Yet another MH question...

[loganj]

OK...I've started to think about trying MH lighting. I'm setting up another pair of growout tanks for my corals. The tanks will be 20 longs. For now, all the livestock will be either soft corals or zoanthids. Will these benefit from a 175w MH? I'm looking for faster growth if possible although the stuff in the other tanks is growing quite well under PC's. It will have to be DIY because no way am I paying what retailers are asking for complete systems or even retros. I think, if I go with MH, I'll be willing to shell out the $ for an electronic ballast. Found the Icecap for $125.00. I'm currently running one 55w 8800k PC and one 65w 10000k/actinic PC. Bottom tank is lit with NO because all that's in there is shrooms. What I had in mind was a 175w MH with a 55w PC actinic. Will the 175 (or is it a 150?) Iwasaki fire on a MV ballast? The other option is to build a pendant that holds 3x55w PC's. VHO isn't really an option as I'm saving my Icecap VHO ballasts for the 48" tanks when they are set up. Ideas? Thoughts?
Logan J

 

[reefrunner69]

Will the 175 (or is it a 150?) Iwasaki fire on a MV ballast?

Think it is 175, and yes.

I think you will experience an accelerated growth rate, but with softies and zoos, I think your just as likely to burn the corals, or the people that receive the frags will not have as much light as they are used to and the corals will lose color. You know I use a 175MH and 2 X28W PCs on a 20L, it's alot of light, more than is really necessary.

 

[loganj]

Do you thing three 55w PC's would be overkill? One 8800k, one actinic, one 50/50.
Logan J

 

[reefrunner69]

Do you thing three 55w PC's would be overkill? One 8800k, one actinic, one 50/50.
Logan J

Nope, I think it's alot of light, but I don't think it's overkill.

 

[fishfreek]

I think your customers will have to upgrade their lights before you will.

Shoot I got 2 55W over my 20 tall. A 10k and actinic.

 

[loganj]

Well, maybe I should stick with a 2x55w PC setup. It would cost me a lot less. I'm just looking for the best growth rates without burning anything. I guess the MH can wait till I get some SPS going. Plans are to get a couple of "softie" tanks well matured and then convert them to SPS growout tanks. I still have lots of reading to do on SPS. Thanks for the input .
Logan J