How much is too much light?

[MadManMac]

I am looking to add some more lighting and I want to make sure I get all I can without making my tank an Easy-Bake Oven!

Right now I have a 60 Gallon (40x22x16) with 75 lbs of LR and 30lbs of LS, my current lighting is a single 250w 10,000K MH with a 50/50 10,000K/Actinic PC. I am looking to add more actinic so I want a 4 bulb VHO with 3 Actinic and 1 10,000K. My choices are a 4x75 and a 4x95 retrofit. If I add 225w or 285w of Actinic and 75w or 95w of 10,000K too much? Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Last question for this post- How does the heat output of VHO compare to MH and PC? TIA!

 

[loganj]

I think I'd look hard at just adding a 96w PC actinic. Another possibility would be to add a couple of T-5 actinics to what you already have. With the 10k MH, I don't see the need for having any other light in the 10k temp. If you just want a bluer tank, you might go to a 12k MH bulb. If you really want more light, adding another MH would be the way to go. A 40" tank can accomodate 2 MH's easily and I think you could grow anything you wanted to with that setup. My suggestion is to look at adding another 250w MH and maybe using a 2x96w PC actinic setup. One problem with VHO is the cost of the ballasts. You can run a pair of 96w PC's with a Workhorse 7 ballast...$40 or less. I've never seen a VHO ballast for that kind of money; not even a used one.
As to the heat issue, VHO's are marginally cooler if any than PC's...they both get pretty warm. Neither is close to a MH in terms of heat. With a couple of fans properly set up, I don't see a temp problem though...unless your house gets really warm in the summer. JMHO .

 

[fishfreek]

I would add a second MH bulb myself and go with VHO actinics.

 

[BBReef]

i agree. VHO actinics look nicer than PC. Dont really know why, thats just what i have noticed.