Help! If you know about Metal Halides!

I have been looking around on here and really like the jwin canopy for the 46 bowfront, so maybe a retrofit kit for that.
I have a friend who is selling 2 MH retrofit kits, 250W, with one "dual" ballast (she says I can run both lights with this) and 3 bulbs for $100. I hated to pass up this deal if I could use them, you know?
So, I am open to any fixture really, but like the idea of enclosing the lights somehow since they will be in the living room and distracting..lol. I have been reading about some people replacing the black brace with a clear one and using just one of the 250w halide with some t5 actinics. What do you guys think of this? Thanks!

 

I've always wondered about this...

In nature corals get a HUGE amount of light. I think in nature the sun provides around 100,000 lumens per sq meter (100,000 lux)at the equator at sea level. now obviously light energy diminishes quickly with water depth, and our tanks are no where near collection depths for corals.... so what we're trying to do is simulate light levels on a reef artificially.

I'm sure someone here knows the various light levels in lux present at collection depths (typically 15-60 feet) for most corals, and that's what you should aim for.

I would suspect that there are many corals that come from shallow depths that would absolutely thrive on 500w of light on such a small tank. But those from deeper depths might be stressed and bleach out. There's a very slim chance they would recover.

Acclimation is another concern. MOST captive corals are already acclimated to much lower light levels, so again you run the risk of stressing corals moving them into such a well lit tank.

So while I don't think it would be pointless, and could certainly be beneficial in some cases, that much light on a home aquarium seems counter productive for most situations.

I think that amount of lighting would be good if you were interested in either shallow water corals or fragging and "domesticating" freshly harvest wild colonies as a process of light acclimation to a lower level.... I would consider that a middle step towards that goal.

HTH.

-Doug

 

I have 2 175w pendants with ballasts I'll trade you for those 250w kits ..??..

 

I don't actually own them yet, just know someone who has them for sale, otherwise I would certainly do that...lol

 

What is the water temp with the lights you have now? do you have a chiller?