Lighting Website Updates

[mpoletti]

Upgrade your ballast that way you never have to worry about this problem

[Jim_S]

Yeah, I'm thinking that if the helios run okay on the M58's, then tat will be fine for now. I can upgrade the ballasts next month. If I decide to go radium, I have to do it all at once.....

[kdblove_99]

Jim,

Just looked at several same bulbs using a Electronic and M58 ballast for the most part it looks like the spectral plots are almost identical or they run a little more blue on the M58 but for the most part it seem there is a Little more Par with Electronic. but there are a few that have better par with the M58 so i would have no clue how the Helio would compare on each ballast. I would think you should be fine with M58.

The XM which is a very blue bulb actually had better Par with the M58. Wish the had data on the Helio 250W Se bulb

[Jim_S]

Yeah, me too.

Oh well. I'm gonna give them a run. Probably order them up in the next few weeks.

BTW, you exquisite has found its way into my overflow (through my gutter guard)... Now I gotta figure out how I'm gonna get the sucker out without ripping my return plumbing out....

[kdblove_99]

Cool, Let me know. I gotta come check it out once you start getting in these goodies.

I just remebered that Litte_d actually runs a Helio SE. I saw it awhile back dont know what ballast he was using. He has a very nice tank.

[alanbetty]

Question: I am thinking of replacing the lighting in my tank. I have softies and leathers , fish and live rock currently in my 48" wide 18" deep 55 gal. tank. In order to add sps and lps corals and keep the fish any suggestions on a lighting manufacturer. I have read that MH's have to be placed several inches above the tank, is that true.

[ReefEnabler]

yes you want halides at least 8" off the water, more is better. I'm having my 3x250w MH lights mounted 12" off the water.

if they are any closer they will really warm up the tank on you and you might need a chiller or a lot of fans. Raising the lights doesn't really reduce the lighting in the tank by much and it significantly helps the heat issues. especially if you have fans in the canopy that blow across the water.

[kdblove_99]

mine is also 12"

[Reefer08]

I currently have a 20k Blue Life SPS 250watt mogul bulb. How does this light bulb compare to others? My lighting seems kinda dim. I was thinking about switching to a 14k bulb, is it worth the switch? Thanks

[reefwonders]

I'm setting up a 600 acrylic reef(96"x48"x31") I currently use 250watt SE's on my 180 and was thing of using 250 SE on the 600. I'm an SPS junky and love my clams. I have 6-250watt Reeffanatic ballasts right now. What would you use or what are people using on this type of tank?

[juststartingout]

Hi Bob,

I have a 30" tall tank and currently use 250wt xm 10k's fired by IC ballasts. I researched the combo on Sanjay's site before I bought. It has provided decent lighting. I selected 250's to keep away from running a chiller. (My tank is 96x36x30) The combo offered 115 PPFD at 11543 cct. So if I understand the data, it was one of the better non hqi ballasts with close to an actual 12k color. Perhaps Hahn or Sanjay will chime in.

I am looking into 400wts for better growth, just a little concerned about the added heat though.

[bigmatt]

Does anyone have any par numbers for the 150watt pheonix 14kbulbs?

[reefwonders]

Thanks for the info juststartingout. I've checked with a few reefers locally and they too use 250 watt on their 30"-31" tanks with success.

[juststartingout]

For those of you running SE Lumenarc III's, do you have the glass in or out of the bottom of the fixture?

[JCTewks]

I run mine with no glass and sitting on top of the aquarium. IMO, the only reason to use the glass is to keep salt splash off of the reflector....but they are so easy to clean using just windex that the loss of PAR by the glass is just not worth it to me. I pull mine off every few weeks after lights out and clean it in the kitchen sink to get most of the salt off, then finish it off with windex to get rid of the streaks....they clean up just like new, even after 2 yrs of this treatment

[juststartingout]

I was looking at Sanjay's lighting website and seen that the PFO HQI ballast offered quite a bit more ppfd than my current 250wt Ice Cap ballast on my 10k xm bulbs. I am considering changing to the PFO ballast, which may offer close to 400wt performance at a 250wt price, if I anaylized the info correct.

I guess my question is, since these ballast essentially are overdriving the bulb, what is the life of the XM bulbs in this environment, it would be diminished, correct?

[JCTewks]

Yes, the life is diminished....by around 1/2 -2/3....so they need changed at 6-9 months!

[areze]

is this guide have anything to do with pendants? or just ballasts and bulbs? Im trying to figure out if 150$ for reef optix 3 is worth it over 99$ for PFO

edit: 99 for PFO, 127 for reef optic, or 150 for lumenmax 3 or elite...

[SHOmuchFUN]

I just bought a used Aquamedic Ocean Light. Comes with the AB 10k bulbs, they are a bit on the yellow side with some weak actinic.

I was looking and saw the 14k DE bulbs on E-bay.
Has anybody done any tests on those E-bay FC2 bulbs for like $20/piece? Or does anybody have any experience with them?

[randoma]

Originally posted by areze
is this guide have anything to do with pendants? or just ballasts and bulbs? Im trying to figure out if 150$ for reef optix 3 is worth it over 99$ for PFO

edit: 99 for PFO, 127 for reef optic, or 150 for lumenmax 3 or elite...

I don't have any hard numbers, but I went from a 250W ReefLux 12k bulb in a PFO spider reflector to a LumenArc Mini with a 175W ReefLux 12k bulb. The tank is brighter and better illuminated with the LA Mini compared to the PFO spider even though it is a lower wattage bulb.

You don't have it as an option, but I'd go with a LumenArc III or a LumenMax over the PFO even for an additional $50...

[mfin77]

Hi, I researched many forums on metal halides, however cannot seem to find the answer to my question? I am looking to upgrade my lighting.

What are the differences if any of going with a MH ice cap reflector and ballast or any kind of reflect/ballast vs. a metal halide hood like the new aqua medic sexy edition? Do the the hoods have reflectors in them? which one is better? Pros and cons!
Thanks,

[Lightsluvr]

I am looking for some advice from those who know - suggestions for a combination of T5's to compliment the 14K Phoenix MH I am running over my two tanks.

First tank:
180G - 72x24x24 with heavy SPS. 3x 250W 14K Phoenix MH. Looking for growth and stunning color. I am currently using (2) 420nn and (2) 460nn "actinic" sets (8x39W) T5 bulbs.

Second tank:
95G - soon to be 120G 48x24x24 with zoas, palys, a few montis up high - this is a seahorse tank running at 75 degrees with a chiller. 2x 150W 14K Phoenix MH. Looking for growth and stunning color. I am currently using (2) 420nn and (2) 460nn "actinic" sets (4x54W) T5 bulbs.

Basically I have four banks of T5 bulbs that I can play with to get the color and growth I am seeking.

Any suggestions? I am just a few months away from needing to replace the T5s, so I am ready for some changes...

Many thanks to the wise ones...

LL

[Lightsluvr]

Received tips for my T5 question over on the RC T5 thread...

Sanjay, if you see this note, we are looking forward to seeing you again at the CRASE in Edmond, OK on October 25.

LL



www.craseokc.com

[donald757]

hey guys what is the best ballast coralvue 250 watts or lumitek 250 watts ?

[hahnmeister]

No such thing.