2 400 Mh too much

[gmpolan]

I was presented with a good deal and i wanted to see if two 400 mh's over a 5 x 2 x tank would be too much. And also how high would i have to mount them. Lumenmax Reflectors, 22in x 22in..... Thanks, Geoff

 

[brianjfinn]

It would definitely be a lot, but if you mounted them a foot off the tank, you ought to be OK. You'll be dealing with a lot of top off and temp issues, though. You'd probably need to invest in a chiller, I'd think.

 

[pufferchris]

Never to much light lol I run a 250 watt on my 30 gallon

 

[smoothie]

If the 2' is the depth then go for it. Raised to the right height with the right reflectors you will be golden

 

[slayer]

that will be fine. the rule of thumb is that one single mh bulb will cover a 2 by 2 foot area. The higher you raise the reflectors the higher the actual par as the dispersement of light is greater over the entire tank. (to a certain point) So you can effectively raise the reflector height, gain par and not sacrifice heat and increased top off. Lee actually wrote up an article on this on rc a while back.

 

[grouper therapy]

I run 3 400 watts over driven by hqi ballast over a 5'x2' with no problems. The bulbs are about 12" off the water.

 

[gmpolan]

Thanks guys and i actually think im going to purchase them...

 

[ralph atl]

good idea.