MH for a 10g reef

[tim000]

I have a 175w HM left over from my old reef. im still in college so money is really tight. I was wondering if it would be OK to put that MH onto the 10g. maybe if I built a really hight canopy like 15 inches up???
would this work for the time being?

I set it up 6" off the water and the temp was 78 degees so I dont think it will get to hot, but if so maybe I can set up a little radio shack fan to cool the light.

please let me know what you all think, or any suggestions. remember money is very very tight and I want to raise some SPS's like I did before.

thanks,
Jeff

 

[tim000]

would this work?

any suggestions?

thanks,
Jeff

 

[Anonymous]

My thoughts on possible issues:

-Even with the light set high and a fan (IMO you'd need a couple fans), you're going to have a great deal of evap out of a 10 gallon. Probably enough evaporation to make the water quality pretty unstable.

-I know, I know...more light is better. But a 175 over a 10 gal I think would really be pushing it. Sure you'd be in the lighting range to keep sps and clams, but the constantly fluctuating water parameters would rule out such finicky organisms.


But then again, playing devil's advocate with myself, every time someone says it can't be done, somebody goes out and does it. If you've already got the stuff laying around, why not? Just be ready for problems and plans to deal with them.

 

[johns120]

I think it would work fine. There are many people that use mh over nano tanks at www.nano-reef.com Check the threads.

 

[ChrisIsBored]

I'd say go a step bigger and get a 20 or 30G rather than the 10. I've kept a 10G with 175W MH and wound up going back to my 96W's of PC lighting. It was just too much over such a small tank imo.... to much evaporation too. :?

 

[tim000]

what if I set up a dripping top off system? would that work?
thanks for all the replies so far!

BTW- I already have a 10g tank

 

[beerbaron]

i have never used MH lighting, but i do know that the tanks esp. a 20 or 30 are very cheap. And im a college student too. Hold off on the beer(or whatever your intoxicant of choice is :wink for a night or two. save up. you'll be glad you did.
even with a h2o topoff your still introducing your inhabitants to new water chemistry often. especially w/o a ro. but imo i think you could definatly pull it off. what type of inhabitants do you forsee?

good luck
beerbaron

 

[tim000]

maybe I will go up to a 20g, but see I already have the 10g up and running.......and I do use RO water

 

[goldenboy]

what if I set up a dripping top off system? would that work?
thanks for all the replies so far!

BTW- I already have a 10g tank

When my 5 gal nano was up and running (it got taken over by majano anemones so I tore it down) I used a 2 liter soda bottle and airline tubing with a loose knot in it for top off. It dripped about once every two seconds and everything was just fine.
I was using two dual fixture coral life mini-might fixtures for lighting.

 

[beerbaron]

... but see I already have the 10g up and running.......and I do use RO water

then go for it. if you run into problems than just change the setup. you already have the lights anyways so its not like your wasting any $
BB

 

[Robf]

Go for it. Lunchbucket had a 400w MH over a 10 while he was waiting for his 20gal. www.lunchbucket.org

It's not uncommon. If you need more space, get a 20gal down the road. As long as you take your time to acclimate and select the proper specimens, you can have a thriving nanoreef in a 10gal tank with a 175w MH.

jm$.02

E.

 

[shalegac]

jeff if you get your corals thriving I want some frags. when will you be back, we'll get some stuff for your tank. shaun

 

[shalegac]

bty... I still think we should get some of your old stuff back.

 

[tim000]

hey shaun, actally i'm coming home friday evening, so maybe me and you ca take a drive down to the tropoquarium (spelling) :roll: its a really cool place ive told u about it before. i just bought a 15g high so it seems like enough for now. why dont u ever sign on AOL do it tonight I will be here nursing my new tank got to go. call me if u want !

JEFF

 

[Bubafat]

Worked fine on my 15H when I had it up 4 years ago. You just have to make sure to topoff every day or get an auto topoff.
Buba