3rd MH over 90 AGA

[SweetJesus]

Was just wondering what you would think of this.

I have a 90 AGA, and have dual 250w 65k sakis with PFO reflectors on each end driven by a dual PFO ballast and 4X110 VHO 3 actinic and one 50/50. I am thinking of getting a third 250watt ballast and reflector and putting a radium in the center. running off a regular ballast I hear would be really blue, and I think it would complement the sakis very well. What do you think?

[Kenzy]

SweetJesus that's going to be a lot of heat. ;) Personally I think it's over kill. If you don't like the Saki's. Why not just get higher K rated lamps when the Saki's are done?

[SweetJesus]

Actually heat is not a problem. As whenever the lights come on, I have two radio shack fans blowing into the canopy. But it is hell on the evaporation! LOL! I am close to 4 gallons of evap per day right now, and the tank is running at 76

[ron4675]

Heat won't be a problem...
I have the same tank but here is what I run
2 - 250w 65k iwasakis pfo eye ballast
2 - 400w 20k radiums pfo hqi ballast
I love the look when all 4 lamps are on!
I run the radiums for about 10 hours and the sakis for 5 and I have great growth of sps and color.
I haven't seen to many pics of the 250w radiums, I'm sure it will look great:D

[SweetJesus]

Ron:


No VHO or actinic supplementation? How did you fit all those bulbs in that hood?

[6-line]

How would you mount the the radium, or where I should ask?

I have the same setup with only 2 VHO actinics (I run a 660 but haven't tried to cram the extra two up there yet...I have PFO reeflectors and they are huge). I don't believe you'd want it up over the center brace. I like the Iwasakis but have toyed with the idea of adding a radium two color temp bulb...


6

[SweetJesus]

yes, i was going to mount it in the middle over the center brace. it would be about 10" off the top of the tank.

[Agu]

I'd have to second the idea of just getting two higher color temp mh bulbs. In Mn I understand heat not being an issue, you could probably turn off your furnace. That's why I moved, ;) . The cost of equipment and electricity imo doesn't justify the additional bulb. What you'll give up in intensity will be offset by the increase in coloration of your corals.

Agu

[David Grigor]

My main issue, is that I don't see how the tank would have a very even look. While the middle 1/2 of the tank may have a nice blend the outside 1/4 on each end would probaby be pretty obvious and for my taste it would bother me........

Perhaps mounting the middle MH higher than the two outside my help some....but IMO not enough.

I myself would rather go 2X400W Radium vs 3X250. Wattage would be pretty much the same on even look to it. At this same time would have a real hard time justifyig buying pratically all new equipment....... Graham has 4 VHOs and 2X250W 65K on a 90g and quite honestly thought it looked great......

[ron4675]

SweetJesus,
I run the lamps perpendicular to the front glass, it is a tight fit (they all have the pfo reflector) but they fit in my custom hood.
I have them about 16" off of the water, and the blend is quite good. Towards the one end it is not as blue but other than that I think it mixes well.
The lights are setup like this

250w 400w 250w 400w

With the brace being between the middle 400 and 250.
I run 4 fans on the tank and my temp in Michigan never got above 82 in the summer (but when it got really hot I have a/c)

[DanConnor]

I'm running a 400W Radium on a pfo reflector between 2 DE 250 10Ks on a 120 and I think the light is perfect. All mounted perpendicular, and the 400 is over the center brace. Its an Oceanic, so the opaque part of the center brace is very narrow and doesn't throw a particularly noticable shadow. The pfo reflector has remarkably good coverage on a 4 foot tank and the lighting looks quite even.

[SawCJack00]

It will depend on how picky you are. I have mixed bulbs in the past on several tanks. I tried 10K 175W Ushios and a 250W Iwasaki on my 125. I didn't like it. I tried 400W Radiums and 250W Ushio, It didn't blend well in my eyes. More recently I tried 400W Radiums and 10K DE AB over my 450, and hated it. I may be more picky about it though. In my eyes, none of them blended well. Of course it will also have a lot to do with how you have them set up. If I could have the 10K and 20K in the same reflector, I think it would work for my eyes. Anyway, that's just my experience.