help with lighting

[drudown66]

so this is my first attempt doing mh with vho's. and the mh seem to be fine but i was wondering other people with set ups like this what it looks like. its seems like my vho's are pointless and add no light to the tank at all. i have a reflector that i am trying to rig in there somehow to see if that helps, but i was wondering if the vho's are up to high and has no chance with the mh below them or what?? my t5 setup was alot easier to handle lol. thanks for any help

 

[fishoutofwater]

On my 210 reef I am running 3x250 w HQI's and 4 x 4ft T-5's. I have them all on timers and they all overlap I. Time. I start with 2 t-5 on for 1 hr then 1 mh fires thn 1 hr later 2 mh fire then after 5 hrs the t5 turns off then 1 mh turns off the 2 t-5's turn on then 2 mh turn off the. Last the t-5 turns off. Total light time for all lights are 12 hrs but not all are on the whole time kinda of confusing but it works. Hope this helps

 

[drudown66]

i run the vhos and mh on timers but i was wondering if the placement of my vho's are to high?? i feel like its getting over taken by the mh is that makes sense lol. on your setup are the mh higher than your t-5's or are they kinda on the same lvl as far as placement goes?? thanks for the help. and if anyone has pics of their setups in there canopies id love to see it. very curious how other ppl have theres setup

 

[thatguy559]

you dont need a reflector with vho lighting i thought they have an internal reflector? might want to check to see if they are pointing in the right the direction.....also why does you Mh look like its pointing down or is tha the camera angle? is there a reflector for that as well.

 

[trido]

Ive always had my VHO bulbs closer to the water than the MH. The MH do wash out the the VHO's but if your VHO's are pure actinic they will make a small difference making the corals floresce more. If you dont think they make enough difference, then program them to shut off during the MH hours. Use can use them for a dusk and dawn effect, get 12 hours of daylight in your tank for your pleasure without the cost of running your MH for 12 hours a day.
Its all up to the look you like.

 

[drudown66]

ok ya the vho's do have the internal reflectors and i just bought this tank so the way he had the mh i kinda have to fix i a lil lol. thats why i figured id ask if i need to move the placment around a little before if fix it up.

 

[drudown66]

oh ya thats a very good ideal. the dusk/dawn thing might be the way to go. i think i might try to move them down and seem if it makes any diff.

 

[tat2z_21]

If you lived closer I would come over and help you out. I would find some way of securing that halide a little better though. I wouldn't want to give it the chance to go swimming when it is live and hot. Could cause bad things to happen.

 

[drudown66]

If you lived closer I would come over and help you out. I would find some way of securing that halide a little better though. I wouldn't want to give it the chance to go swimming when it is live and hot. Could cause bad things to happen.

wished you lived closer too lol but thanks, me and my buddy are going to work on it this weekend and get it all done. i think im going to move my vho's down a lil and get everything in there good and secure. thanks for all the help guys