I have no heat issues in south TX..... with a couple of fans to remove any heat I do have. I personally think you would be fine with three MH's, if not you could always add another later. Also, although not needed I bought a PAR meter and really like being able to know PAR where I want to place my frags.

 

[surgeon1]

I have 5 400 watt mhs that I run over my 36x36x131 tank. im running 400 watt radiums on overdrive on an electronic ballast. I am old school in my lighting preference so the tank is a bit too blue for me. I am currently making some leds to tweak the lighting to a warmer look while upping the par to speed up my sps growth. I live in Wisconsin so my electric cost is reasonable and the heat is only waste heat for about 3 months of the year.

 

[vanpire]

I have 3x 250W radiums with lumenarc reflectors on 250 HQI mode. More than enough light for an 8’ tank and I don’t supplement. No heat issues in AZ but I do use a HD fan in the summer. I need a tank heater in the winter.

BTW: why buy new when u can get MH used for a song. I got 5 ballasts with 5 lunarc reflectors for $100 total. I think there is a simlar deal now in the AZ FRAG site for 2 sets of icecap ballasts and reflectors for $50. Just get new bulbs.

 

[kles]

I agree mh is the best for growth and natural looking reef well blended and better to your eye and what corals love .I run 3 250 mh 2 t5 2 ai sol leds sounds like alot for a 125 but they all have there purpose the sols are main light sun up n set effect t 5 after sols ramp up the mh run 4 hours for full high noon then back down to sunset. To me only time tank looks most natural is when mh are running