I have 29bc i want to up grade the lighting? Go with a 70hqi or 150hqi Sunpod ?
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Light upgrade
- Thread starter FOOLISH08015
- Start date
It depends on what you want to keep in your biocube ;D
Zoo's and acans But I want to make the colors to pop
Id go with a 150 watt. 70 watt is fine for like a 14 gallon or less tank but if you really want to add some pop to your tank, Id go with a 150
Wattage is definitely useful for reaching the bottom of a tank. Kelvin makes things pop.. So on that basis:
A single metal halide lamp will light an area that is approximately two feet by two feet. A tank that is 24 inches long will require one metal halide lamp and for every additional two feet in tank length another metal halide lamp should be added. When you know the number of bulbs needed, you will also need to know what wattage lamps to go with. A generally rule of thumb for single ended bulbs is for tanks under 18 inches deep use 175 watt lamps, for tanks between 18-24 inches deep use 250 watt lamps and for tanks over 24 inches deep use 400 watt bulbs. For double ended lamps the general rule of thumb is for tanks under 18 inches deep to use either 70 or 150 watt bulbs, for tanks 18-24 inches deep use 150 to 250 watt bulbs and for tanks over 24 inches deep use 250 to 400 watt bulbs. The reason for this is that double ended bulbs will have a higher PAR value (in layman terms, intensity or brightness) when compared watt per watt to single ended lamps.
Another consideration when using MH lamps is the Kelvin rating (color temperature) of the bulb. Metal halide lamps will come in a variety of colors from greenish yellow (low K value around 5500K to 6500K) to a crisp white with a hint of yellow (medium value around 10000K) to a bluish white color (higher value around 20000K). There are a number of different Kelvin rated bulbs available between the 5500K to 20000K ratings to allow the aquarist to find the color they like best for their tank. So what color is best for your tank? This varies from person to person. If you like the look of a crisp white tank, bulbs around the 10,000K range are your best bet. If you like a more blue color in the tank, then a bulb above 14000K is generally your best choice. It should also be mentioned that the Kelvin ratings will have an effect on both the color and the growth of corals. Lower Kelvin rated bulbs will give you quicker growth in your corals, but will not bring out the best color in them. Higher Kelvin rated bulbs will usually give you brighter colored corals, but the growth will be slower.
One last note on metal halide lighting that should be mentioned is that many people will use supplemental lighting in combination to metal halide lights. In addition to the metal halide bulbs, they will add fluorescent actinic lighting to the tank. The first benefit to using the supplemental lighting is that the actinic lighting can help corals and fish look more colorful. Actinic lights will help fluoresce the pigments in the corals and fish almost making them glow in the tank. This is especially true of greens and reds in corals and fish. Another benefit to using supplemental actinic lighting is that is can help wash out the yellow color from lower Kelvin rated bulbs. One last benefit to the actinic lights is that it will allow the aquarist to have dawn to dusk lighting. Dawn to dust lighting is the ramping up in intensity of the lights over the tank. Using timers the aquarist can have the actinic lights come of fist, similar to when the sun first starts to rise in the morning. Then the metal halide lights will turn on along with the actinics simulating midday. Then the metal halide bulbs shut off leaving just the actinics on similar to the sun setting. This will give a dawn to dusk effect for the tank.
So what is the best lighting for your tank? This will depend on the corals you would like to keep. Generally speaking for most soft corals, mushrooms and most LPS corals such as hammer, bubble and brain corals any of the fluorescent lighting options will work excellent. If you are more interested in keeping SPS corals, such as acroporas and montiporas and also keeping clams metal halide lighting would be your best choice.
Courtesy of Marine Depot - http://kb.marinedepot.com/article.aspx?id=10252
In regards to zoa's and acans I would use ( and will ) a 4 bulb T5 HO fixture over it with 1 pure actinic, 2 actinic plus and one blue plus. If you want color that will do it for you.. If you want growth then you need less blue and a lower kelvin bulb.
A single metal halide lamp will light an area that is approximately two feet by two feet. A tank that is 24 inches long will require one metal halide lamp and for every additional two feet in tank length another metal halide lamp should be added. When you know the number of bulbs needed, you will also need to know what wattage lamps to go with. A generally rule of thumb for single ended bulbs is for tanks under 18 inches deep use 175 watt lamps, for tanks between 18-24 inches deep use 250 watt lamps and for tanks over 24 inches deep use 400 watt bulbs. For double ended lamps the general rule of thumb is for tanks under 18 inches deep to use either 70 or 150 watt bulbs, for tanks 18-24 inches deep use 150 to 250 watt bulbs and for tanks over 24 inches deep use 250 to 400 watt bulbs. The reason for this is that double ended bulbs will have a higher PAR value (in layman terms, intensity or brightness) when compared watt per watt to single ended lamps.
Another consideration when using MH lamps is the Kelvin rating (color temperature) of the bulb. Metal halide lamps will come in a variety of colors from greenish yellow (low K value around 5500K to 6500K) to a crisp white with a hint of yellow (medium value around 10000K) to a bluish white color (higher value around 20000K). There are a number of different Kelvin rated bulbs available between the 5500K to 20000K ratings to allow the aquarist to find the color they like best for their tank. So what color is best for your tank? This varies from person to person. If you like the look of a crisp white tank, bulbs around the 10,000K range are your best bet. If you like a more blue color in the tank, then a bulb above 14000K is generally your best choice. It should also be mentioned that the Kelvin ratings will have an effect on both the color and the growth of corals. Lower Kelvin rated bulbs will give you quicker growth in your corals, but will not bring out the best color in them. Higher Kelvin rated bulbs will usually give you brighter colored corals, but the growth will be slower.
One last note on metal halide lighting that should be mentioned is that many people will use supplemental lighting in combination to metal halide lights. In addition to the metal halide bulbs, they will add fluorescent actinic lighting to the tank. The first benefit to using the supplemental lighting is that the actinic lighting can help corals and fish look more colorful. Actinic lights will help fluoresce the pigments in the corals and fish almost making them glow in the tank. This is especially true of greens and reds in corals and fish. Another benefit to using supplemental actinic lighting is that is can help wash out the yellow color from lower Kelvin rated bulbs. One last benefit to the actinic lights is that it will allow the aquarist to have dawn to dusk lighting. Dawn to dust lighting is the ramping up in intensity of the lights over the tank. Using timers the aquarist can have the actinic lights come of fist, similar to when the sun first starts to rise in the morning. Then the metal halide lights will turn on along with the actinics simulating midday. Then the metal halide bulbs shut off leaving just the actinics on similar to the sun setting. This will give a dawn to dusk effect for the tank.
So what is the best lighting for your tank? This will depend on the corals you would like to keep. Generally speaking for most soft corals, mushrooms and most LPS corals such as hammer, bubble and brain corals any of the fluorescent lighting options will work excellent. If you are more interested in keeping SPS corals, such as acroporas and montiporas and also keeping clams metal halide lighting would be your best choice.
Courtesy of Marine Depot - http://kb.marinedepot.com/article.aspx?id=10252
In regards to zoa's and acans I would use ( and will ) a 4 bulb T5 HO fixture over it with 1 pure actinic, 2 actinic plus and one blue plus. If you want color that will do it for you.. If you want growth then you need less blue and a lower kelvin bulb.
I am going with the 150hqi. i wonder how much it will raise the temp. ???
If it's not sitting directly on top of the tank(an inch or two from the water), you should be fine.
Well I got the light today and all i can say wow. ;D
I have it sitting on the legs that it came with about 3 to 4 inches off the water.
Now all i have do is get new light for my big tank (65)
I have it sitting on the legs that it came with about 3 to 4 inches off the water.
Now all i have do is get new light for my big tank (65)
What brand/model did you get.
SunPod 150w