[Big Red]

I hope someone has some input for their opinion on energy efficient lighting. I have a 150Gal saltwater tank--24"deep and 24"wide and 5 feet long.

I have two 250MH (mogul) and two VHO Super Actinics mounted into a high canopy. They give off so much heat and run the edison bill up so much I thought I would check into the Outer ORbit--has the balast inside, leaves the top partially open but only comes with two 150p Watt HQI.

Any suggestions?

[charlie]

Welcome to Reefland Big Red!!!!! Why don't you just add some fans in your canopy? I have found that you only run into problems when you try to skimp and get by with something you know may not work.

[Poseidon]

I think he is trying to decrease the monthly bill Charlie.


Big Red.

In my experience you could save a little over 100W a month and not lose anything as far as PAR goes if you switch to several HO T5 bulbs. The question that will make or break your decision is the cost of a new lighting setup. How long will it take to pay for itself in realtionship to the monthly savings on the power bill?

[charlie]

Depending on what he has got in is tank as far as corals go, that may or may not be a good decision. If he has softies in his tank I agree wholeheartedly, but if he has sps, they may take the long term sacrifice. Considering what he spent on the tank to start with, is it gonna be worth it to sacrifice his critters?

[Big Red]

I already have two top of the line fans - so my local FS tells me. I am just trying to find something more efficient. Thought about the outer orbit.

[Big Red]

I have some SPS and LPS and soft corals. Had a real problem though and gradually all the SPS dwindled away. At first I thought it was the lights cause the casualities were on one side of the tank and there was a difference in color. I replaced the MH's and the visual aspect improved but the corals continued to regress any way. I also have a calcium reactor that should have regulated things as far as alkalinity but in the end the LFS who services the tank once a month recommended I turn off the reactor for a week and get the alkalinity to a lower level. I use sea water so the levels are a little higher than normal any way.

But I wonder if a total of 500 watt in the ML and the VHO are really enough for the SPS. I bought some replacement corals but am hesitant to buy any more SPS until I attempt to figure this thing out.

I was thinking the Outer Orbit which has HQI's might give out better light, improve the electric bill and not be enclosed in the canopy.

I have contacted the manufacturer of the Outre ORbit who tells me they will have the new version out in a few weeks that will have the 250's. The balast would also be in the top.

I don't know what to do but the Outer ORbit would probably be a thousand dollars and the break even point on the savings might be a few years down the road.

Your comments are very much appreciated as I am new into this hoby - a little over a year now.

Thanks for your input and I welcome any more commentgs

[charlie]

What are your ca and alk levels? Poseidon might have the idea with the T-5's. You may want to rethink the sps until you get these levels figured out as to what works for you.
I am still not getting any e-mail notifications, so I am sorry if I am late to reply. The only way for me to tell if there is a reply is to refresh my browser.
HTH

[Big Red]

I will do a test right now and let you know the current calcium and alk levels.
Be back in a few minutes.

[Big Red]

Charlie,
The calcium is at 440 and the alkalinity is at 140 or 160. This is up from 6/27 when it was 130.

Any suggestions? IF it goes higher I will probably shut the reactgor off again. Itg has a bubbler to count at which I have it at 30 bubbles per minute. The problem was worse at 60 bubbles per minute. I thought the reactor was suppossed to be the best thing for regulating this stuff.

[Poseidon]

Charlie, I have always thought T5 was better suited to LPS and softie tanks, but lately I have seen some BEAUTIFUL SPS tanks, lit by T5. I always hear discussion about T5 vs MH, and most of the time it degenerates into a bitter my way or the highway. What most of the T5 folks fail to mention is just how MANY bulbs they had to use to get what they wanted.

Here is my example, I have a 90 gallon tank lit by 2 250W 10K halides, and a single 110W VHO actinic for color only. So to my power company I use 610W of power. If I wanted to use T5, then I would go with an 8 bulb fixture, so my power company would see 8x54W or 432W of power.

If I switched I would save 178W of power, and supposedly I would still get the same or very close to the same PAR.

So the obvious question is the cost of the 8 bulb T5 fixture, from one of our sponsors I can get a Tek light for $373.99 + Bulbs. Now since I have not actually considered this, I am going to use an average of $20 per bulb because I don't know what bulbs I would actually use.... So 373.99 + $160= $533.99 + shipping.

If I spent $533.99 on a new fixture just to save 178W, I think my wife would SHOOT me, it would take YEARS to break even on that large of an investment to only save 3 60W light bulbs worth of power.

I think you should stay right where you are, unless you HAVE to buy a new light fixture because your is broken, or you are going to change tank sizes and need a new light anyway....

Just my .03 cents, that was a LONG reply!

[Poseidon]

140 or 160, I have (*edit* never) heard of that unit of measure for Alk. Usually we see dKH or meq/l. Is yours PPM? Sorry you lost me there...

[Big Red]

Sorry, the test kit i am using is a Hagen Kit. Testing the KH they say add a drop at a time until the water turns yellow/lime and multiply by 10.

The yellow lime would make the difference between 140 and 160. Say it is 140 mg/L (according to their chart)???

[charlie]

Originally Posted by Poseidon

140 or 160, I have heard of that unit of measure for Alk. Usually we see dKH or meq/l. Is yours PPM? Sorry you lost me there...

Me too. What type of test kit are you using?

[Big Red]

That was for the alkalinity - the other 440 was for the calcium.

[charlie]

In my opinion, your calcium could come down a little, and I am still not familiar with your alk reading. I usually go with meq/l or dkh like poseidon. Is there a way you could convert that for us?