[jdfenn]

Hey guys

I currently have a 120H tank with on 250watt 12,000k bulb, 48inch jbj, and a set of flourecents. What I was wondering is what would be the ideal lighting to add to the aquarium for the absolute best sps growth and color.

Thanks

Jeff

[Ninong]

Jeff,

Physiologically speaking, either a 6500K Iwasaki or a 10,000K Ushio/BLV or AB-10000 lamp would be much better than your 12,000K lamp. Aesthetically speaking, you may find that the 6500K looks too yellowish by itself and needs a good deal of actinic supplementation of some sort. Actinic supplementation will also improve the appearance of the 10,000K lamps, too.

There are some newer 10,000K lamps on the market but I am not familiar with those. If you are presently running an ALS Sunburst 12,000K, then you would be much better off with one of the choices mentioned above. Some people like 20,000K lamps because of the appearance but IMO 20,000K lamps are best used in combination with either 10,000K or 6500K lamps unless you are attempting to duplicate conditions below approximately 75 feet depth, in which case 20,000K alone would be appropriate.

One of the problems with discussions of this sort are that not all metal halide lamps have credible Kelvin ratings. The ALS Sunburst 12,000K lamp, for example, is much bluer than it should be for a 12,000K lamp. The AB-10000, which AB-Aqualine states is a 13,000K lamp, is much whiter than the ALS 12,000K. Iwasaki has a 150w medium base lamp that they call 50,000K and yet it is considerably whiter than the ALS 12,000K.

[Poseidon]

YOu have now entered the "endless debate ZOne" Everyone has a favorite bulb and will try and convince you that the bulb they use is best... I use the AB 10K bulb, with a VHO actinic supplement and my Corals grow very well. Others use the 6500K and report the same. Try and view IN PERSON tanks that are lit with the different bulbs and pick the one you find most pleasing to YOU!!! You can find a website for virtually every bulb claiming to be the best... from AB to XM its alphabet soup!!!

[kevinpo]

One of the very important factors that is often overlooked is what ballast is used to drive the bulb. This is one of the reasons you get so many opinions of the same bulb. On one ballast the bulb looks very blue and dim while on another ballast it appears white and bright. This is not just the opinion of the viewer. When viewed side by side there appears to be a difference of about 15-20% in the brightness and a 5,000-7,5000K color difference.

That being said I prefer a 10,000K/20,000K combination with the 10,000K being driven with a HQI type ballast and the 20,000K driven either with a HQI or pulse start ballast. I prefer the German made bulbs like AB, Ushio, and Radium.

HTH,
Kevin

[Poseidon]

Kevin is right on the money there!!! I think we all forget to mention that. I have HQI ballasts, and my friend Matt has PFO MAgnetic ballasts, and there is a definate difference in intensity!!!

If you can swing the extra money get HQI types, they use less electricity, are SILENT and produce little heat!!!

http://oceanencounter.com/Merchant2/...tegory_Code=AQ

http://oceanencounter.com/Merchant2/...gory_Code=ICRM

you will need a reflector for the second link, the first is a VERY high quality self contained fixture. My tank is built into a wall so the look of the lights themselves was not important, because they are not seen for the display area...

[Rook]

[/quote]The AB-10000, which AB-Aqualine states is a 13,000K lamp, is much whiter than the ALS 12,000K[quote]

This is the bulb I have, 1 -175 watt AB-10000. So, does that mean this bulb really is not 10K, but is actually 13K? I run it off a standard probe start Mh ballasts. I thought of switching but I am not really sure yet which bulbs will run off this ballast.

[Ninong]

The AB-10000, which AB-Aqualine states is a 13,000K lamp, is much whiter than the ALS 12,000K

This is the bulb I have, 1 -175 watt AB-10000. So, does that mean this bulb really is not 10K, but is actually 13K? I run it off a standard probe start Mh ballasts. I thought of switching but I am not really sure yet which bulbs will run off this ballast.

The aqualine 10000 lamp has a colour temperature of 13000º Kelvin and a high percentage of the light output is at the blue end of the spectrum. aqualine 10000 was the first metal halide lamp to simulate the light conditions of a coral reef and the new lamp with its improved getter gives long term colour stability and results is an even more realistic looking aquarium. The corals show their natural colours, and the lighting encourages excellent growth. aqualine 10000 helps to transform your aquarium into a perfect reef tank.

70 Watt double ended 250 Watt single ended E 40
150 Watt double ended 400 Watt single ended E 40
250 Watt double ended 1000 Watt single ended E 40
175 Watt single ended E 39


http://www.ab-aqualine.de/

P.S. -- Background: AB-Aqualine claims that they made changes to their AB-10000 lamps back in 1994 that raised the actual Kelvin rating from 10,000K to 13,000K but they chose to retain the same model name, AB-10000. (Pers. comm. via e-mail, 2001)