# 150w MH for a 29?



## TarantulaGuy (Apr 15, 2009)

So I had been planning on probably going fluorescent with t5's, but my local aquarium store has a 150w MH, setup and hanging kit, for about 250$. Would this be overkill for my tank? I don't want to skimp on anything, but after browsing through the lighting forum for a while, the only thing I worry about is would a MH give me adequate coverage to all corners of the tank? I know a 29 isn't real big, but I just wanted to ask what you folks thought.

Edit: That, and I really dig the shimmery look that you get from MH's. But then again, after reading the How Much Light is too Much Light thread, I'm beginning to rethink this 150w business.


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## bigstick120 (Mar 8, 2005)

Thats a lot of light, plus you wont get very good coverage. The corners will probably be pretty dark. T-5s or PCs will work fine on the 29.


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## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

i've ran a 400 over a 10 gallon.

I think you will be fine, but it really depends on the reflector/ bulb combo.


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## TarantulaGuy (Apr 15, 2009)

Noted. I'll browse around, I really want to avoid ordering lights online, shipping to Alaska is a nightmare. Maybe use the Coralife aqualights I've got at PetCo instead of a MH.


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## bigstick120 (Mar 8, 2005)

TAB said:


> i've ran a 400 over a 10 gallon.
> 
> I think you will be fine, but it really depends on the reflector/ bulb combo.


Why!?!?


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## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

why not?

I also had a 1000 watter over a 36x36x24 tank... 


<<<<<<< loves halides


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## TarantulaGuy (Apr 15, 2009)

TAB said:


> why not?
> 
> I also had a 1000 watter over a 36x36x24 tank...
> 
> <<<<<<< loves halides


Lol! Yeah....it does sound that way. Goodness, so whats it like having a mini nuclear reactor over your fish tank?


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## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

I had SPS growth like you would not beleave. I was also losing ~ 2 gallons a day to evap. my ATO ran basicly non stop.


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## Vadimshevchuk (Jul 5, 2009)

if you were gonna get the metal halide i would upgrade to a 37 gallon gallon. same length as a 29 but the light wont be as bright because its taller.


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## TarantulaGuy (Apr 15, 2009)

Ok, so I have a dilemma. My lovely place of employment does not carry the fixture that I need to fit my tank. We only have the coralife 30" aqualight in the single tube 65W variety, and not the 130W variety that I want/need. So, my question is that which is going to work better with a decent pressurized C02 system, 2 65W CF fixtures, or one 150W metal halide? Is their a noticeable difference in outputs between 2 65W fixtures and one double strip 130W fixture? Or is it mostly the same, just I would have another fixture above my tank?


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## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

its going to depend on the reflector.


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## TarantulaGuy (Apr 15, 2009)

Also true. Sigh. At this point I'm ordering online. I really wanted to avoid it because shipping anything up here is expensive and things have a habit of breaking, but I need more options than what I'm currently working with. Right now I'm looking at 2 different fixtures, has anyone used either of these?

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18486
http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/prod/209657/i/7/product.web


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

I would agree with Bigstick that either the CF or T5 lights would be fine for a 29g. In addition to what Bigstick said the 150MH would be difficult to use at startup since it's only one bulb and because of it's intensity you would be more likely to have algae issues. I would probably go with the T5 over the CF since they penerate better in deeper tanks. I think either light would work, but the T5 would give you the ability to have better reds, but that's about it. The CFs are less intensive and would be easier to control the tank. With either light go with one that has separates switches for each bulb.


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## TarantulaGuy (Apr 15, 2009)

Thank you all so much for your input, I can't express my thanks! Winters up here get very long, and it'll be nice to have a lush, vibrant green, growing tank to look at in my apt. Help keep away the demons, so to speak lol. After reading through some more threads, I think I'm going with the Sundial t5ho fixture, and I'll be replacing the 2 460nm actinic bulbs with 2 of these as I was reading the pinkish bulbs tend to bring out the reds in certain species of plants. Again, thank you all very much for helping a n00bie out!


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