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which way should I go?

1480 Views 7 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  Reefer Addict
OK, I'm building a new canopy for my 20H this weekend. My ultimate goal for this tank is SPS. Now for the dilema, if you'll call it that.
My current hood has 123 wt PC. I want to upgrade to MH and I've got a 1x250 6500K setup and a 2x150wt 10000K just lying around the house.
Heat has been an issue. I plan on using my Ice Probe and a couple of 4" fans in the hood.
What do you think I should put in the new hood? The 250 with a 13wt 03 pc? The 150's with some 03? I can always use the 55wt pc for 03.
Thanks in advance for the advice.
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250w on a 20H? :eek:
You may need more than an ice probe to cool that baby down. :D

If it were my choice, I'd go with the 250w and the 55w 03 PC... it'll take some of the yellow out of the halide.

Heck, why not just put 'everything' in it... :D
Well, that will cut down on some of the heat transferred to the water from the air, but halides also give off 'radiant' heat which will heat the water without needing the air to do the transfer (think 'heat lamp').
It's that heat that you need to worry about.

Theoretically, the 2 4" fans if configured in a push-pull configuration (one blowing in, one blowing out) should provide more than adequate air cooling for the bulbs... it's just that darn radiation you have to contend with.

I have 80cfm of air running through my canopy on my 55g and my 250w halide still brings the tank up about a half-degree per hour... I can't imagine what the same lamp will do to a 20... I also have a 10 gallon sump that's about 2/3 full so I'm more in the range of 60 gallons of water... you'll be at about 1/3 of that amount.

HTH
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