400 watt radium. What ballast?

[stpatrick]

I am second guessing my lighting for my 24" deep sps tank. I went with a 250 watt m80 ballast and radium bulb combo. I love the color. Crisp white with a hint of blue. I am thinking I should have went with a 400 watt system. What ballast will push the 400 watt radium bulb and have it look as white as the 250 watt m80 ballast?

[t4zalews]

why do you think you need a 400w? what kind of reflector are you running?

[stpatrick]

why do you think you need a 400w? what kind of reflector are you running?

My tank is 24X24X24. I have ran a 250 mh before with great results. I see others running 400 watters getting insane color. I am running a 22x18 sealed air cooled pendent with a German reflector. I am going back to MHs from leds. I want to keep sps at all levels. Thoughts?

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x455/stpatrick007/60%20Solana%20XL/18c324d9-ce07-427a-b27a-6fc85c396305.jpg

[stpatrick]

why do you think you need a 400w? what kind of reflector are you running?

It actually looks life we are running similar systems. My ballast is a reeflex cube HQI.

[t4zalews]

you could rock a 400w radium, I did it on a 65 gallon and it worked great

[tkeracer619]

Looks like the reflector is simply a parabolic in a housing.

Why do you think it won't grow sps at the bottom? What par are you getting?

[sirreal63]

Get a better reflector, the one you have is not putting all the light into the tank. The problem is not wattage, it is taking advantage of the wattage you have.

[tkeracer619]

^ n+1

[sirreal63]

^ n+1

You beat me to the punch while I was on the phone. :D

Look into a LumenMax Elite, it will do a good job of putting the light into the tank, and there are many reflectors designed for a 24x24 area.

[stpatrick]

Great input. I ran this reflector hood combo to cut down on heat. I have no idea what my pat is. Its a new build. I am 30 days in. This reflector is amazing. It cover the whole tank. Not sure what % is putting back in but I have never had a tank this bright before :) I want to stick with the current hood set up. With that said should I move to a 400 radium on a lumitek ballast? From what I have read that ballast will over drive the buld so I should get the same light color I am getting now. I am def not a pro. Thats why I really on you all :)

[tkeracer619]

What do you doubt about your system then?

I grow sps on the sand with a m80 radium. 24" down. Each of my halides covers a 2x3' area.

[sirreal63]

Some good reading here, if technical jargon isn't your thing, skip down to the conclusion. You do not have to have super high par values to get good growth and coloration.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2012/12/corals

Your current bulb and ballast are more than capable of doing what you want. I run 150 watt Radiums and most of my corals are low or on the sandbed. My tank is shorted but my reflector is much better at directing light down.

[stpatrick]

Much appreciated. I am going back to MH from leds. I know what to expect from leds, not MH :) I agree. I would think I could grow just about anything with my bulb ballast combo. I want to just be sure.