??400watts MH over 50gal(36")??

[Green Thumb]

Is anyone currently lighting a 50 gallon 36" wide tank with a 400watts metal halide centered? Im thinking of trying this with one or two overdriven atinics!?

[Monchichi8]

My lil bother is running a 400 MH..12k bulb on his cusom 55gal cube...And that tank is killer...everything in it grows like CRAZY!!!!!
I have never seen a tank that has been together for such a short period of time..and overgrown like his!!..I want my tank just like his!!!Its better or just as nice as "the tank of the month" on this forum...taking some pics of it in the next couple of days.will post em....So I would have to say GO FOR IT!!!!

[Green Thumb]

Thanks for the input. Id like to see those photos. You are very convincing, What make is your brothers bulb?

[wickerj]

I ran a single 400 20K Radium over my 58 (3' tank) and everything looked great. I now have 2 400s on my 75 and really like the look.

Jeff

[Green Thumb]

If Im not mistaken you need a special ballast to run radium bulbs right?? Or can you run them through a normal 400W MH ballast?

[Green Thumb]

How high off the top of the tank do you recomend setting this light?
I guess no glasstop is mostly what Ive seen fo that kind of set up.

[kribbz]

8 to 12 inches with no top to help evaporation

[aqaman]

I like my ice cap ballast for my 400 watt Radium:rollface:

[wickerj]

I run my Radiums off a standard PFO ballast (not pulse start) and they work great. I built a 12" tall canopy so my lights are about 10" off the water. Evaporation will happen quickly as you'll need a fan blowing across the surface of the water to keep your tank cool so be prepared for that.
Evaporation is a good thing in a reef tank, it allows you to add makeup water saturated with Kalk slowly via a drip system or Kalk reactor.

[Green Thumb]

Thanks to all for the input! Im going to get on it with the 400. Ive got to start building a hood for it.