Halide vs PC for anemone tank

K

Kat

I'm going to be switching my 29 gallon for a 30 gallon (36"L x 14"H x 12"D). The 29 gallon currently has a 130 wt PC fixture. I have not found a used 36" 192 wt PC fixture in the right price range yet, so I started to look at new fixtures. I know Jebo/Odyssea is not the best brand, but for the same price as a new Coralife 2x96 wt PC fixture, I can get a Jebo/Odyssea metal halide fixture, either the 150 MH 20000K bulb or 175 MH with 2x65 wt actinics. The 30 gallon will be the tank that I'll be keeping my bubble tip anemones, a plate coral, an open brain coral, & a modern coral. Will this be too much light? Will the 20000K bulb be too blue? Will this fixture heat the tank up too much?
http://www.aquatraders.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=24

Thanks.
 
It won't be too much light. I run a 175W MH single ended over my 29G and everything is fine. In fact it will be better lighting for the anemone than the PC fixture. Now as to the quality I've heard it can be hit or miss but have no personal experience. I think those light units are enclosed and have fans. Most likely they will still add some heat though. If they are enclosed in a hood it will be more noticeable.
 
I'm of the opinion that it's technically impossible for us to recreate the true light of a tropical day. Just make sure you give the animals in the tank time to slowly acclimate to the new lighting, and they should be fine... (I.E. Run the new lights just an hour or so the first day, and slowly ramp it up over several days or weeks...)

Of course, this is coming from the nut-job that used to have 2 175W MH's and 2 55w PC's over his 29 gallon tank back in the day... :)
 
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