too much light for 55g?

[Andru881]

I have a 55g tank with a 10" tall hood with 2-175w Mh and 2-30w NO bulbs...I'm about to get my hands on another 250w Mh ballast which would be mounted in the center of the tank. Would that he too much light/ heat for that small of a tank? Also do you think the center cross peice would break or hold up to the extra heat?

[Andru881]

Ohh the corals I have in the tank are about 12 SPS frags, 6 softies, and a clam...

Thanks

[MAS]

Another 250 will be fine for SPS, though you may want to add a small fan or some type of ventilation to the canopy.

[Andru881]

The hood got one 4" fan blowing air down into the over flow to cool it down...I just hope that it doesn't get too hot, because I really don't want to have to buy a chiller...

[Fliger]

I'm just getting into MH, but if I were you I would put a Radium in that 250 & lose the NO! That would look killer.

[Dakan]

I have a 90 gal with 2 175 Mh and 4 110 vhos. I had to get two fans to keep the heat down. Even with my house ac at 75 my tank wound up at 86 one day when I forgot to turn the fans on.
I got my fans at radio shack for 19 bucks each and wired them up with a dimmer switch so I could slow them down in order to keep the noise down.

[MAS]

86 F is a pretty common temperature for tropical waters. My tanks have on many occasion risen to the high 80's with no ill effects at all and are kept in the 82-84 F temp. range.

[Dakan]

86 is too hot! Most fish would prefer 76 over 86. I try to keep my tank at 78. Sure 86 will not cause your tank to crash but it is definety to hot. I believe most of our corals prefer cooler water too.
Don't shoot me if I'm wrong but I beleive most of us reefers are strarting to try and keep tanks cooler, ie. 76 to 78.

[Fliger]

Dr Ron has written some good articles on this. 80-82 is optimal. I'm not sure why everyone tries to get below 80. I've never dove a reef below 81-82 degrees & have dove some much hotter.

I personally wouldn't go to 86 as a medium because if you go high then you're getting dangerous. But 82 is a medium isn't bad since 84 won't kill your fish.

[MAS]

There are lots of places in the Pacific where reef waters hit 85-87 at times during the summer months even higher during hot spells. Its not uncommon and it isnt going to be detrimental to your tanks either. Im not telling you to keep your tanks at or near 86, just stating a fact. What I feel is detrimental is sharp quick temperature swings. Not the actual temperature. People who have excellent circulation are also not going to be as prone to possible problems. Alot of people who had problems for short durations at higher temperatures have had poor circulation in their tanks as a common element. But my system is set up on a seasonal variance along with all my lighting and temp system, so that all specimans have a crudely recreated "summer,spring,winter and fall" so my corals have months to acclimate to higher and lower temperatures.

[Fliger]

I made some dives in Indonesia & I swear the temp was 85. And that was normal. Some of the best reefs I've ever seen. I believe that was off Sulawesi.