What kind of VHO bulbs

What ballast(s) do you have?

Depending on the ballast, you might be able to switch to t5ho and have better light, and less watts to boot versus vho's.


The only drawback to t5ho is that there is a ton of bulb choices. But that is a good thing because the t5ho bulb choices are much better than vho options.

 

unfortunately not sure yet; friend is selling me his old VHO setup for $30 since he tore down his tank in a move and doesn't have the time or $ to set it back up... all i know is that he was using 4 110watt VHO bulbs before... soon as i know the specs i'll post but at this rate it'll be a few weeks before i can get them.

 

I got lucky with my old VHO setup as it came with a pair of workhorse 7 ballasts that push two 60" T5's no problem. I was running short on time and cash so I used a couple 96w PC ballasts to fire up my remaining 2 bulbs.

~Will.

 

Yep, if you get lucky you will have workhorse ballasts.

I run my 2x80w t5ho's off of one w7.

I have another w5 that will run 1x 80w of t5ho, but I have yet to get that over my tank. I would have to get my sliding light rack done before that happens.

 

Correct the best URI,now UVL, bulbs do have built in reflectors but its best to have a polished aluminum reflectror too for better light distribution.

I would say you want to make sure you have sufficient side to side room for either the 46.5' pin to pin (probably 47" overall with the endcaps) or the 48" pin to pin (probably 48.5" overall with the endcaps) andendough height to get them up off the water and center brace, probably 10-12" tall minimum. This should also give you room to install a fan in each end below the bulbs so it blows along the length of the bulbs and water surface for best cooling. The provide either and open back or enclose it which I prefer and put openings as high up as possible for heat to escape.

 

so, keep the bulbs about 10" above the water level?

Then i'll have a couple fans on the left side blowing in and a couple on the right blowing out.

How about the top; should i simply have slots cut through the length or go ahead and have a couple fans blowing out the top?

 

Fans blowing out are a waste of time and money, all they do is move the very same air fed to them by the ones blowing in. They add nothing. Heat rises so have a single 4" fan in each end, both blowing in, with exit holes either up very high in back or in the roof of the canopy above the reflector so heat excapes but light does not.
All you need are fans blowing in down low, fans blowing out also get gummed up from the hot moist air passing over them. Blowing in the move dry cooler air and last much much longer.

I have a 100G tank with a fully enclosed canopy, all sides and top, with 2x250w MH and 2x140w VHO in Phoenix AZ and all I use are two 4" Vantec Stealth fans, no chiller, and my tank stays 79-81 year round. I had a chiller but it never ran so I sold it. Fans do wonders if they are placed properly. I even have to slow them down in winter months or they cool too much.

 

get the UVL bulbs with built in reflectors, they help alot if your setup doesnt have any reflectors or not good ones..