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View Full Version : MH for biocube?


duke1231
10-21-2008, 10:56 PM
Quick question. would a 150watt MH 14k be to much for a 14gal biocube?
PhotoJohn
10-21-2008, 10:57 PM
the main issue is heat. You may find need for a chiller or some sort with a MH, check out nanotuners.
CarmieJo
10-21-2008, 10:58 PM
I think it would have to be rather high above the tank in order to avoid heating the water too much.
duke1231
10-21-2008, 11:04 PM
yea thats what i was afraid of lol. I bought this light for my 29gal tank but found that I enjoyed my biocube, and trying to sell it has been tough.
duke1231
10-21-2008, 11:05 PM
how far off the tank should it be?
CarmieJo
10-21-2008, 11:15 PM
Ironically enough the Google ad beside here is for the JBJ 28 gallon tank with a 150 watt MH. That is twice the volume but maybe you could get away with a foot or so above the tank. But this guesstimate could be way off base.
Phurst
10-21-2008, 11:16 PM
I had a 150 HQI over mt 12 gal. I had a 15 gal sump plumbed in as well, so that probably helped, but I never had any heat issues.
Reef Newb
10-21-2008, 11:33 PM
I think if you have an open top with that light and were able to get a fan to blow across the water you would be ok, I have a 150 in my biocube 29, with the hood on and have no heat issues, but it is twice the water volume.
duke1231
10-21-2008, 11:35 PM
the feat for the fixture not be high enough off the tank, but the fixture is able to used as a hanging fixture as well.
duke1231
10-21-2008, 11:43 PM
I want one of those capricornis monti's so bad I am willing to do this, because I dont think 24watt pc will do the trick.
Reef Newb
10-21-2008, 11:58 PM
what about getting a different fixture? a 70w metal halide would be enough for the monti cap.. I cant remember the width of the 14 gallon but if it is 20 inches there is a newly released t5 fixture that could work.
duke1231
10-22-2008, 05:16 AM
I was hoping to save cash and just stick with what I have before the wife kills me lol
spanko
10-22-2008, 11:46 AM
You have it, give it a try. At worst you can hang the fixture with the supplied hanging kit so that you can raise it enough to avoid the heat issue if the feet don't get it up far enough. I, like ReefNewb have a 150 sunpod on my BC 29 and have no heat issues.
duke1231
10-22-2008, 10:03 PM
Do you have it resting on the feet?
duke1231
10-22-2008, 10:04 PM
I tried it on the feet and man it looks nice, I am going to get the hanging kit. My question is can a glass cutter make it to the demensions of the bio-cube?
spanko
10-23-2008, 07:46 AM
??????????????:whut:
duke1231
10-26-2008, 08:31 PM
LOL!! sorry I was talking about the glass to cover the biocube since I am going to have to take the hood off.
spanko
10-26-2008, 08:46 PM
Oh I see. Well you do not have to put glass on, you can use egg crate, or pond screening. Better to not close it in to prevent heat buildup and to allow better gas exchange. Here is my pond screen to on my bio cube 29, I am running the Sunpod 150 watt metal halide.


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r110/henrymello/screentop.jpg
duke1231
10-26-2008, 08:54 PM
Yea thats what I am running for a light. how did you get the hood off the biocube?
spanko
10-26-2008, 08:59 PM
It is not really attached. It just basically just lifts off. Nothing is connected to the tank, all you have to worry about is the wiring and where it goes to.
duke1231
10-26-2008, 09:39 PM
ok I just took the pins out of the back. lol wow guess I should have tried first before I started crying about it.
spanko
10-26-2008, 09:57 PM
Oh I am sorry, should have gone back and read from the beginning. Yes the 14 has hinge pins, the 29 has nothing.