What temp/color bulbs for 180 gallon!

[vtec si]

Ok here is what I am doing. on my 180gal I am change out my (8) vho 6' to (3)MH 400 watts. I do plan on running (4) of my vhos with attinics, maybe (2) with 50/50 bulbs. What I am having trouble with is what color temp rating to use.
I was thinking about 20K but what about 14k bulbs. I would like to get my sps to come back to their true color. Most of them have held their color well but my montipora caps have a dull color to them.

Thanks,

Martin

[Reefland]

Martin,

I think 10k's are about the best in regards to PAR and color balance. The 20k's look very nice for the blue but they just don't produce the same PAR and therefore don't provide the "bang for the buck". I think 10k's with actnics will be very pleasing for you.

[zhenya]

I think 10k's with actnics will be very pleasing for you.

Yeah, what he said.

[vtec si]

Thanks Scott and Gene! I think thats what I will do 10k!


Martin

[Reefland]

The question now is, what brand! You should take a browse around Sanjay's lighting site for analysis on which ballast and bulb combinations provide the most intensity.

[charlie]

Not to buck the system here, but I have had good success with my 20K radiums. I run 2 of them with a pfo hqi ballast, and the other 4 with pfo pulse start ballasts. Just my .02.

[vtec si]

Scott, do you have a link to that site?

Thanks,
Martin

[Samper]

http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/index.htm

There ya go Martin

[vtec si]

Cool, thanks Samper!

Martin

[Reefland]

Ok, so which did you decide on?

[vtec si]

Not sure Scott. I dont know if I should go with SE OR DE lamps?

For SE lamps I am looking into XM 10000K running off a PFO 400W HQI ballast. Also looking into Hamilton 10000K running off the same ballast.

For DE lamps I am looking into Happy Reefing 10000k running off a PFO 400W HQI ballast or a Icecap 400W Electronic.

I do not know wich way I will go for sure but I think I will go with DE lamp set up. If you have any input that would be great.

Thanks,
Martin

[vtec si]

Anyone with suggestion on DE or SE bulbs! If one is better than the other?

Thanks,
Martin

[charlie]

Anyone with suggestion on DE or SE bulbs! If one is better than the other?

Thanks,
Martin

Martin,
I have always used the SE bulbs. I think that with most DE bulbs you have to use a uv shield. I know if I'm not right, someone here will correct me I do know that Sanjay really liked the PFO HQI ballast with the 20K lamps tho. HTH.

[vtec si]

Charlie, I am leaning towards SE BULBS but I think I will have to modifiy my canopy due to that it is only 12 inches tall. That would put the SE bulbs at about 7 to 8 inches above the water. Is this ok? I have been told it is not.
I have made the choice to buy a PFO/HQI ballast, but I have not seen one that is a triple. I just may buy two doubles and that way when my 374gal (96x30x30) shows up then I wont have to buy another unit just a bulb.
Now for 10000k or 20000k I am still up in the air with this one! I do have two Icecaps 660's and a 430 for VHO suppliment lighting!?

Thank for all you MH GURU's
Martin

[charlie]

Charlie, I am leaning towards SE BULBS but I think I will have to modifiy my canopy due to that it is only 12 inches tall. That would put the SE bulbs at about 7 to 8 inches above the water. Is this ok? I have been told it is not.
I have made the choice to buy a PFO/HQI ballast, but I have not seen one that is a triple. I just may buy two doubles and that way when my 374gal (96x30x30) shows up then I wont have to buy another unit just a bulb.
Now for 10000k or 20000k I am still up in the air with this one! I do have two Icecaps 660's and a 430 for VHO suppliment lighting!?

Thank for all you MH GURU's
Martin

Good idea on the purchase of 2 dual ballasts. If you used just a reflector, couldn't you leave the canopy the way it is? Do you have fans installed in the canopy, that would help with the heat issue?
As far as the "K" rating, I'm not really one to talk to about that. I run 6 20k radiums on my 300, with actinic supplementation. Yeah, I like the blue, and I don't have a problem with growth!!! I know alot of people mix the bulbs, 2 10k's and 1 20k in the middle. It is so much aesthetics, that it is real hard to tell people do this or that. My thinking is go out and find some people that are using the desired bulbs, and see what they look like. That at least will give you an idea!!!

[Poseidon]

I run my bulbs SE XM 10K 7" off the water, and I have no problems, now that I added a chiller! I also have 9 3" computer fans in the canopy to move air around in the canopy. This also causes me to lose about 1.5 gallons a DAY to evaporation! YIKES!

Also I do not have any actinic at this point, I would like to add it though, I am just waithing for a 46.5" bulb and some endcaps to come in!

[vtec si]

Charlie, I agree with you on the aesthetics of the color. I went over and helped peterock put in two 250 watt 20K on is new 72 bow front WOW where they BLUE. I like blue but I don't know if I like them that much. But I want the true colors to come out of my sps.

Poseidon, I am glade to here that your bulbs are only 7-8 inches off the water and you have no problems. I will be using a reflector and I have 4 4" fans. I also plan on a chiller befor I install any MH in my canopy. As for loss of water due to evap', i think it will be fine. I have to top off already 1 to 1 1/2 gallons a day now on my 180 with my VHOs.

Martin

[charlie]

Charlie, I agree with you on the aesthetics of the color. I went over and helped peterock put in two 250 watt 20K on is new 72 bow front WOW where they BLUE. I like blue but I don't know if I like them that much. But I want the true colors to come out of my sps.


Martin

you could probably balance out the blue with a couple of daylite vho's, but yeah, you gotta like blue to go with the 20K's, As I stated somewhere before, I haven't had any growth issues with the 20K's, everything does just fine.

[vtec si]

Charlie,

I think I'm going to try the 14K SE bulds! I here that they are not as blue as the 20K but more so than the 10K.

Martin

[charlie]

Charlie,

I think I'm going to try the 14K SE bulds! I here that they are not as blue as the 20K but more so than the 10K.

Martin

When you get them in, shoot us some pics. I am even thinking of throwing a couple of different K bulbs in the middle of my tank just for a different color blend. Let me know how things go.