mh and heat

[evangeline]

does anyone know of a metal halide setup that will run any cooler than others? i am trying to decide what mh ballast and bulbs to get for a 90 gallon system, but the canopy is only about 6 inches above the water surface. i will have to raise the canopy, i'm sure, but it gets so hot in south louisiana in the summer, i want it to be as cool as possible from the get-go...
anyone have an e- ballast? i read (i think on their site) that their heat ouput isn't as high as some others.

thanks,

evangeline

[jeff967]

hot in louisiana?
use the ballast and bulb combo of your choice, put ballast in remote location. keys to cooling is air flow.
I run 2/250mh and 4/110vho, with 2/4in radio shack fans in hood, last summer hottest tank temp was 83, I am going to add a 8in fan over sump this year and see if I can hit 79 or 80, all fan are on timmers with the lights
jeff

[evangeline]

how high is your canopy? do you have any pics of your set up?
thanks,
evangeline

[jeff967]

evangeline, sorry so long to replay. over all its 12.75in high, 250's are 9.75in off water. not much to look at though tank is in wall so hood is in fish room "aint" got to look good. sides are 3/4 pine cut like 1/2of a stop sign with a 4in radio shack fan in each end. aluminum angle iron joins each end and the whole thing is skined with flashing, vho's are in the 45degreed pitch 2 in front, 2 in back.I can not resize pics or I would post one

[evangeline]

Thanks for the reply. I am going to raise my canopy about 5 or 6 inches, and leave the space open. I will also have 4 fans in there. Now if I can fit two halides in that spce with the 4 vhos...