Uh,Hmmm,uh, so do you need 400watt lights ? I mean what do you plan to keep?

I can't see myself having a yellow/green tank. I'd pull the plug. It seems to me that if you have to spend extra cash on supplemental lighting then the 400 watt 10k's would be the only way to go. I'll pay 100.00x2 for the 10K bulb and replace em every year. Or you could pay 60.00x2 for the 250 watt 65K bulb replace em every other year and spend 40.00x4 every year to replace the PC's.........The lighting thing has to be the toughtest of them all.

Mark

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Tank site is still under constuction.
http://members.aol.com/golfish49/index.html

[This message has been edited by golfish (edited 12-30-2000).]

I'd like to have a clam or 2 and any corals I wish. That is why I went with the 400w, plus the fact is was only a few bucks more than the 250's. You may be right, I may be pleased with only the MH's and no supplement if I use good 10k's. You are right lighting is the toughest part of this hobby, along with the most expensive part to maintain.

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Paul C
The important thing is not to stop questioning.
Einstein

Paul,

Unfortunately trial and error is about the only way to find out what you like. You may find you want acitinic supplementation with the 10k. There are 2 400 watt 12k bulbs for sale on EBay right now. You might want to try those. I guarantee you won't need any acitincs with those bulbs.

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Jeff

http://home.earthlink.net/~jeffmot/index.html

Ltspd ~

More pics in this thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin...threadid=12046

Ninong [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

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Irrational Exuberance!

Personifer,

Are you using Iwasaki specific ballasts (mercury vapor) ballasts with your 400-watt Iwasaki’s or metal halide ballasts.

I am trying to confirm a theory related to ballast interaction with, (especially) the 400 Iwasaki lamps.

Also are the lights tits up or tits down?

Regards,

Scott

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The definition of an expert is a washed-up drip under pressure.
You can see my reeftank at http://www.homestead.com/spasse/

So Ninong, what did you think of the pictures? I thought it didnt look to bad, but as you have said they are supplemted with VHO's except for Carlos.
Ok, here's the delima as if I havent had many [img]/ubb/lol.gif[/img] Of course I was beging to think the 250w Iwaskis were the "prefered" where as the 400w were the YELLOW ones.

1. What heat bulb up would I have in the tank (120ish g) with the MH's (iwaksi 6700) and actinic suplemtation. I plan on creating a "tunnel" where I will have air blown in and pulled out of opposite side (longitudinal or down the long axis). I can build in what ever fan I so desire, as long as its quite. I have a RS fan now but have access to tons of diffrent types. These lights would be housed in a continious reflector holding both mh's and the other lights. Hood consturtion will be wood, probally solid. Possible some Hickory I have left over from a floor. Or Oak at least. I may have to think that comment out due to weight.

2. Is it really worth swaping 96w pc's for 110w VHO's. I have ordered one of the new 03 pc's but dont know how it looks yet. I would like some opinions of people who have used them. I have never seen pc - vho comparisions but have read post going both ways. I can get VHO ballast for nothing, so the only cost is new bulbs. I have purchased (2) brand new pc's for this future tank the 7100k and 03.

3. I can also add a 40w NO bulb to the picture. I currently have it as my only dawn/dusk bulb. It is a actinic 03, coralife. I actully think it is a 7100k rating. The bulb produces a very nice blue tank IMO and would add some more blue.

By the way, I am looking for a local person as far as a custom tank. My wife wants a longer tank, I want a wider tank. I may look at a 5' long 22" wide and 22" high. That would give me 125g. From what I have priced I think I agree with you as to the fact I can get a custom close to the price of a oceanic. If you got any leads pass them along. I havnt found much on I-net. I plan on giving the guy in Canadia a call after the holidays. I know its there boxing day or something. I have been to some conference with some Canadians and they enjoy beer almost as much as the Scothish. So, if they are like the Scots I need to give them a few days to sober up [img]/ubb/lol.gif[/img]

Dazed and Confused [img]/ubb/spineyes.gif[/img]

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Paul C
The important thing is not to stop questioning.
Einstein

Ltspd ~

OK, now you have posted additional information about your proposed tank that should make your selection process a lot easier. You are now talking about a tank 60"L x 22"W x 22"H. This size tank can be very well lit with 2x250w metal halides plus some sort of actinic supplementation. You have to take into consideration that if your tank is 22"H, and you have a 4" deep sand bed, your water column is less than 18"H.

So, if I were you I would forget about 400-watt anything. Not that 400w is not nice for terrific growth of SPS, etc... but because you have other factors to consider, like not wanting a chiller, for instance. You can certainly keep anything at all under a 250w metal halide light if it is placed in the top 12" of the tank and positioned so that it is within an 18" diameter circular area under the bulb.

Now if you are looking for the most light you could throw at that tank to maximize growth, etc., the answer would be 3x400w 6500K Iwasaki's with 4x140w VHO actinics for a total of 1760 watts! You should construct your hood so that the metal halides were 8" minimum above the surface. You would need a chiller for this setup (which would in itself add to your already considerable electrical bill). So, let's just say you can rule out anything remotely similar to this suggestion.

So now you are down to 2x250w metal halides (to be determined), with some sort of actinic supplementation (to be determined). If you want to stay with your PCs that you already have, you might want to try the so-called "actinic" PCs that PopeShawnPaul posted the picture of, that he got from lampsnow... these are of unknown origin, probably Taiwan or China. They were certainly a lot more actinic looking than 7100K PCs.

If you want to go with the best actinic supplementation, I would recommend at least 2x140w VHO Super Actinics from URI. VHOs run a little warmer than PCs, and you already own the PCs. So, do you go with the best or with what you already have. Decisions, decisions! [img]/ubb/spineyes.gif[/img]

I like 250w 6500K Iwasaki's but only with enough VHO actinic supplementation to take ALL the yellow out. I also like the color of 250w 10,000K HQI double-ended bulbs (but they are twice as expensive and harder to get--although that seems to be changing).

I am going to base my own decision on what I think I can get away with without a chiller and on what I like the looks of, regardless of whether the bulbs cost twice as much--should I go with HQI--or not, should I go with Iwasaki. I just know that if I go with Iwasaki, I'm also going with a ton of actinic VHOs, too.

Later,

N I N [img]/ubb/online.gif[/img] N G



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Irrational Exuberance!

[This message has been edited by Ninong (edited 12-31-2000).]

Ok, that does it. I will send the PFO 400w dual ballast back to PA and order the 250w Dual ballast. I was going for the most bang for the buck when I ordered them. It will cost me the return bill but thats cheap overall. I will proabally keep the pc's for now as my 03 supplement. I would imagine this would still work if I went to a std 120g. As far as bulbs I think I am going with the 6700k Iwaskis with supplementaion. I like the specs I have read on the bulbs, the longer lasting, blah blah blah. I also liked the look of carlos tank. It ashame, I design machines for a living and have tons of mechanical books at my finger tips but I still go to the best picture [img]/ubb/lol.gif[/img]
Thanks for ALL of your help! [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

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Paul C
The important thing is not to stop questioning.
Einstein

Scott,

I am using the dual pfo 400 watt ballast with tits up.[img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

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Jeff

http://home.earthlink.net/~jeffmot/index.html