Current MH Fixture from 150W to 250W

[Mario]

Hello,
I bought a 24" length 250W 14K Current Metal Halide SunPod to replace the 24" length 150W 14K Sunpod Current MH fixture I had, just to increase light intensity for the 8 clams, LPS, softies I have.

The issue is that even though the 250W has a remote ballast (as opposed to the 150W), the lamp gives of a tremendous amount of heat and raised the temperature of the tank to 89 degrees!!!

I have the house at 76 degrees F in the summer. I quickly went back to the 150W fixture and all is well (well temp at 84 degrees at least).

Question is: What do folks do besides a chiller? I only have a 26 gallon tank as shown below. (not a great shot however)

I had the fixture rest on the tank as opposed to using the gizmos they give you to raise the fixture.

Mario

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Use the legs. Do you have a controller? If not you could get one to help regulate your temp by turning the lights off if they get too hot, also you could hook a fan or a chiller up as well to keep the surface of the water cool.

Without using the legs you are creating the risk of the light falling into the tank and causing a bigger problem. Furthermore you should keep in mind the jump in light intensity is going to require your tank be reacclimated to the lighting. This will include shortening your light period for a few weeks and slowly making it longer each week untill you have reached the desired light cycle. You should have light difuser and screen in sheets covering the tank and remove a screen sheet every week as well.

Do a search on "Light Acclimation of Corals" Something should pop up.

 

[autoponicz]

chief is right
.....250 on that small of a tank will bring alot of heat...

raise your MH to at least 6" off the surface of the water to lower the heat......lps and softies will bleach out with no light acclimation with the fixture sitting right on top of the tank like that...

i would have just stayed with the 150w and move the clams near the top of the rockwork.
good luck...

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

If there is any question about my experience on this topic as well I had 150 DE MH sunpod and upgraded to a 250 DE MH sunpod on my 24g aquapod.

 

[Mario]

Use the legs. Do you have a controller? If not you could get one to help regulate your temp by turning the lights off if they get too hot, also you could hook a fan or a chiller up as well to keep the surface of the water cool.

Without using the legs you are creating the risk of the light falling into the tank and causing a bigger problem. Furthermore you should keep in mind the jump in light intensity is going to require your tank be reacclimated to the lighting. This will include shortening your light period for a few weeks and slowly making it longer each week untill you have reached the desired light cycle. You should have light difuser and screen in sheets covering the tank and remove a screen sheet every week as well.

Do a search on "Light Acclimation of Corals" Something should pop up.

Thanks for the follow up. I appreciate your suggestions.
As far as feedback for the 250W versus the 150W, I prefer the 150W and another reefer said, 150W is adequate.

The 250W is cumbersome with a thick wire for the ballast as well as a thick wire for the fan in the fixture....the light gets extremely hot compared to the 150W which would make sense

Thanks

Mario


The clam have grown. (I wasnt aware that crocea grew that big, but they do).

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Just make sure that no matter which light you use please use the legs.