Upgrading my lighting... need advice

[Icehockey_whino]

I have a 55g mixed coral tank with 4x96 watt PCs, 2x actinic and 2x 10000k. I want to upgrade to MHs: This is my plan so far:

2x 150 watt MH and keep two 96watt actinic PCs. I'll add on some moonlight LEDs.

The lights will be 12-14" from the water in a canopy with 70% of the back open and two fans blowing across the H2O surface. I really do not want to get a chiller if I don't have too. I was thinking of installing another fan pulling the hot air out on the top of the canopy.

Last question: When you buy the retro fit MHs online... Do they come with the ballast and everything you need to light them up. I would rather not have any surprises.

Let me know what you think?

whino

 

[Krish]

I've had 2 retro setups (both PFO's) and they came with everything you'd need to get them up and running. I got the ballast, bulbs, and reflector with quick disconnect plugs. As for the dual 150's for the 55 gal, is it a standard 55gal (48x13x20)? If so, I think you should be fine depending on what corals you have in your mixed reef and where they are situated in the tank. If you have high light demanding corals, I'd probably go for the dual 175's instead. Just my 2 cents...Good luck!

 

[Icehockey_whino]

Thanks for the reply krish, It is a standard 55g. I have zoos, mushrooms etc...
Here is a couple of pics taken about a month and a half ago. It should give you a round about idea what I have. I want to be able to add some montipora and acropora to the tank.

Do you think the three fans and the open back should keep the tank from overheating?

 

[carlos_fb]

I think you should also consider T5 lighting. I got my kit from reefgeek.com

 

[jezzeaepi]

Mh is a little over kill for what your keeping, but you will get better growth on your sps. If you do MH, make sure to acclimate them using the screen method, and possibly relocate some of your softies to the bottom(since your going to want to put your sps up top anyways).

Id defintly go with the exhaust fan. If the increase heat from the MH is going to be too much, I would consider doing t5's like carlos said. The t5 kit from reefgeek is a pretty good deal once you realise that they are including the bulbs(over 20 a piece) in their kit.

Personally, I have a mixed tank with some sps near the top and went with the t5's to avoid the need for a chiller.

 

[Krish]

Where fans are concerned, you'll probably have to mess with it some to see which locations work best. I ran dual 250w metal halides over my old 75gal and ended up running 5 fans (2 blowing across the surface of the water and 3 sucking out hot air) and still ended up buying a chiller In any event, this setup seemed to work the best for me personally and I was able to get my tank down to where I needed it. However, I wanted the added security incase something went wrong, I'd have the chiller there to take up the slack and in the end, I did end up really needing it. You may not though...I run a 70w HQI metal halide over my aquapod now and just one fan keeps it cool so no chiller. I think your idea on placement sounds like a great one and would give that a shot first