MH DIY setup, which way???

prow · 02-12-2008, 07:32 PM

hey everyone. i am hooking up my lights on my new system. this will be going on a 180gal 72x24x24 inside a canopy. i am going with 250w MH with VHO sups.
i am not sure which way i want i want go with the MH bulbs and reflectors. should i run the bulbs side to side along the VHO's or go front to back. what do you think, in the pic go with the left(side to side) or right(front to back)??

sasquatch · 02-12-2008, 07:40 PM

right side for spread, left side for less intense crossover

mps9506 · 02-12-2008, 07:44 PM

Perpendicular to the front of your tank.

prow · 02-12-2008, 07:45 PM

crossover, huh?? you mean blending with the vho's? i do plan on having the vho's lower about 2" of the water, they are just set there for now.

prow · 02-12-2008, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mps9506

Perpendicular to the front of your tank.

so you like the one on the right in the pic then?

reefman420 · 02-12-2008, 07:48 PM

well i just hooked up my diy halides over my new 155 bow,i put the middle one just like u did,and the two outsides at angels to accent the bow

sasquatch · 02-12-2008, 07:49 PM

Ive got an xm10k and a xm20k pointed at each other by tipping the nose of the bubs up its a very even spread, no blue or white areas

mps9506 · 02-12-2008, 08:08 PM

If you are interested in orienting your bulbs to maximize PAR take a looksie:
Advanced Aquarist Feature Article
I believe your reflector would fall under the spiderlight category.

Looking at that plot, I don't think it would make a huge difference which way you orient the bulbs if you are lighting a 24x24 sq. area with it. At 12 inches deep there is more par spread out along the 6" mark of both sides of the X axis of the bulb. So depending on where you are placing corals you might want to take the into consideration.

cracker · 02-12-2008, 08:18 PM

Consider orienting the reflectors for maximum air movement as well.

prow · 02-12-2008, 09:24 PM

nice link. interesting read.

no worries on air flow, have many fans

revhard05 · 03-11-2008, 10:47 PM

are you useing a diy ballast?

prow · 03-12-2008, 06:39 AM

yup, DIY makes up most everything with my tank setups

update; lights all hooked up. i stuck with spiders, for now, and have them set up parallel to front of tank, like the one in the pic on teh left. i could only mount them so the bulbs are right at 6" above the water. based on link mike gave, teh spider reflectors act like a PFO parallel reflectors at 9" under the bulb. i know PFO parallel reflectors produce way more PAR but because i am limited to the bulbs only being 6" off the water surface i think they will be to intense, even though this is going to be a clam dominated tank with some sps. i will be placing my corals and building my rock work based on the distribution of the reflector (as in the link above shows). if needed i fiq it will be a smooth upgrade to PFO parallel reflectors as they have a similar distribution of light at the depths i will be work with, so it would be just a intensity increase. kinda have to think about this, can not just raise or lower the lights.

fyi; i am using a ARO ballast, a mid grade ballast, very upgradable. would rather upgrade than down grade on this. i just love my stand and canopy too much to alter it or go open top, its a custom built American black walnut, burl veneer, wood. so i need to leave easy upgrades. most likely, if needed, will start with a upgrade on the ballast.

02-12-2008, 07:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
sasquatch Brunt of all Jokes~ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: the very farthest west coast of canada Posts: 8,917 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: MH DIY setup, which way??? right side for spread, left side for less intense crossover

02-12-2008, 07:44 PM	#3 (permalink)
mps9506 They misunderestimated me Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 7,143 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: MH DIY setup, which way??? Perpendicular to the front of your tank. __________________ Mike "The Bandwith Bandit" Help Build Reefpedia Premium Membership Available! Support Reef Sanctuary Sponsors

02-12-2008, 07:45 PM	#4 (permalink)
prow Manta Ray Join Date: May 2005 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 3,854 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: MH DIY setup, which way??? crossover, huh?? you mean blending with the vho's? i do plan on having the vho's lower about 2" of the water, they are just set there for now. __________________ "He who sees things grow from their beginnings shall have the finest view of them" ........Aristotle........ "The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad." - Salvador Dali my chronicle........ http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...al-system.html

02-12-2008, 07:48 PM	#6 (permalink)
reefman420 Elegance coral Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: minneapolis Posts: 1,085 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: MH DIY setup, which way??? well i just hooked up my diy halides over my new 155 bow,i put the middle one just like u did,and the two outsides at angels to accent the bow __________________ 155 oceanic bow front,20 long refuge packed with caluerpa and mangroves,40 gallon sump,175lbs LR,3x250 watt xm 10ks,aqua-c remora,and pro-clear 150 skimmers sailfin tang,kole tang,royal gramma,cinnimon clown,2xpink skunk clowns,six line wrasse,mandarin, 155 bow coral-orange montipora cap,superman monti cap,scripps green polyped staghorn,ORA pink poccilipora,ORA blue millipora,green slimer,yellow UK acro,pink birdsnest,armor of god zoas,various zoas and shrooms,hammer,frogspawn,clove polyps,favite,fancey toadstool,reg toadstool,yellow leather,purple leather,devils hand,2 types xenia,ricordea florida,ricordea yuma,kenya tree,galaxia,bubble coral,button polyps inverts are lots of snails and hermits,crocea clam,maxima clam and seabae anemone,rbta

02-12-2008, 07:49 PM	#7 (permalink)
sasquatch Brunt of all Jokes~ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: the very farthest west coast of canada Posts: 8,917 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: MH DIY setup, which way??? Ive got an xm10k and a xm20k pointed at each other by tipping the nose of the bubs up its a very even spread, no blue or white areas

02-12-2008, 08:08 PM	#8 (permalink)
mps9506 They misunderestimated me Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 7,143 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: MH DIY setup, which way??? If you are interested in orienting your bulbs to maximize PAR take a looksie: Advanced Aquarist Feature Article I believe your reflector would fall under the spiderlight category. Looking at that plot, I don't think it would make a huge difference which way you orient the bulbs if you are lighting a 24x24 sq. area with it. At 12 inches deep there is more par spread out along the 6" mark of both sides of the X axis of the bulb. So depending on where you are placing corals you might want to take the into consideration. __________________ Mike "The Bandwith Bandit" Help Build Reefpedia Premium Membership Available! Support Reef Sanctuary Sponsors

02-12-2008, 08:18 PM	#9 (permalink)
cracker Acropora Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: North East Florida Posts: 1,717 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: MH DIY setup, which way??? Consider orienting the reflectors for maximum air movement as well.

02-12-2008, 09:24 PM	#10 (permalink)
prow Manta Ray Join Date: May 2005 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 3,854 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: MH DIY setup, which way??? nice link. interesting read. no worries on air flow, have many fans __________________ "He who sees things grow from their beginnings shall have the finest view of them" ........Aristotle........ "The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad." - Salvador Dali my chronicle........ http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...al-system.html

03-11-2008, 10:47 PM	#11 (permalink)
revhard05 Midas Blenny Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: chattanooga tn Posts: 106 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: MH DIY setup, which way??? are you useing a diy ballast?

03-12-2008, 06:39 AM	#12 (permalink)
prow Manta Ray Join Date: May 2005 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 3,854 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: MH DIY setup, which way??? yup, DIY makes up most everything with my tank setups update; lights all hooked up. i stuck with spiders, for now, and have them set up parallel to front of tank, like the one in the pic on teh left. i could only mount them so the bulbs are right at 6" above the water. based on link mike gave, teh spider reflectors act like a PFO parallel reflectors at 9" under the bulb. i know PFO parallel reflectors produce way more PAR but because i am limited to the bulbs only being 6" off the water surface i think they will be to intense, even though this is going to be a clam dominated tank with some sps. i will be placing my corals and building my rock work based on the distribution of the reflector (as in the link above shows). if needed i fiq it will be a smooth upgrade to PFO parallel reflectors as they have a similar distribution of light at the depths i will be work with, so it would be just a intensity increase. kinda have to think about this, can not just raise or lower the lights. fyi; i am using a ARO ballast, a mid grade ballast, very upgradable. would rather upgrade than down grade on this. i just love my stand and canopy too much to alter it or go open top, its a custom built American black walnut, burl veneer, wood. so i need to leave easy upgrades. most likely, if needed, will start with a upgrade on the ballast. __________________ "He who sees things grow from their beginnings shall have the finest view of them" ........Aristotle........ "The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad." - Salvador Dali my chronicle........ http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...al-system.html

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