1000 watt metal halide

[Chris Lakies]

My girlfriend is ordering a 1000 watt metal halide fixtrure and ballast for my birthday:

I am planning a new 120 gallon all glass with dual overflows. I am currently just buying pieces of the puzzle now.

The only thing that may bother me about this is the center brace for the top of the tank. Do you think this will block alot of the light, or should I not worry much about it. I'm planning on having the fixture about 2 feet off the surface of the water.

She is ordering this fixture from www.northernlightsgrowroom.com

[tendar]

It may be just me but that sounds like a pretty bright light for a 120.
Yes the center brace will block some that is why most use 2 lights so not to place it over the center brace and with all glass using a plastic center brace that bulb may weaken it over time being directly over the brace.
You would be better off getting 2 bulbs instead of one.

[kevinpo]

Have you seen one of these 1000W'ers in operation? You may be surprised how much heat they put off. The center brace may very well fail over time. You will need to have a fan (100 cfm) blowing over the center brace to cool it. I would go with 2 lights. 250W'ers would be fine if you drive them with a HQI ballast and have 3-4" sandbed. 400W bulbs will work also but you will need to raise them up to about 14-16" or the corals on the top of the rockwork will get too much light. 250W bulbs can be 6-9" off the water.

HTH,
Kevin

[Chris Lakies]

But considering that if I did not use this 1000 watter I would be using a dual 400 watt fixture. They would about match each other in total heat out put, would'nt they? I'm also thinking for the center brace I could make some sort of plastic cover that would help with the heat.

[Chris Lakies]

Actually I just had her order a dual PFO 400 watt ballast. I think this set-up will be easier to work with.

[sunflashx]

Get a Lee-Mar tank. They use a glass center brace.

It will probably cost less than a all-glass, but you'll have to pay to have it shipped.

[kevinpo]

Chris,
Yes they will work just fine. I put a piece of plastic over my center brace for a while (until I moved my lights around). It works fine if you put a small spacer at each end 1/4 - 1/2" thick to allow an air space between them. The top piece absorbs almost all the heat. With stratigec coral placement you can keep any soft, LPS, SPS coral you desire (until you run out of room of course ).

Regards,
Kevin

[Northman_with_reef]

You should get a tank with euro bracing, you can put in huge rocks and nothing will ever be in the way.

JMO

[eddie]

I've had a 1000watt 20k Coralife running several months.I started it over a 135 gal oceanic(center brace removed) that has been moved outside & now have it over a 180(3 months old) with no brace..
I use a Sunlight Supply ballast.
I want to try the new Ushio 20k 1000watter made for this ballast next.
I also have a 1000watt Tridonic true hqi ballast that will run a Radium 20k later.
Currently the 20k Coralife is sailing across the tank on a Star Trac hydroponic light mover.
this helps with heat probs alot no fan is being used now & the bulb is the size of a football but a beautiful color by itself

when I add the 1000watt Radium Im considering buying 2 Sunlight supply air cooled hoods & removing the light mover since the spread will be more than good with 2 1000watt hoods over 2ftx 6ft

the light mover & 2 400watt iwasakis will be mounted over a 300 gal rubbermaid thats gonna be the sump on the 180 on a reverse light cycle

[eddie]

btw my fixture is mounted 15"

[reefhead]

Originally posted by Chris Lakies
The only thing that may bother me about this is the center brace for the top of the tank. Do you think this will block alot of the light, or should I not worry much about it.

LMAO--