Too Much?

[CandyCane]

Hey guys so im doing a 20 gallon nano, standard tank, and wanted to know if this was to much light. Im planning on suspending it but im not sure. I want to keep a hammer and a torch with a GBTA and a maroon clown. I may in future want a few other SPS or LPS corals but I cant see myself getting any hard corals for this tank.

this is the light its a 150w HQI with two t5 actinics for a total of 174w
http://cgi.ebay.ca/18-Metal-Halide-Aquarium-Light-Hood-Nano-Saltwater-150-/290563177387?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43a6ea3bab

Thanks:lol:

[lorenz0]

Sump or no sump?

I put my HQI 150MH over my 20H and in one day it raised 9 degree's to 89... took it off and replaced it with a 4 bulb t5 fixture and it only raises 2 degree's. look into 4 bulb t5 fixtures, you can get a fish need it for $80 before shipping and you can keep what ever your heart desires

[CandyCane]

There will be a sump under the tank. It heats the tank even with the cooling fan? So basically if I got the one I was looking at for sure hang it to disperse heat

[lorenz0]

I ran the same light on the 25gal cube with a sump and only had a 3 degree increase, if you have a fan that will for sure help. Water volume for sure played a part

[RuGlu6]

Keep it higher and have a fan bloving across the water serfice, it will cool by evaporation, or have air flow across lamp this will also help.

[CandyCane]

Okay so if you ignore the heat factor is the light amount okay for the corals?

[lorenz0]

lighting wasn't my issue. was able to keep milli as a test subject and it did well

[CandyCane]

I have no idea what you mean by "milli"?

[ScubaSteve]

Milli as in Acropora Millipora

I used a Coralife 150W MH with 2x65W actinics on it over a 20G with no sump for nearly a year without issue. As long as you slowly acclimate your livestock to that light level you should be fine. I never used a fan for cooling but it was near a window, so that probably helped.

BlazingArrow here on CanReef is now using this exact same equipment to keep basically the same you are wanting to keep. In there he has 2 candycanes, 2 hammers, a torch, a good number of SPS (which are doing well), an RBTA with two clowns, a wrasse, a goby and a shrimp... no sump. The only heat issue he ever had was when his stealth heater flipped out on him and dropped to cold then to super hot in a day. PM him for a discussion and some pics of his tank.

[blacknife]

I have a 250 over my 20g side tank. nobody complained being in there.

[CandyCane]

Milli as in Acropora Millipora

I used a Coralife 150W MH with 2x65W actinics on it over a 20G with no sump for nearly a year without issue. As long as you slowly acclimate your livestock to that light level you should be fine. I never used a fan for cooling but it was near a window, so that probably helped.

BlazingArrow here on CanReef is now using this exact same equipment to keep basically the same you are wanting to keep. In there he has 2 candycanes, 2 hammers, a torch, a good number of SPS (which are doing well), an RBTA with two clowns, a wrasse, a goby and a shrimp... no sump. The only heat issue he ever had was when his stealth heater flipped out on him and dropped to cold then to super hot in a day. PM him for a discussion and some pics of his tank.

with no sump what did he use for filtration?

[paddyob]

The only concern I see is evaporation. My 20 was losing 2 liters a day with only a double PC light. Halides will definitely keep you topping up a lot. Adding a fan will help cool the tank but it also aids the evaporation process.


Go T5. Cooler. Less power to run them. Less evaporation.



Good luck.

[mike31154]

I'd be looking at LED technology these days, especially for a Nano system.

[ScubaSteve]

with no sump what did he use for filtration?

Aquaclear 30 HOB filter. I still use this on my 40G until I can get my sump set-up.

[Doug]

I'd be looking at LED technology these days, especially for a Nano system.

Yup. Just downsizing back to a 20g. Its lit with a SWC Extreme Cree LED fixture.
Of course verdict is still out on its performance in my sps nano. :smile:

[FishyFishy!]

I used that exact fixture only 2" above my 10G nano, with a 14K phoenix bulb, and a modded AC110 fuge filter and everything was growing amazing. Check out by build thread http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=71793

[CandyCane]

LED's would be great but they're still very hard to come by in alberta. However I think T5's would work for my set up so thanks for the info everyone I'll be going with 4 T5's