Thinking of Trying Metal Halide Lights

[The Mule]

I have a 270g show tank (84" x 24" and 31" high). I've currently got a double 48" strip with two 40W flourescents running on it. It looks ok, but for such a big/tall tank, I'd really like it to look impressive and dramatic. I've been toying with the idea of trying a couple of metal halide pendant lights on there.

I already know how expensive they can be, but I was curious to hear if any of you had tried halogens on a freshwater tank, and if so, how it looked?

And... The tank is actually a divider between my kitchen and living room, and on the kitchen side, I have some halogen lights (under cabinet lighting) that sort of illuminate the tank from behind. When I look at it from that side, with the halogens on, it looks really cool - the fish scales seem to sparkle. So I was wondering - is it necessary to buy the aquarium designed halogens? Or could I pick up a few halogen spotlights from Home Depot and mount them to the wall above the tank? Would certainly be cheaper...

Thoughts? Ideas?

 

[Dr Joe]

Home depot sell 4" hockey puck halogens 2-3 to a box, you could mount above just keep out of moisture and watch for heat build-up (maybe install a small computer fan that comes on with the halogens).

Or they sell several screw-in bulbs for higher wattage that you could mount in porcelin sockets for heat and humidity problems.

I had this conversation a week age with a couple of people and one thought his looked greenish, I never had this problem.

Good Luck,

Dr Joe

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[DonnieDiscus]

Hey man i never seen anything good grown under HQI Halide I had two of them over a 72 gallon Reef and the corals kept bleaching but when i put PC back on there the corals did awesome, if you really wana halide i would use screw socket bulbs. I seen nice things grown under them.

 

[The Mule]

I'm not trying to grow anything, though I know algae could become an issue. And this is a freshwater tank, by the way. My idea was to go for a different, more dramatic look. So I thought of halide spotlights. Because of the way the tank is situated, I can't hang a single, long MH fixture over the tank. The best option would be to mount two spotlights on the wall above the tank, about 12" or so above the top.

What I need are suggestions on the best choices to make - metal halides, halogen, mercury vapor, etc. Also, if anyone has any idea where I can find these in wall-mountable spotlights, that would be grand.

 

[Tongue33]

What kind of tank did you say you had ? A glass 270? That would be *****en I think.. You would probably end up needing a chiller with MH though... But i don't know much ...

 

[dr_sudz]

that would just be an over kill, keep the lights simple its not so much quantity of light but quality, if your looking for spot light then MH are NOT the way to go. good for growing, and if your not growing then it will be an algae factory.

 

[Nic]

Hey man i never seen anything good grown under HQI Halide I had two of them over a 72 gallon Reef and the corals kept bleaching but when i put PC back on there the corals did awesome, if you really wana halide i would use screw socket bulbs. I seen nice things grown under them.

what size tank? and wattage bulbs/kelvin rating? i ran over over 700 watts on my 90 reef when it was running and never had a acro or any other sps bleach out from lighting. PC and t5 ho will penetrate up to 20 inches after that you need halides. most corals will bleeach out from not enough cross current or nuissence crabs etc.... eating them.


for good bright lighting i would either go 96watt PC at 6700k or t5 light bulbs at 6700k vho bulbs are a option but i like pc and t5s better. halides or hallogens will add excess heat to your tank. not worth it for just the look imo. good luck with your tank


Nic

 

[DonnieVDiscus]

what size tank? and wattage bulbs/kelvin rating? i ran over over 700 watts on my 90 reef when it was running and never had a acro or any other sps bleach out from lighting. PC and t5 ho will penetrate up to 20 inches after that you need halides. most corals will bleeach out from not enough cross current or nuissence crabs etc.... eating them.


for good bright lighting i would either go 96watt PC at 6700k or t5 light bulbs at 6700k vho bulbs are a option but i like pc and t5s better. halides or hallogens will add excess heat to your tank. not worth it for just the look imo. good luck with your tank


Nic

Swear to God man , I ran HQI on a 72 gallon bowfront and the coraline alage Died off and started growing brown alage. Then I put a screw socket and the coraline grew right back. I dont think HQI are that great

 

[Dr Joe]

I'm not trying to grow anything, though I know algae could become an issue. And this is a freshwater tank, by the way. My idea was to go for a different, more dramatic look. So I thought of halide spotlights. Because of the way the tank is situated, I can't hang a single, long MH fixture over the tank. The best option would be to mount two spotlights on the wall above the tank, about 12" or so above the top.

What I need are suggestions on the best choices to make - metal halides, halogen, mercury vapor, etc. Also, if anyone has any idea where I can find these in wall-mountable spotlights, that would be grand.

Check your phone book for a lighting supply store that sells bulbs locally. They have spot lights used for store displays (clothing / furnitures / jewelery) that have a lense that focus' the light. ( some to 12" @ 10ft) Can't find my catolog right now.

 

[The Mule]

Thanks, Dr. Joe. I will look into that.