Metal Halide Wattage for 15 gallon tall?

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Genix

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Aug 11, 2005
Messages
96
Location
Canada
i plan on keeping soft and hard corals, as well as an anenome. the manager of my LFS said even a 150 watt would probably overheat my little tank. he was also trying to tell me that metal halide bulbs need to be replaced as often as power compact? i get the feeling he was just trying to sell me power compact lighting because he doesn't have any metal halides for sale. i'll be building the canopy for a metal halide retrofit. do i need a fan?
 
I replace my MH lights once a year. The pc I change out every 6 months.
What are the dimensions on the tank? 15 gal will heat up very quickly with MH.

If you do go MH, you will definitely need fans, and build the canopy about 8-12 inches above the water. With a tank that small, you might be able to get away with using pc depending on the species you choose. Good luck.

Mike
 
i don't have a measuring tape. it has the base dimensions of a 10 gallon tank, but it's about 18 inches tall. i'd much rather go with metal halide, since it will be cheaper in the long run.
 
ok..just make sure you build the canopy high enough above the water. This will help with the heat as well.

Mike
 
any MH will be too much on that small of a tank, unless you can find a 75 watt pendant possibly. I would go with PC or T-5.
 
They do make 75w MH pendants for aquariums now. That may work w/ just fans. FWIW a member of this site, Klam, has a 12 gal w/ a 150w DE MH but he runs a chiller. IMHO WPG is not very useful. It is only good for describing the minimum amount of light needed.
 
That looks appropriate foe a 15 gal. I don't know much about the brand, but I know that corallife is a good brand and reliable.


Mike
 
IMHO WPG is not very useful. It is only good for describing the minimum amount of light needed.

It becomes very relevant and useful after you have fried a bunch of corals from making the mistake of thinking if a little is good, then alot must be better.
 
I have experience with that particular Corallife PC unit. Used it in addition to a 48" 8 bulb PC on a 220g (48" wasn't long enough :roll: ). It lights up the left side of the 220g and a LTA sits right under it... and 400w on that should be PLENTY. :D two bulbs actinic placed in the rear or alternating, and a couple 10K's or a 10K and a 14-20K and you'll hold whatever the heck you want (that will survive in that little water anyway).

That device has its own fan as well as a plastic shield to prevent too much heat from pouring down on to your tank.
 
Hara said:
after you have fried a bunch of corals from making the mistake
I run 13.1 WPG w/ no problems(MH/VHO). The tank has been up for 9 months. It was the acclimation that was stressful. Everything now has better colors than ever. My BTA's are climbing upwards directly under a 250w MH.
If a coral is x inches from the surface and the MH lamp is mounted Y inches from the water surface directly above it, it does not matter whether there are 10 or a 1000 gals of water surrounding the coral. It is still getting the same amount of light (assuming the water clarity is the same). That is why I say WPG is OK for figuring the minimum amount of light needed.
I know it is very possible to run MH on a tank this size as long as you take care of the heat and only stock appropriate (high light) corals and clams. Reefrunner69 used to/still does run a 175w MH over a 20 gal.
 
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