Which MH Bulb?

[AVALover5498]

Ok, so I just bought a new Metal halide Retro kit from HelloLights.com for my new 29 zoa/paly dominated tank I'm setting up. It's a 175 Watt with a 10k bulb. I've heard 10k's make zoas and palys brown. Is this true? If so, which K bulb should I buy to avoid this? 14K or 20K? What I'm saying is, what is the best MH bulb to bring out the best colors in zoa/palys. Any info would help alot.:)



-Chris-

[MarvinsReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8975487#post8975487 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AVALover5498
Ok, so I just bought a new Metal halide Retro kit from HelloLights.com for my new 29 zoa/paly dominated tank I'm setting up. It's a 175 Watt with a 10k bulb. I've heard 10k's make zoas and palys brown. Is this true? If so, which K bulb should I buy to avoid this? 14K or 20K? What I'm saying is, what is the best MH bulb to bring out the best colors in zoa/palys. Any info would help alot.:)



-Chris-

Hi Chris.. is it a DE or SE?

if it's a DE, I recommend the 14k Phoenix.. this is what I run in my set up.. 32g breeder and I have a 250w DE over it...

if it's a SE, I recommend 20k XM's...

good luck..

Marvin

[geoxman]

If you got the SE I hope you got the M57. The par on the electronic XM 20k electronic is pretty low. If you got the DE, Sanjay does not have much info on bulbs.
I have used Phoenix 14k bulbs in the past and they were nice.
You could also keep the 10k and amp up your system up with some VHO actinic URI bulbs. That would be a nice combo.

http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/selectballast.php

good luck

[AVALover5498]

I have a 175 Watt single ended setup. I don't want my tank to look to blue that is why I bought the 10K. But I've heard people say that 10K makes Zoas/Paly brown. Is this true? So people are recommending the 20K then. I'll look into it. Do any of you have any FTS so I can see the colors of your bulbs? Thanx again,



-Chris-

[ros_sco]

I bought the 175 watt Iwasaki 15K from HelloLights. From the research I did on Sanjay's site, they have as much or more PPFD than a lot of the 250 watt bulbs out there, even 10k. The color is toward the blue end but not nearly as blue as the XM 20K that I use in the morning and evening, but the colors are brighter with the 20K though. I use a single 95 watt super actinic VHO aong with 2 Iwasaki's over a 75 gallon.

[dwdenny]

the 14k EVC is a good bulb as well from what I hear that is the bulb I am going to use when I get my tank up soon(I hope). But I have an electorinc ballast. If and when I up grade I will go with an M57 ballast and use XM 20K.

[ct_vol]

Yeah... I love my phoenix 14k's... But you can't go wrong with actinic supplementation either... VHO's are sweet... ;) But with 10k's color does fade alot of times without some type of actinics...

[AVALover5498]

So if I stay with the 10K and get a couple actinic T-5's the colors won't fade? I found some really colorful palys I want to buy and I don't want them to turn brown on me.:)



-Chris-

[ct_vol]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8982870#post8982870 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AVALover5498
So if I stay with the 10K and get a couple actinic T-5's the colors won't fade? I found some really colorful palys I want to buy and I don't want them to turn brown on me.:)


That would be correct Sir... lol ;) You'll actually be better off going that way instead of just using 15k or 20k's, because you'll be covering a broader lighting spectrum... :D

[AVALover5498]

I was just told on Club-zoa that it wouldn't work. That I would have to buy a new bulb. I'm so confused!:) I'll guess i'll get t-5's then. Sounds fun anyways. I love setting up retrofit's, it fun.:D



-chris-

[AVALover5498]

What do you use ct_vol?



-Chris-

[jjmcat]

I use the evc 14k on my tank.One of the ballast is electronic and the other is a m-57 wich I believe is a probe start.

[ct_vol]

Really it depends on the tank... I have zoa's in them all... I think VHO's do the best for me as far as maintaining color... But I like the look of zoas and palys more under MH's... lol Thats why I changed to t5's on my main display this past weekend... Just to see if I could find a happy medium... You can see what I'm running lightwise under Current Tanks... The pic in my avatar was taken under the sunpod... It has a Phoenix bulb...

[ct_vol]

Jokers under Halides

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j239/ct_vol/Zoos/IMG_1442.jpg

Lunar Eclipses under Halides

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j239/ct_vol/Zoos/IMG_1450.jpg

Both under VHO's

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j239/ct_vol/Zoos/IMG_0548.jpg

[AVALover5498]

ct_vol, Nice pics! I really loves those jokers.:)



-Chris-

[geoxman]

I replied in the other forum. JMHO but a MH VHO super actinic is very hard to beat. I have only seen a few T5 actinic and they did not have the POP of the VHO. You could keep the 10k and add 150-300w of VHO actinic. good luck on your choice and happy reefing

[DallasNYC]

jjmcat & ct_vol, just to confirm, you both are using 175 watt MH? I'm in the process of making lighting descisions myself and currently own a 175w set up.

ct_vol I'm confused. You do or don't like the look under Metal Halides? Why the switch to T5s? How do you like the look under the new T5s?

I am basically trying to make the decision between MH and T5s. I posted this question in the equipment forum...

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1021455

[AVALover5498]

Ok, so I think I'm going to get a XM 20K or 15K bulb and then get 2-36W PC's for actinics. Would this be a good combination for keeping the colors in zoa's? I was going to just keep my 10K and add either some VHO actinics or T-5 actinics but I've heard of to many people switching bulbs because 10K's made there zoas brown out. Uggggg I'm so confused.



-Chris-

[ct_vol]

Sorry if I was confusing... I have many different setups and have different lighting on each... I like the look better under MH's than VHO's... The best complete lighting I have found thus far are MH's with VHO actinic supplementation...

I'm trying t5's out right now just to see if I like the look or not, and also to cut down on energy costs, as well as maintanence costs... So far I'm liking the look, I just want to see if they maintain coloration...

If you decided to go with the T5's be sure to go with the individual parabolic reflectors and not just the single...

Here is a comparison between the t5's I have on there now and the VHO's in my other tank...

t5's

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j239/ct_vol/120/IMG_1942.jpg

VHO's

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j239/ct_vol/Zoos/IMG_0628.jpg

[DallasNYC]

Thanks ct_vol for the additonal pictures. They both look pretty good.

Chris, here are some more links I have found concerning 175w MH and zooanthids. Most of these are tanks of the month that were using 175s.

I think the pictures speak for themselves

ReefVideos . Check out Zach's video (link in top right corner) He is running 2 x 175 MH - XM 20K and actually uses some 10K normal output fluorescents to whiten it up...

(The Seahorse video is an sweet tank too, but they dont say what type of bulb he is using. I posted in thier forum asking what it is)

http://reefvideos.com/



Brad Whitney's TOTM
He is running 2 x175 MH - XM 20K with 2 actinic VHO bulbs

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-01/totm/index.php


mistressreef
Running (2) 175 watt 10kK Ushio + (2) actinic VHO
Not as many zoos in his tank, but not lacking in color I dont think

http://mistressreef.homestead.com/
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-02/totm/index.php


And here are two beautiful zoo+ricordia tanks under PC lights....


MUCHO REEF
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/totm/index.php
Archie Luz
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-08/totm/index.php

Given these tanks are under PC and so awesome, I would think that 175 MH 20K is plenty. Macho talks about upgrading to a bigger tank with Metal Halide. Does anyone know if there is anymore information on that. I searched but couldn't find anything?

Dallas

[AVALover5498]

DallasNYC, Thanx very much for all the links.

I have decided to buy a 14K hamilton bulb and get a couple pc bulb for actinics.

Muchos reef is the tank that inspired me to go all Zoa/Paly dominated. It is by far the most beautiful reef tank EVER! If my tank could look as half as good as that, I would be happy.

Once again, thanx for the links. It made my day.:)



-Chris-

[DallasNYC]

Chris, sounds good to me.

I'm about a month behind you, so be sure to come back and post how you feel about the set up.

Best of luck. Looking forward to seeing some awesome pics of the new set up.

Dallas

[DallasNYC]

And oh yes. Mucho's tank is my inspiration too..

[AVALover5498]

Do you have any pics of your tank that you would like to post?



-Chris-

[DallasNYC]

No pics yet. I am in the process of building the stand. Will probally order the tank next week.

I have a VHO lit 55 gallon tank with mostly shrooms..
http://home.nyc.rr.com/dnolty/

Nothing really to brag about.

[AVALover5498]

Here are some really bad pics of mine...don't make fun.

Here is the plumbing...took me forever but I loved to do it.:) I still need to get the overflow on. One more thing to buy.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p264/AVALover5498/P1010028.jpg
Here is the powerheads and the returns. The power heads are bigger than I had thought they would be, but they should be fine. The lifereef overflow is going in between the two powerheads.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p264/AVALover5498/P1010039.jpg

Here are my fans that I just bought for my canopy.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p264/AVALover5498/P1010036.jpg

And finally, here are my lights. You can only see the ballast and some of the reflector, but it's just the normal 175W retrofit kit. http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p264/AVALover5498/1.gif

So what do you think? I hope I'm doing a good job. If there is anything you would like to add, please do so. I'm always open to suggestions.:)


-Chris-

[AVALover5498]

Everything was all nice and clean but now it's all dusty. I need to do some cleaning. YAY!:D



-Chris-

[DallasNYC]

Ha, see you had to do some tank stand modifications there..

Looks good. Don't get too married to your powerhead locations, you may want to move them, once you get your liverock in there and done all your rockscaping.

I will be drilling the back of my tank for bulkhead fittings. Make sure you do some research on the overflow, see what other people are doing to keep the siphon tube full. Years ago I had an over the tank over flow and would occasionly have problems with the siphon being lost. I am not too up to date on any improvements in the systems.

[AVALover5498]

It says on the lifereef website that they have not had any overflows fail. They better not if I'm going to be paying $130 for one.:)

I did have to cut a little off of the stand to get the 10 gallon to fit so I'm going to brace it with some more wood. I hope it works.



-Chris-

[Tashier]

I'm using 400w Hamilton 14k's. Pretty happy with the color