Tossing and Turning over 250 or 400 watt with VHO

[Addicted2Reefs]

Okay I got a 120 All Glass Reef Ready tank 48x24x24 and I am in a real Dilemma (sp?) I am gonna be carrying a mix of of corals , including sps and clams . I do have some soft right now . I am trying to decide if I should go with the Dual PFO 250 or 400 Watt with the 6500k Iwasaki , I will be running probably 4 vho blues . I am thinking the 400 watters because it's just a few bucks more , but is more better ?

Any advice is appreciated

[golfish]

400 watter's ran on the PFO EYE ballast is what you want Get at least 3 fans

[Ironreef]

I would only use eye ballast if you are only going to run iwaski. If your not sure I would get the MH ballast. But then again if you were going to use 10k I would get the hqi ballast. Anyway the regular will let you use any bulb . Some say you can anyway but the bulb life is shortened who knows forsure.

[golfish]

Good point Iron......if you KNOW your going to use Iwassaki's ( I would and did) then get the EYE ballast. The light won't be as ugly as it is with the standard ballast.

BTW, I use the PFO standard ballast to drive me 400 watt Iwasaki. The light is pretty ugly without actinics

[Ironreef]

yup the light is yellow but actinics make the tank look good. But for the $$ iwaski is good bulb last long lots of light.

[Addicted2Reefs]

yeah , I am pretty sure I am gonna run the iwaski's of course with 4 VHO actinics. Thanks for the advice Also, I am used to Ice Cap ballast , how does the PFO compare HEAT wise . Do they get real hot ?and I realize they are much more bulky and wieght vs the Ice cap but Ice Cap doesnt make 400 watters and I feel that 2-250 may not be adeqaute for what I wanna keep as far as corals , especially the SPS and Clams . I guess I am looking for a all around lighting solution that would make it possiable to keep any corals .

[PerryinCA]

You may want to wait for a litte bit, and use the IC 250 in the meantime. According to what ASH posted over at RC, they are possibly releasing a 400w in october. You may be able to upgrade the 250w to a 400w.

From IceCap:
Best guess for release is by October this year.
Andy

PFO is good stuff, but if they do 250 to 400w conversions for around the same price as the 175w to 250w conversions, you'd save some money by putting it off.

I can't wait personally.

Is more better?

Heck yea!

-Perry

[Addicted2Reefs]

Great Idea Perry , but I am using the 250's on my 75 right now ;) That's why I was in confusion on which way to go ..I love my Ice Cap's and if the tank wasn't gonna be here next week I would wait . I didn't even know Ice Cap was considering a 400 watt ballast ..this is truely great News

[Addicted2Reefs]

well looks like the Ice Cap 250 will not be upgradable to a 400 , here is what Andy said over on the IC Sponsors Forum on Reef Central , cause I was drooling over the thought also . http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin...threadid=23214

From IceCap: Unfortunately, not a chance.
Andy