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70w or 150w metal halide for 60P

1K views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  LittlePinkDot 
#1 ·
Like the title says, im wondering which wattage bulb to get for a 60P high light planted tank. Thats 60cm length, 30cm width and 36cm high. I can choose between 70w metal halide or 150w metal halide. How much difference does it make? Would I just have to put the 150w higher? Or the 70w lower? Ect.
 
#4 ·
Yes to co2. The color temperature of the bulb it comes with is 5500. And lumens are something like 5700 for the 70w and i think 11000 lumens for the 150 watt. If I can grow rotala macrandra with 70watts then I would prefer that to save the power. The tank is only 17.6 gallons after all.
 
#7 ·
If my choices were limited to 70w or 150w MH, I'd go with the 150w mostly because there is a much wider selection of bulbs at that wattage. You might need to mount the light higher or otherwise block some of the light.

However, unless I already had the fixture I was planning on using, and I had some sort of requirement that needed MH lighting, I'd go with either T5 or LED lighting. Long term either of those would cost less to run, to the point of the savings being enough to pay for the T5 or LED lighting.
 
#9 ·
I was thinking about a kessil, but I read that it only has a 1 year warrenty and a review from someone who bought 2 said that 1 broke after a year and a half and the colours changed by itself.
This is the fixture im thinking about
http://shop.giesemann.de/epages/Gie...Giesemann-Aquaristik/Products/S_20.210.000a-1

Im currently using giesmann 2×24watt T5's in a cheap t5 fixture that only has a 1 year warranty. The selection of lights in Canada is pathetic, the selection of co2 systems here is even more pathetic.
The price for the 150watt and the 70watt is the same so im wondering if its just the difference of the bulb they give you but the fixture is the same and can hold either or. Meaning i can just get the 150 at a later time if i decide the 70 watt isnt enough. Although 70watts is already more than 3 watts per gallon.
 
#10 ·
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The price for the 150watt and the 70watt is the same so im wondering if its just the difference of the bulb they give you but the fixture is the same and can hold either or. Meaning i can just get the 150 at a later time if i decide the 70 watt isnt enough. Although 70watts is already more than 3 watts per gallon.
There are a few MH ballasts out there that can support different bulbs, but they are somewhat hard to find and few are used in commercial aquarium fixtures. Generally, if you want to change bulbs to a different wattage, you need to replace the ballast also.

The reason MHs have a similar price even though the bulbs are different wattages is that they all have a ballast and a bulb and maybe a capacitor. It takes about the same amount of work to make any of them, and there is only a marginal amount more material needed. If you shopped around, you could likely even fine a 250w MH fixture for not much more than the 150w one.

Yes, a 70w fixture should be more than enough. I just like the 150w fixture because there is a much wider bulb selection available for them. If you can find a 70w bulb with a color you like, by all means go for it.
 
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