Yesterday I replaced my 2-Sunburst 400watt 12,000k metal halide bulbs with 2-400watt Iwaski 6,500k bulbs. I'm using a dual tar ballast. The Iwaski bulbs are brilliant, and VERY white. The left is the Sunburst, the right the Iwaski. Second photo both Iwaski. I had 2-German 10,000k but they were very yellow. The Iwaski 6,500k are perfect. I can't believe how bright they are. Happy happy joy joy [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img]





------------------
Jim - GO HOGS GO!
Visit my NEW Reef Page - http://razorbackfan.topcities.com
Nobody likes a drunk monkey

[This message has been edited by razorbackfan (edited 04-11-2001).]

IMO you can't beat the 400 watt 6500k. I've tried the 12k, 10k and went back to the 6500k.

------------------
Jeff

Visit my website:
JeffsReef

Originally posted by razorbackfan:
Yesterday I replaced my 2-Sunburst 400watt 12,000k metal halide bulbs with 2-400watt Iwaski 6,500k bulbs. I'm using a dual tar ballast. The Iwaski bulbs are brilliant, and VERY white. The left is the Sunburst, the right the Iwaski. Second photo both Iwaski. I had 2-German 10,000k but they were very yellow. The Iwaski 6,500k are perfect. I can't believe how bright they are. Happy happy joy joy [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

What type/brand of ballast do u use for the 400 65k? MV ballast?



------------------
Got my site up, please take a look:

http://communities.msn.ca/NatureReef

Jim:
Are you using any actinic supplements at the moment in those pics? What a difference from the 12000k's! [img]/ubb/eek.gif[/img] I'm putting 2-250 Iwasaki's on my 75 but I'm using a MV ballast. I'll post pics as soon as it's set up! You have a great setup, BTW! [img]/ubb/eyemouth.gif[/img]

[img]/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]
Joanne

------------------
That which does not kill us makes us stronger...like lifting those salt buckets.

jasonchi It's a dual tar ballast I got from Champion Lighting.

thezookeeper I'm using 2-140watt actinics powered with an Ice Cap 430 electronic ballast.

------------------
Jim - GO HOGS GO!
Visit my NEW Reef Page -
http://razorbackfan.topcities.com
Nobody likes a drunk monkey

I know the pic makes the 12ks look more blue cause I use one, I hope its the same with the yellow on the 65K....I use 10K HQI's and there a crisp white with a blue\purple tint...The 65k in your pics looks yellow\green

Excellent comparison pics JIM!...your aquatic ballast didnt take a crap on you did they? I was curious did you loose much flourescence (that blue definately shows colors better) on your corals with this setup? and also what type of photoperiod are you using...did you slowly ease them back into these new lights?

------------------
Check out my NEW website

Scubadude's Website

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

golfish It's my digital camera (Ricoh). It takes great outdoor photos but has problems with indoor when a flash is not used. The blue is not as blue as in the photo, but is very blueish and dark. The Iwaski are white and have NO yellow-green as shown in the photo.

scubadude I cut my metal halide times down to 3 hours a day, and will slowly increase to 8 hours a day.

It took over a year of playing with different blubs but I finally think I discovered what a reef tank should look like.

------------------
Jim - GO HOGS GO!
Visit my NEW Reef Page -
http://razorbackfan.topcities.com
Nobody likes a drunk monkey

What are you going to do with the 12000K bulbs.

Originally posted by reefman5045:
What are you going to do with the 12000K bulbs.

I'm going to hang on to them. Want to have a 20 gallon mini-reef in my office.



------------------
Jim - GO HOGS GO!
Visit my NEW Reef Page -
http://razorbackfan.topcities.com
Nobody likes a drunk monkey

Hey Razarback, i realize this is off topic but I would like your opinion on your tank. I am currently looking at the 110Oceanic VS. the 120 AGA. It would be a FOWLR at first but as we all know would blow out to full reef eventually.
If you had to do it again would you get the 110 ro go with a 120 which is deeper. really struggling with this choice. thanks

TommyBoy,

Go with the deeper 120 gallon..you will like it a lot more once you have it set up as a reef. The shallower tanks force you to have a tall rock formation where the deeper tanks allow you be more crative.

Greg

Thanks Greg, what size tank do you have?
I am really looking for razorbacks comments due to the fact he currently owns thae tank that I am looking at. That extra foot wide sure does look nice....

I have a 90 (18" deep) and definately wish i would've gone with a 120 (24") would've been really nice...Awesome size for aquascaping..Dan

Originally posted by TommyBoy:
Hey Razarback, i realize this is off topic but I would like your opinion on your tank. I am currently looking at the 110Oceanic VS. the 120 AGA. It would be a FOWLR at first but as we all know would blow out to full reef eventually.
If you had to do it again would you get the 110 ro go with a 120 which is deeper. really struggling with this choice. thanks

Go with the 120. I would have gotten that instead of the 110. The 110 IS shallow and tall, makes reaching in difficult (and I am 6'4" tall). Actually, I should have gotten a 180. [img]/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]



------------------
Jim - GO HOGS GO!
Visit my NEW Reef Page -
http://razorbackfan.topcities.com
Nobody likes a drunk monkey