Electric or HQI ballasts?

[Sander1001]

Do I switch to HQI, or stay with electric ballasts? I want more blue and more PAR. I currently have IceCap 250w ballasts with 14000K hamiltons. Growth is good, but I want more blue for color. But if I do that the PAR plumits, if I stay with electric ballasts. So with the HQI's I can have both, but with my current set up according to Sanjay my MH system or bulbs are producing a PAR of 69, is that too low? If I switch to HQI, and 20000K radiums I will have the blue and a PAR of 85. I know I would like to color better, but how important is it to increase my PAR? And I know HQI's burn more electricity, but how much more. 10% or 50%?

[dja1980]

What kind of reflectors are you using? You might be able to increase PAR without having to purchase new ballasts and burning more electricity. Depending on what reflectors you're currently using, this may help you...

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2009/1/review

[ReefEnabler]

from what I know, HQI ballasts will make a 20k bulb look more white due to higher wattage through the bulb.

If you want more blue, switch to a Radium 20k and keep your electronic ballast.

I've used both Radium 20k and Hamilton 14k on Electronic ballasts and I think they are pretty close in PAR. Sanjay's data confirms this. Radium 20k 250w on Icecap Electronic ballast gives 66 PAR in his testing. I would certainly not sweat a loss from 69 to 66 as IMO this is within the range of test error. The position of the lamp within the reflector can swing the PAR by much more than this (yes I know his tests dont have a reflector, but IMO reflectors add a bit more randomness since your bulb will never be perfectly centered).

The radium is noticeably bluer than the Hamilton 14k and the actinic pop is way better.

IMO you will have plenty of PAR for growing SPS. If you really want more PAR then HQI might be the way to go, or you could add T5 supplements and get more lighting coverage of coral tissue.

Just look at sanjays data if you want to know how much more electricity HQI consumes.

[dja1980]

I've also heard that the new ReefLux 20K is supposed to put out more PAR than their 12K bulb. Since ReefLux bulbs are made to be used with E-ballasts, maybe that would be worth a try for you. Can anyone confirm this?

[dja1980]

Found it... bluer and more PAR. Check out the PAR numbers on p.8 of this thread... or read the whole thing ;)

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1524211&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

I might have to give these a try myself!

[Sander1001]

Ok so these 20k reeflux on IceCaps do 60PAR, and I like how they look. I have 2 96watt PC actinics as well, would switching to T5 actinics give me more actinic than the PC can do? This lighting thing is driving me crazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzy!

[ReefEnabler]

some people like their reeflux.... but theres a significant number of people who are getting inconsistent color from the bulbs.

I wont touch them.

[Sander1001]

Also,if I get a better reflector, right now I have a 36" PFO parallel reflector. I would like to get Lumenarc's but how do I incorporate flourecents with those, or do I. Or what reflector does both well. I think my PFO is OK, but is it worth the switch?

[dja1980]

Oh yeah, you definitely have some room for improvement in PAR increase by upgrading your reflectors. Look at the PAR comparisons for the different reflectors in that first article I linked to. By upgrading your reflector, you could go with a 20K bulb of your choice, and accomplish more blue AND more PAR... exactly what you were looking to do. Many people are ditching their actinic supplementation with these new setups, but that's a personal preference.

[rdlisby]

Jumping in here sorry, what the difference between and HQI and Electronic Ballasts?