Metal halides and heat issues

[gmerek2]

Do metal halides really cause as much heat problems as people claim? Who here runs metal halides with a chiller and who runs them without?

[Big Country]

My tank would get into the low 80's in the summer, tank is in the basement, didn't run a chiller

[bbyatv]

I run halides that are not in a closed fixture and are about 10 inches off the tank.  Most of the heat is allowed to rise away from the tank.  As a result, they do not add as much heat tho the water.  I have raised them much higher than in this picture.  The fans shown are for evaporation (so I can maximize kalwasser addition), but also help blow heat off the halides.

 

 

Bruce

Edited March 7, 2015 by bbyatv

[gmerek2]

Bruce, I remember you running multiple fans on your last tank but I cant remember if you had to run a chiller.

[bbyatv]

Ya, I run 2 fans over the display, 1 over the sump, and 1 over the frag tank.  I try to maximize evaporation. I evaporate 3 gallons a day.  That way I can add 3 gallons of kalkwasser to the tank a day.  They also happen to keep the tank fairly cool.  I could get away without a chiller because the tank is in the basement, but I have one just in case.

 

Bruce

Bruce, I remember you running multiple fans on your last tank but I cant remember if you had to run a chiller.

[GraffitiSpotCorals]

Fans do wonders, if not in a canopy there will be no need for a chiller. If in a well ventalated canopy and good fan on the sump you may also get by.

[Jason Rhoads]

I ran 2 250w bulbs in a tightly closed canopy with only about 5 inches from the water's surface to the bulb and they did produce considerable heat --as would be expected. I think that if you ventilated your fixture well that the heat wouldnt be too bad on the tank, but they do still produce heat that will be in your home (great in the winter, but not so in the summer).

[ReeferMadness]

Do the same thing they do for grow setups (plants) run the fan through a contained enclosure for the lights. That way more air gets to them. Keeping them cooler.

[davjbeas]

I had dual 250 watt halides when I had my 75 gallon running. I used a chiller and it pretty much ran all the time. The apartment got so hot my AC could not keep up. I had uncomfortable times.

Now I am LEDS only.

[sen5241b]

My tank is in my basement and I still need a fan over my MHs in the summer

[bravanc]

(3) 400 watt mh set up on the basement i set my apex to turn off lights when it get too hot

[gmerek2]

My heaters fire even in summer no canopy so I think I'll be just fine. What size tank do you have sir?

(3) 400 watt mh set up on the basement i set my apex to turn off lights when it get too hot

[braden]

I have three 150W metal halides suspended over a 93-gallon cube tank. I have heaters that keep the water at 78°F. In the summer the halides might push the temperature to 80°F; but this time of year, they just help the heaters keep up.

 

I don't notice them heating up the room; but that part of my house tends to stay pretty cool, anyway.

 

I would not run halides in an enclosed hood (again). If you do that, you need a cooling fan (or fans); and that adds more complexity to the setup than I think is justified. (Particularly given the availability of high-quality LED lights.) But I prefer suspended lighting systems, anyway. I like to be able to observe the tank from the top.

[bravanc]

My heaters fire even in summer no canopy so I think I'll be just fine. What size tank do you have sir?

220 gallon.  you can see pic in my gallery, went back to MH after a year with LED

Edited March 10, 2015 by bravanc