Time to upgrade ballasts?

[200mfromocean]

Took some par measurements with:

2 X 250 watts SE LB minis
14" off water
3 month old Aquamaxx's 14's
using old hamilton mag ballasts
+ 4 X 54 watt t5 retros

12" deep = almost 200 par
22" deep = about 100 par

The aquamaxx 14K's had about 15-20% more par than stock hamilton 10K's. I am getting decent growth already but would not mind having stuff growing out of the water.:) and have been eyeing the lumatek 250/400.

[200mfromocean]

Anyone? I was thinking of making the jump to the lumatek 250/440.

[luther1200]

I think the Lumateks are a good choice, but I think those Aquamaxx might be a big part of your low PAR. I had the 150w version and all my corals started loosing there color. I switched to Radiums after 2 months. Do you have any other bulbs you can put in just to get a PAR reading? But I just got the Lumatek ballasts and I like them a lot. I don't have a PAR meter to see if they put out more than my other ballasts though.

[200mfromocean]

Old Test results:
Outside 3:00PM: 1200 Par

1 year old phoenix 14K mag ballast sunpod reflector, 5.5" from water surface: 14K Phoenix: 12K Reeflux 7 months old, coralife 14K 4month old
1" away 1100 Par 800 Par 1800 Par
5" in water 413 Par 170 Par
10" in water 250 Par 118 Par
15" in water 220 Par 100 Par 250
- all directly below reflector
15" in the corner of the tank 90 Par 46 Par 150

6 month old Aquamaxx 14K DE, galaxy electronic ballast, lumenmax 3 reflector, bulb 8" from surface:
Aquamaxx Phoenix 14K1yr
1" away from reflector 700 Par 770 Par
5" in water 400 Par 303 Par
10" in water 280 Par 260 Par
15" in water 250 par 240 Par
20" in water 140 Par 155
20" in water 11" away from reflector 100 Par 110 Par

- higher par readings directly below edges of reflector.

15K XM Se, 1 year old lamps, PFO mag ballasts

140 Par 5" below surface
60-30 par everywhere else

Conclusion: It probably would not hurt to change. The LB's should put more light down than the lumenmax 3 in the old tests.The question is whether or not it is really worth it to step up to 400's