actinics with metal halides

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Electrobes

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
May 5, 2003
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Location
Greenwood, SC
Hey everyone I am soon approaching the time when I will get a metal halide set up for my tank. I am most likely going to get a 250 watt set up for my 45G tall tank (36 length, 12 deep, 22 high). My question is how much actinics do I need to get for this set up? Thanks
 
It all depends on what bulbs/ballasts you go with. If you want to save money IMO the coralvue 20,000K bulbs look incredible and you won't need actinics. I'd go w/ the coralvue electronic ballast w/ a coralvue 20,000K bulb.
 
asthetically you can go w/ just MH, but the thing that stopped me was not being able to simulate dawn and dusk w/ actinics..jmo
 
yeah I agree jks1. I was thinking of getting a 250 watt 10000K with a single VHO (however max power I can get with 36 inches) in the hood. maybe I should just toss in the extra dough and get two tubes.. but then again I just don't see the need after seeing the charts for ballats and bulbs being fired over the same tank.
 
If youre tank is 36" one MH fixture may not light the ends of the tank that well. Most people put a MH fixture every 2 feet so I'm really not sure what you would do on a 3 foot tank and how it would look?
 
Well its an odd tank, 36 length X 12 deep X 22 high... I can't imagine myself getting dual metal halides... that would be a bit much wouldn't it? I am thinking one 250 watt 10,000K with VHOs is good, it should make up for extra foot maybe?
 
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