MH dilemma

[shoelevy]

hi guys

i'm thinking of getting a mh lamp but as u guys know...its very ex so i need lots of advice before getting them.

i hope those old birds can throw in their 2 cents worth.

can throw in anything regarding how to mount it...perhaps the issue of UV production, weight, brand, problem with heat etc etc.

thanks

i'm attaching a pic of my tank and how implausibly high my ceiling is to better assist the advisors.

just in case anyone needs the info, my tank is 4 by 1.5 by 1.5ft thickness of 6mm(i figured such a short tank no need 8mm...haha)

thanks

[shoelevy]

just to show how high and impractical it is to hang

[shoelevy]

woops

sorry pic didn't load properly

[jesperlam]

ur pic very big leh...resize

[blueheaven]

Get those with stands then

[neokn]

Love the scaping of your tank. Simple and ample space for the fish to swim.

Your tank 6'?

[typrobin]

for a 4ft tank, i think the simplest is at least 2 X 150W....dun have to hang it on the ceiling, just get a simple DIY stand kind...Dr Evil can help u with it...

IMO, since your tank is only 6mm thick, i dun think u should have too much LRs, very dangerous....

if u are thinkin of getting MH, get those with external ballast, dun think u wanna stress your tank as it is only 6mm...

another thing i noticed, u are using cannister...better if u have a sump, better filtration system...

i wonder wat kind of corals do u intend to keep, LPS SPS or just softy?? if u are thinkin of softies, y not just T5??u can even keep LPS with t5...it won't generate as much heat as MH...

doesn't seem like u have a chiller, so better option would be t5...

oh yah, upgrade your skimmer too...

read up more on the husbandry of keeping corals, it should help...

[shoelevy]

sorry for the size of the tank guys....i don't know how to resize....

hehe...thanks for the comment...my tank is 4ft...thought i typed above?

regarding those with stands...can my tank thickness withstand the weight?

[strat]

6mm tank for 4 footer??

A bit dangereous IMHO.

Better to hang if you are getting MH so that it''ll not add stress to your tank.

[typrobin]

the MH itself is not heavy...but the ballast are...each weighs about 3-5kg i think...

get a tank hood as well, will help u block away the glare from the MH which can be very very irritating...

[Zero Oxygen]

sorry for the size of the tank guys....i don't know how to resize....

hehe...thanks for the comment...my tank is 4ft...thought i typed above?

regarding those with stands...can my tank thickness withstand the weight?

might be too heavy with the ballast..... ask dr evil to diy one for you with the ballast outside the mh...... it will help alot.......

as for the stand i am not sure if dr evil got do it as well.....

[shoelevy]

now i'm beginning to worry bout the thickness issue...

maybe i'll setup a new tank and let this old one be FOWLR set up so no need MH

u guys recommend wat size i should get for my new tankie?

metal stand or wooden cabinet?

[AlfaRomeo]

New Tank? Get the largest you can get. Less trouble with water parameters and more space for fishes to swim around..

You have a spare area where a large tank would be perfect? Ideally at leasts 6' length or that you can hang a 6' MH commercial set (thats the largest they make)

[neokn]

Same feeling as strat too. 6mm is too thin already, my tank 3.5' already 8mm liao.

[shoelevy]

the largest space i haf is 4 ft also

but i can afford 4 by 2 by 2ft

think the price of anything lrger will cost a BOMB

[shoelevy]

which one better?

wooden cabinet or metal stand?

[Zero Oxygen]

now i'm beginning to worry bout the thickness issue...

maybe i'll setup a new tank and let this old one be FOWLR set up so no need MH

u guys recommend wat size i should get for my new tankie?

metal stand or wooden cabinet?

hahaha the bigger the better......

you private house ah then go 8 - 10 ft lah hahahaha..........

i prefer metal stand.....but make sure stainless ..... ask AT.... he should be able to advise u on this

[shoelevy]

no la!

hdb la!

too big a tank also means all the equipment to support it will be ex lor~!!

can''t can't can't.....my mum will also explode along with my bank account.....i measure here and there best is still 4 by 2 by2...heh

[shoelevy]

who's AT?

hm....on the market got what they call galvanised....stainless or this one better?

[typrobin]

4 x 2 x 2 looks good....that's the size of my next upgrade... blast it with 2 X 250W...

if u are thinking of upgrading...do at least a month of research...look around and see wat other reefers are doing and see if u can handle the equiptment upgrades

1) skimmer

2) lights

3) temperature problem

4) wave makers

5) sand (not a big issue)

6) amount of LRs (big big issue)

7) other future equipts like CR, FR, watever...

[Zero Oxygen]

who's AT?

hm....on the market got what they call galvanised....stainless or this one better?

the so call galvanised.... i think is steel only..... please correct me if i am wrong.

for metal use only stainless steel coated with anti corrosion.

[neokn]

Achilles Tang (AT) is the forum Admin aka owner of this forum.

How about "L-shaped tank"? Looks cool and doesn't take up too much space. Say 3.5' by 1.5' with 2' depth and width?

[neokn]

Great offer here.

[shoelevy]

great offer but space constraint..............it'll block the walk way and my mum will cane me

haha

somemore i'm a shortie.......too tall a tank and my hand cannot go inside to do stuff

thanks for the info

[shoelevy]

how bout thickness to recommened?