HQI light question

[wastedincome420]

I plan to install 2 150w HQI w/10k bulbs on a 5ftlong 105g tank. I also will have 2 Ice Cap 660's for atinic's etc. How many atinics do you think I'll need?? I heard that 150w HQI is equal to 250w standard MH is this true?? Do you think that I should plan on a couple of VHO daylight bulbs along with the atinics and the HQI??How high above the water should the HQI's be?? With a lighting setup like this will I be able to keep most any coral??

[Reefland]

Don't you just love lighting?

2 HQI's over a 5 ft tank is going to leave some shady areas, depending on the configuration. Undoubtedly there will be shady areas the HQI's do not light well.

This can be overcome by adding another HQI or using your VHO to cover the rest; and be mindful of it when you place your corals in the tank. If you go this route, use 4 VHO's. If you already have 2 ballast, you can put two actinics on one simulating your cycle and 2 aquasuns on the other ballast. You could keep your sps and clams under the HQI's and put less light requiring corals where the VHO mostly light.

Good luck,
Scott Z.

[Ninong]

I heard that 150w HQI is equal to 250w standard MH is this true??

Yes, there is some truth to it in that the 150w 10,000K HQI DE lamps from AB-Aqualine and Ushio/BLV are stronger, producing more PAR, than the 250w 10,000K Blueline mogul base lamp or the 250w 12,000K ALS Sunburst mogul base lamp. It would not be as strong as the 250w 10,000K mogul base lamps from those German manufacturers but it would not be very far behind them.

The 150w 10,000K HQI DE lamps are probably the best buy on the market if you are concerned about getting the most PAR for the least amount of electricity. It would be difficult to get by with only two of them across a 5-ft tank even if you mounted them 12" above the water. If you want to get by with only two metal halide lamps over a 5-ft long tank, you would need to go with two 250w 10,000K mogul base lamps (AB or Ushio/BLV) and Spider-lite reflectors. That would work much better and give you even coverage.

If you still want to go with HQI DE lamps over your 5-ft tank, I think you will need three of them. Yes, the 150w size DE lamps would be adequate but the 250w size DE lamps would be better if you want to specialize in SPS and clams. This is not to say that you really need the 250w size in your particular tank because your tank is not as deep as some others and you can always position your SPS and clams in the upper half of your tank, if necessary.

Ninong

[Ironreef]

If you already have the equipment or have your choice figured out? i belive you will be fine. Use 50-50 and actinic till you find what you want. i would use 2 of each. But it depends on what you grow and how much power you want to use. But i would use at least 2 actinic and 1 50-50 for a good glow. I would keep the lights close enough so you don't shadow in the middle. You wouldn't notice as much on the ends as the middle. Of course 3 would be better but you have plenty of lighting.

[wastedincome420]

I want to say "Thanks" to all that are helping me out with this.


I'm pretty much commited to the light fixture. Its a AB aquastarlight future fixture which has two 150w HQI 10k DE bulbs along a kool nite time moonbulb in the center. Anyone know how long the bulbs should last with these?? Also I need to know how high from the water this fixture should be

[Ninong]

The AB-10000 150w HQI DE lamps in that fixture should last about 18 months running them 10 hrs/day or about 14 months at 12 hrs/day. (The 250w DE lamps would last about two or three months less.)

AB-Aqualine insists that the minimum height above the water should be 30 cm (12") in order to provide for proper light spread, to prevent overheating the water, to prevent damage to the fixture, and to prevent possible damage from excessive UV radiation.

Some people have this fixture about 9" above the water and that seems to work out OK for them. In your particular case, you will want to see what gives you the best light spread. I think you will be OK at about 9" distance from the bottom of the fixture to the water. There is exactly 24" distance between lamp centers in that fixture and the lamps are not adjustable like in the Aquasunlight, so the outside edges of your tank will be less bright than the center 4-feet.

Good luck,

Ninong

[wastedincome420]

Hey you guys are AWESOME
You have given me great tips.
I would like to pick your brains some more I dont think I will mind having the edges of tank a lil darker then the center, I can deal with that.
Ok I plan to also have some VHO along with the AB aquastarlight. Now I also will be keeping the Oceanic hood I have on top in order to hide the VHO's, plumbing, etc and either hang the starlight fixture above the hood or mount it to the top of it(with this hood I can remove 4 panels and have the entire top of the hood open). My tank is only 18" wide. Where should I mount the VHO's in oder the not block the HQI's as much as possible Lets say I'm going to use 4 60" VHOs.