Metal Halides regret?

[tetra]

Anyone upgrade to MH and regreted it?
Will 2x55watt pc 7100k cause 2x175watts MH to lose the shimmering effect?

 

[phoenix1]

I have not regretted the addition of MH to my PCs should have done it months ago. The shimmering effect will just about be non existent

 

[Anonymous]

I don't think the pcs will cut down the shimmer from the halides. The shimmer effect is frequently more a product of water movement- so you can direct a powerhead to disturb the water surface to get more shimmer.

 

[RyanH]

I have 2 x 175W Hamilton 10K with 2 x 55W PC actinics on my 90g. I get the glitter lines and the color is very good.

HTH

Ryan

 

[tetra]

cool, thanx for all the responses.....

for 2x175 MH, it 8inches off the water surface good enough?

 

[whirley]

NO regrets!!!! MH RULES !!!

whirley

 

[Vinman]

I have the Hamilton 175W 10K and 55W 7100K combo and the shimmering effect is still there. My lights are about 10 inches off the surface! Go for it. What's your depth?

 

[Mike&Pam]

I have 2x96watts pc's on my 90 gal reef. Is that enough lighting to raise any kind of coral? I was considering upgrading to metal halides, but I've only had my tank running for 7 months. Therefore, it wasn't too long ago that I bought the pc's. If I were to upgrade, would I just add the mh's to the pc's and have both running or would the mh's replace the pc's?

 

[AnotherGoldenTeapot]

I regret not having MH right from the start

 

[toptank]

I regret spending SO MUCH money on PC, VHO and MH and not counting the bulbs I have tried. Now I think I found the right lights for my application.

Barry

 

[Anonymous]

hi.
The PCs are too weak to wash out the caustic of the MH. So don't worry.

 

[Nathan1]

Shimering effect is caused by a "point light source" not by intensity and not solely by water movement. You need both water movement AND a point light source to get the shimer.

MH light is strictly a point source, so if you have ripples on the surface, you will have shimer. PC is a long "bar" of light, so if you have ripples you still won't get much of a shimer compared to MH.

I LOVE my MH. I wouldn't do a reef without them. Flourescent lights are great for supplemental lighting like actinic, but for the sheer beauty and life-likeness of MH, they are the way to go.

-Nathan

 

[esmithiii]

I regretted mine up until the point I actually moved my corals from the 55 to the 180 with the halides. Now my corals have never looked better.

E