Adding more light. Does this sound good?

Hi:

I'm adding more light to my 300. It has always been in the general plan. I was waiting till all the bad algae went the way of the Dodo. Currently it has 2x250w 10k MH on the ends and 2x220w Jebo HO mixed running the length of the tank. I had all of the lights from old projects. This left the middle of the tank, between the 2 center overflows a little dark, forcing me to place the high light corals and clams on the ends. After looking around I've decided to add a 400w 20k MH for the center section. I was floating between a 400w or a 250w. I was going to go with a 250w to keep the heat down, but since I've added a 250w heater to the sump and still have not seen temps higher than 77 I think I'm OK with the 400w without having to worry about a chiller. I never even installed the fans I bought in the hood. I also think the 20K will look good since the tank is heavily favored to the 10 end of the spectrum. Ideally, I'd like 13k bulbs for all the MH, but the old ones still have 5 months or so left in them.

Am I missing anything? Opinions?

I'll probably pull the trigger tonight.

Thanks,

Bruce

 

Well. i think that it would be fine, since you already have a dark spot where you are going to put the new 400w....i would think it would be great, a perfect place to put a sps and let it grow up and out !

Good luck

 

Thx, I just ordered the 400.

 

I knew you would, that's why I didn't say anything
That will really look nice when you get finished with it.
Make sure you do a before and after picture.

Jim

 

I came that close to a 10k 250.

I'll post a picture as soon as it's up.

Thx

 

OK, I installed it over the weekend.
Random comments:
1. The power cord from the transformer to the light while being 16 gage was a 16x3 with very heavy insulation even though it only used 16x2. I could not snake it up the 1" pvc I use to run power into the hood along with the other cords. I had to replace it with a thinner 16x2 I got from the hardware store and rewire the transformer. PITA
2. Wow, is this thing HOT!!! It blows away the 2 250MHs already in the hood. Good thing I previously purchased a box of 10 cooling fans and a power supply. I didn't worry about cooling before as I had 8 3"vent holes in the hood. The tank was running so cold because of the basement sump, I had to add a heater. I couldn't get it over 76. To be safe I installed 4 intake fans. More little detail work. The highest temp I've seen in the tank since the installation is 79. I have the heater set at 76 so I have a total daily swing of only 2 degrees and the MHs run for 11 hours. The temp at an exhaust hole is reaching up to 89! I'd be hurting without the fans.
3. I hade to reduced the amount of bracing material in the center of the hood so that it was wide enough to house the reflector. After that, the reflector easily screwed into the hood with little effort.
4. Wow, this beast is bright! Good thing it's 20k. If it was 10k I think it would tend overwhelm the 10k 250s. The blue just isn't as intense. As it is, it covers the center and adds more to the sides. It really looks vibrant and ties the tank together.
5. Added to the 2 220 Jebo PCs and the 2 250MH on the ends I already have in there, I'm done with lighting. The nice part is that the 400 was the only thing I had to buy new, and I went with a cheapo Ebay retro for $130 delivered.
6. Can you say happy SPS and Clams?;D

 

I am waiting on the pictures!!

 

I'll try on Monday. I'm out of town on biz.