Mobile Bay Reef Keepers

I'm try to put together a hood for a new 75. This is my first venture into the world of metal halide and I have a couple questions. I plan to use two lamps.

For a 75 gallon what the wattage needed to sustain coral and maybe some clams in the future? 250? 150?

Do I need some other light to provide actinic light or can I just get a bluer (14K) MH lamp?

I've never compares 10K to 14K and 20 K lights? Which should I use or is it just a matter of looks?

I would suggest using 250W 10K and 2 110 actinic VHO's
You get faster growth from 10k that you will with a 14K or 20K. Also the 10K will give you that real clear crisp look you might be looking for.

You can get all kinds opinions on this one. Personally, I would use 250's if you are using single ended lamps. As far as the color temp goes, it's a matter of taste, as well as what bulbs you plan on using. I like the 13/14 K range, but I would go with a Phoenix or Megachrome bulb. It tends to have a whiter appearance and I would still use actinics. As far as 10K, you'll probably get a bit more growth, and a little yellower light. I know people who love the AB lights, and the XM's for 10K. I am not a fan of 20K bulbs at all, so I can't say anything about those. You would probably have to go with 400W for 20K. I don't think they really support good health and color in sps, but that's just my opinion.

Get lots of ideas, and you'll still have to decide. If you have the chance to see different tanks with different bulbs, that would be your best bet.

Now you have opened a can of worms.

You could get by with 150 or 175 in the 75 but I would get 250. 250 is rapidly becoming the standard in terms of fixtures, ballasts and bulbs. It will also allow you more flexibility in the future if you expand.

Think of bulb temperature like liquid refreshment. 10k is like mineral water with the odor and taste still in it. It is dang good for you, but not pleasent to taste. You also don't need to drink so much of it.

14k is like say tea. It tastes good, but it is not as good for you and you need to drink more of it to stay healthy,

20k is like dramboui. Damn it tastes good. You don't want to ever stop drinking it because you can never get enough. It is not really good for you.

Think of VHO like a flavoring. The mineral water needs alot of flavoring. The tea only needs a little sugar or maybe not depending on your tastes and the flavoring just gets lost in the liquor.

My personal opinion is that if you can only afford MH get two 250 MH and run XM 20k or maybe Phoenix 14k. If you can afford VHO as well, run two 250 MH Phoenix 14k or for superior growth AB 10k and two or three VHO.

Aw, come on...you VHO snobs.....

Don't leave out the T5 Options...

Now you want to throw some crickets in with the worms..........

Actually I believe that properly purchased T5s are as good as MH and fit a standard 75 gallon tank best of all. Their actinics are not as good as VHO and notice I said PROPERLY purchased. All T5 outfits are not close to the same.

I did not want to confuse the issue.

Lets just cut to the chase.....What is your lighting budget?

Redfish wrote: Lets just cut to the chase.....What is your lighting budget?

$600-$700

The 600-700 range needs to include the canopy...don't have one. Another option is just getting the Corallife Aqualight Pro 48". Then I wouldn't need a canopy. Rich at Progressive quoted me 650 for it. It's 2 150 MH's and 2 96W PC atinics. I'm just not sure if that will suite my needs

It might, they're DE bulbs...10K. You can do 150 de's on a 75, The only thing I don't like about the coralife fixture is the limited area around the bulb. It would almost be worth saving a couple hundred more and getting a really good fixture with the bulbs you want.

What kind of corals are you planning on having?

If you're not determined to have a canopy, look at this page. I got my fixture from this guy and was extremely pleased with the service. Some of the fixtures you can get for just a little more than you mentioned.
http://www.reeftanklighting.com/shopdis ... e+Fixtures

sb1227 wrote:
What kind of corals are you planning on having?

I want to be able to keep SPS.

Option #1: From CustomAquatics

4 of the retrofit 48" T5 setups 4x139.99 = 559.96
8 assorted ATI 48" Bulbs say 8x27 = 216.00
Approx. Total = 775.96

You can keep any SPS you want anywhere in the tank.
8x2.5" = 20" Should fit.

two year life span on bulbs.

You could do 6 for $581.97 but in my opinion you would limiting yourself. IT would allow for the price of the cheap Ocean View top.

At what point do I have to start worrying about water temp?
Will I need a chiller with 2 250 MH and 2 VHO's?
Should I stick to 150's for that reason?

Hey! for some reason my option #2 did not appear! I will have to re-post that. It was MH & VHO.

There is insignificant heat difference between a 150 and 250. If you construct your hood properly and have reasonable indoor temperatures, you will not need a chiller. You will need fans in the hood.

Option #2

After spending $125.00 on a hood.

Add One PFO dual 250 HQI Ballast $210.00
Add Two PFO HQI Pendents $188.00
Add two Radium Bulbs (or any pleasing 14k-20k) $160.00

Total Price $683.00

Add the VHO or T5 later for accent. A lot of folks here will poop on this option, only because they have never seen it or had it. It looks fine. You will run your MH longer. At the end of the road, you will have a much better lighting system that is easier to mount, leaves much more room for VHO and T5 additions, gives you many many more future options, and puts more light in the tank more efficiently.

It will cost you an additional $150.00 to add two VHO's later (Workhorse ballasts).

I ran this for a long time and it worked great. My only problem was that with MH as only light source, you cannot just flip a switch at odd times to turn on lights. They have to warm up and cool down before restarting.