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**geoff_tropheus** · 03-12-2009, 10:25 PM

What about 2-24" 150W Metal Halides...? nothing over the center brace

**eklikewhoa** · 03-12-2009, 10:28 PM

So there's only a center brace? Oceanic right?

I think you could get away with 2x150w.... if you are upgrading from PCs you will be ok with the new look. Now go beyond it and you will never go back.

**geoff_tropheus** · 03-12-2009, 10:30 PM

yes Oceanic

**eklikewhoa** · 03-12-2009, 10:32 PM

You could get away with it.
Being that you only have the center brace you could mount the two fixtures closer to the center and still get a good amount of light into the tank and leave the edges a bit dim to give a pleasing look.

Also the higher you mount it the more of a spread you will get from the reflector.

**Zulaab** · 03-12-2009, 10:37 PM

12 x 39w T5 I promise you, you will be impressed.. I have seen MH over fresh and salt water and you are correct, the shimmer and strong lights look cool. I would prolly hang them over the tank rather than sitting them on legs.

I would prolly run the dual 24" fixtures so I dont run anything over the center brace.

How about the Current-USA model 1070 --- 24" MH with 4x 24" T5's .. Just a suggestion.. nothing else.

**eklikewhoa** · 03-12-2009, 10:44 PM

You been to ADG lately Jesper?

Mike's office tank is running "The Beast" TEK light and that thing is like a tanning bed!

I would still pick MH over T5 though.

**Zulaab** · 03-12-2009, 10:48 PM

No I have not been to ADG lately. I do need to go up there one of these days soon.
I agree MH are nice, but I dont know if I wanted to run MH for more than about 6-8 hours a day, and if I ever get into Geoff's apartment without his knowledge, I am going to install timers on all of this tanks... his fish get lights "when ever I come home and turn them on" and I am thinking wow, his fish must just never get used to a time on and off :)

**eklikewhoa** · 03-12-2009, 10:50 PM

It's not too bad...

I run mine for about 10-11hrs a day.

**geoff_tropheus** · 03-12-2009, 11:33 PM

man...2-24" almost same as the 72" fixture

**geoff_tropheus** · 03-12-2009, 11:37 PM

Right now I am leaning to the 72" 3-150W 14K SunPod's by Current.

But at the same time, I could buyh 2 of the 4-96 72" Powercompact Fixtures for the price of the one metal Halide unit.

450W of Metal Hailde will it or will it not produce more heat into the aquarium than 384W of powercompact? What about vs. 468W of T-5?

**ddaquaria** · 03-13-2009, 06:35 AM

Back at my old house I ran 2- MHs per tank (this is when I only had 3-120s). The room they were in was always warm (ie heat issue), and I really think I save more on the electric now with T5 versus MHs. As soon as money stops being funny, I'm upgrading my plant tanks to be 100% T5 (right now it is PC + T5)

If you could come to Austin, and see what I'm talking about, I think you would consider it more.

**schance** · 03-13-2009, 08:09 AM

homedepot, not lowes, has dual t5 fixtures if you were feeling industrious you could get different spectrum bulbs and make a canopy

**ddaquaria** · 03-13-2009, 08:17 AM

I saw T5 (normal output) at my HomeDepot - not T5HO - which is what I'm referencing.

**schance** · 03-13-2009, 09:04 AM

ya same

**Zulaab** · 03-13-2009, 10:56 AM

Yeah you want to have T5HO -- because they can push the better aquarium lights... I absolutely love my T5's... they rock hardcore.
Geoff, if you are travelling out towards my part of town any time soon, stop by and I will show you what the color difference etc are on my tank...
I think you would be impressed.

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