Setup of MH Lighting

[common_clownfish]

Hi all,

I need an advice on lighting I really hope I don't sound confusing here because I am not very good at words...

I have inherited a 4ft x 2ft x 2ft tank which I intend to use for marine. My intention is just to keep a few clownfishes and 1-2 anemones to host them.

As such, after considering the heat production, power consumption, etc reasons, I think I will go for just 1 MH bulb and 2 blue tubes. My questions are :

1) Lets say if I want to use the blue tubes to simulate sunrise and sunset for just 1 hour before my MH is on, and 1 hour after my MH is off. Is it still possible to host them in the same lighting set? Or should it be separated?

2a) If together, then how can a timer help me to control the auto-on of the MH bulb only 1 hour after my blue tube is on after an hour (sunrise).

2b) If separate, then how should I house them because logically the MH bulb will be hanging above the blue-tube set (which will be 4ft length), wont the set be blocking the MH light beams?

3) How high above the water surface should the MH bulb be placed?

4) If the lighting only need to support my anemones, what should be the duration that I have it turned on?

5) Based on the anwer for 4, what will be the power consumption roughly be? Will it cost alot more on the electric bill?

[ryz]

you have to seperate the power plugs to the MH and the Blue actinic tube used to simulate dusk/dawn and use seperate timers for them. MH placed at 8 inch from water would be good.. urs is a 4 footer so u need two MH to cover the whole tank. U can probably turn on the lights for 8 to 12 hours according to your preference.

Lets say u go for the minimal,

2 x 150W MH on for 8 hours

thats 300W x 8hrs x 31days /1000W=74.4kWh per month

the current rate for electricity per kWh is $0.1653

so every month the MH alone will cost

74.4kWh x $0.1653 = $12.30

[common_clownfish]

Thanks so much!

The information is so valuable to me.

However, I don't intend to have the MH to provide coverage for the whole tank, one side will do since I only keeping 1-2 anemones at that side

A couple of questions more

1) Is the heat production of 1 MH bulb very high? If yes, parents sure complain of heat in the room...

2) What is the specification of MH that I should look for? eg 100/175/250/400 wattage, etc?

3) Based on Question 2, what is the rough cost? Oh, I think I will go for electronic ballast?

[strat]

Since you are not keeping any light intensive corals, you can go for T5s.

Also T5 does not heat up the water as fast.

[common_clownfish]

True I have thought of that too...but I want that water ripple appearance on my sand and rocks. Just asked from another thread that only MH bulb can do so.

[common_clownfish]

Repeating my questions, and adding on another.

1) Is the heat production of 1 MH bulb very high? If yes, parents sure complain of heat in the room...

2) What is the specification of MH that I should look for? eg 100/175/250/400 wattage, etc?

3) Based on Question 2, what is the rough cost? Oh, I think I will go for electronic ballast?

4) Anyone can recommend someone who can customise make MH and blue tube lighting?