which lighting system!?

Discussion in 'Reef Lighting' started by DeepSeaDiver, Jul 20, 2013.

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  1. DeepSeaDiver

    DeepSeaDiver Flamingo Tongue

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    Mildand, Western Australia
    hi guys
    I will be getting a new tank in a few weeks and i am thinking of changing my lighting system from three 120W led light fixtures to three Metal Halide lamps (250w) 14k ice blue bolbs with four t5 blue tubes (40w).
    i have never used MH lamps before so im not sure if they would suitable for my tank. is there a rule of thumb about how high you have to have the lamps above the tank to prevent coral bleaching as the height of my aquarium will only be 50cm or 19.7in? id love to hear what people have to think about metal halides and leds because im torn between the two
     
    DeepSeaDiver, Jul 20, 2013
    DeepSeaDiver, Jul 20, 2013
    #1

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  2. DeepSeaDiver

    DeepSeaDiver Flamingo Tongue

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    just on another note the tank will be five foot long so is it better to run three MH lamps or only two? the corals i want to starting growing will be SPS and LPS corals
     
    DeepSeaDiver, Jul 20, 2013
    DeepSeaDiver, Jul 20, 2013
    #2
  3. Greg@LionfishLair

    Greg@LionfishLair 3reef Sponsor

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    If you run two lamps, it should be fine, IMHO. Altho it won't be very much, you can have slightly dimmer areas toward the "ends" of the tank if you ever need it. However, I think 14k + actinics is going to be awfully blue, but it seems reefers like the extra pop. I prefer nice, crisp, 10k + 03 actinics, personally.
     
    Greg@LionfishLair, Jul 22, 2013
    Greg@LionfishLair, Jul 22, 2013
    #3
  4. Kevin_E

    Kevin_E Giant Squid

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    I have my MH about 10 inches off the water surface. I switched from 120 watt LEDs to metal Halides and am quite happy.

    Mind you, if I were to have a tank as big as yours, I would probably stick with LEDs. I went from consuming 120 watts to consuming 250 watts.

    You will be going from consuming 360 watts to 910 watts.
     
    Kevin_E, Jul 22, 2013
    Kevin_E, Jul 22, 2013
    #4
  5. chris adams

    chris adams Purple Tang

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    Sorry if you consider this a hijack but have noticed a few people talking about going back to MH from LED.. Have just recently got back on 3reef and wondering what benefit people see in MH to LED..

    Why specifically are you going back to MH deepsea.. specific corals? ??????
     
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2013
    chris adams, Jul 22, 2013
    chris adams, Jul 22, 2013
    #5
  6. DeepSeaDiver

    DeepSeaDiver Flamingo Tongue

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    ive actually never had Metal Halide lights at all which is sort of why i want to try them but before i buy them i want to be 100% sure that i want them!
    the LED lights ive have on the tank at the moment seems to do alright but its just a white colour as the leds are 50/50 which is another reason for changing to MH lights i suppose i should try to add say 2 ts units over the tank first to see if i can get a bit of a colour change. id prefer to spend as little as 100 dollars on T5 units then 650 on a MH system
    thanks for the replies guys
     
    DeepSeaDiver, Jul 23, 2013
    DeepSeaDiver, Jul 23, 2013
    #6