help me pick some new bulbs for my new zoa dominated tank

[flyyyguy]

here is the deal.....SPS are my first love and while I have gotten painfully addicted to these polyps in the last year or two, I have been keeping them in sps dominated systems and for a while I really didnt think it mattered as my success was pretty good, but in recen t months i have been disappointed in the size fo my polyps. I think this is relative to both the strong 10k lighting I use as well as being sps was the systems priority, I think I could be getting some more food to my polyps.

So......i just built(rebuilt) my 90 with zoas and various lps being the priotity for this tank and I am looking for some new bulbs.

Examples from people who think they are veery successful would be appreciated. I will be running 250 w SE bulbs and I am not a fan of tons of blue, although I will be open to much more blue tyhan my current 10k's I run on a couple diferent systems.

pics of yoru tanks and bulbs would be great. If you haappen to have yoru camera custom white balanced please say so as that is a bonus in seeing what the colors really look like.

Ive got the tank 75% completed now and half of my polyps moved over if anyone wants to take a peek. :)

Forgive the salt streaks and forgive the lighting. It is currently a 36" PC temporary lighting set up as the canpoy and lights for this tank is being used on another much larger SPS project I have going on in a tank swithc out of my big tank.


http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h181/flyyyguy/90new1.jpg

[flyyyguy]

to be sure...I am looking for 250 w SE bulb choices only :)

[IridescentLily]

Hi Flyyguy,
You're Zoanthids are so pretty and brightly colored!
From a form poll thread done a couple weeks ago here in the general rc section, it showed that both the 250w 14k Phoenix bulbs, or the 250w Coralvue Reeflux 12k bulbs, are the most popular choices from the dozen or so available to reef keepers. The poll also showed that each of these favorites, and the other bulbs in the poll were supplemented with actinic lighting. Supplemented not for growth, just for aesthetics, to get more color "pop" from their Zoas.
Let's wait and see what the experts here in this Zoa section say about bulbs.
I'm new, and I don't have Zoas so I can't answer. :-)

[impur]

I really enjoyed the Hamilton 14k SE bulbs when i ran MH. They have just the right amount of yellow light to get good growth, and just enough blue to make colors pop.

[flyyyguy]

Got any pics of your old set up impur??

[Peter Eichler]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13015104#post13015104 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by IridescentLily
Hi Flyyguy,
You're Zoanthids are so pretty and brightly colored!
From a form poll thread done a couple weeks ago here in the general rc section, it showed that both the 250w 14k Phoenix bulbs, or the 250w Coralvue Reeflux 12k bulbs, are the most popular choices from the dozen or so available to reef keepers. The poll also showed that each of these favorites, and the other bulbs in the poll were supplemented with actinic lighting. Supplemented not for growth, just for aesthetics, to get more color "pop" from their Zoas.
Let's wait and see what the experts here in this Zoa section say about bulbs.
I'm new, and I don't have Zoas so I can't answer. :-)

If he's not a fan of a lot of blue he should stay far far away from Phoenix 14k or Aquaconnect bulbs. I don't really have any suggestions other than, if you like a crisp white bulb with just a hint of blue the Geismann Coral bulb is great, and there is a cheaper bulb that's supposed to be the same bulb under a different label. There's really no correct answer to your question, it just depends on what you like to look at since kelvin won't matter with coral coloration, just perceived color. If you're worried about too much light you should save some money on electricity and downgrade from 250w MHs.

I don't have many examples of photos from my geismann lit tank, but maybe this will help a little...

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n59/pseichler/CopyofNewClown8-14-07021.jpg

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n59/pseichler/RP6-19-07afterdinos063.jpg

Pretty true colors and nothing glowing oddly from too much blue light.

[flyyyguy]

Thanks Peter.

I think I will be open to a little bit of blue for this tank...at least for one go around. My eyes are used to straight up white so anything else looks like fake blue to me, but I have to admit I am kind of enjoying the blue this POS temp PC lighting is giving me and like said, think I could at least let some blue bulbs ride for one bulb purchase just to play with it.

I can get the reeflux bulbs fairly cheap, so im thinking maybe try out those 12k's as I believe they run quite a bit bluer than what yout hink 12k's would

but just the same........it is all preference as Peter said which I why I posted this thread and wanted to see some pics. post em if you got em :D

[impur]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13015717#post13015717 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by flyyyguy
Got any pics of your old set up impur??

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/29gal%20pics/P6080027.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/29gal%20pics/P4040011.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/29gal%20pics/P2210048.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/29gal%20pics/P2200042.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/P6080008.jpg

[goldmaniac]

Impur, what are the red zoas above the Tub's Blues in this pic?


<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/P6080008.jpg" border="0" alt="">


thanks

[impur]

Those are one of my bam bam morphs. I have 2, one is a deeper orange almost red, the other is bright bright orange and came in as 1 wild polyp

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/zoos/100_0239.jpg

[goldmaniac]

very cool. I'm amused at myself that I picked that zoa out to inquire about; bam bam's are my favorite "common", "non-premium" zoas

[flyyyguy]

Thanks impur. :)

keep the pics coming if your run 250 w se bulbs please.

[impur]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13020352#post13020352 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by goldmaniac
very cool. I'm amused at myself that I picked that zoa out to inquire about; bam bam's are my favorite "common", "non-premium" zoas

One of my favs as well. Nice and bright, hardy and grow quickly. Can't beat that!

[seapug]

I'd highly recommend the 12K Reeflux bulb. IMO, they have the perfect balance of color. It's a good clear strong light with a touch of blue where most 10K's stray to yellow. Run them with actinics and you get a great balance of natural looking light with punched out colors.

[MTB]

I like my 12k reeflux. I don't supplement them with anything. Growth and colors in my zoas is great.

[Mark426]

For a zoa tank..... I cant think of anything nicer than a Phoenix 14K with 4 - T-5 lamps. Either all UVL Actinic (best actinics) or 2 ATI Pro Color (makes red zoas look crazy red) and 2 UVL Actinics.

[mfinn]

I have used Hamilton 14's on my zoanthid tanks for about 4 years.