I can't believe you read the whole thing either 
At least I have been taking time off for real life ;>) Alot of time off for real
At least I have been taking time off for real life ;>) Alot of time off for real
150 watt DE MH lamps compared
- Thread starter traveller7
- Start date
Foreverlearnin
New member
What I have is the Coralife Aqualight Pro, 2x 150W DE, 2x 96W actinic, 3x 1W moon light. So havong almost 200W of CF gives me a good amount of flexability. I have the Coralife actinics which are not really all that blue, though they do bring out flouresence. I was wondering if the 13K MegaChrome Marine would be a crisp white. The actinics would bring the spectrum down a bit I am sure. I see people using the MegaChrome Coral 14ks stand alone, so I think the amount of actinics I have might bring the tank down too blue using 14k's. I really do not like the 20K look, far too blue. I really am looking for a good CRI.
I guess I should add, I have a 75G, so my tank is shallow. The lights are probably 6" off the water. I have a chiller and a calcium reactor, automated kalkwasser topup. My main focus is clams & anemones. I have 11 clams and 6 anemones, and plan to add more clams!
Thanks for your time!
I guess I should add, I have a 75G, so my tank is shallow. The lights are probably 6" off the water. I have a chiller and a calcium reactor, automated kalkwasser topup. My main focus is clams & anemones. I have 11 clams and 6 anemones, and plan to add more clams!
Thanks for your time!
Foreverlearnin
New member
Also, in the past month or so the Coralife 10Ks have become yellow.I am sure they are also fading in intensity.
I am looking for a better bulb like the MegaChrome that clamis only a 3% loss in spectrum and intensity over 12 months or something like that. Sounds good!!
Where did you get the info on the Coralife ballast? I couldn't find anything!
I am looking for a better bulb like the MegaChrome that clamis only a 3% loss in spectrum and intensity over 12 months or something like that. Sounds good!!
Where did you get the info on the Coralife ballast? I couldn't find anything!
Foreverlearnin
New member
I read the whole thing only to find out my bulb was never added! lol.
Thanks for all the work!
Thanks for all the work!
I have the 13K megachrome. I don't have aquaconnect or a 14K bulb.
fwiw: There are very few DE bulb manufacturers, a few special blends, and lots and lots of OEMs.
fwiw: There are very few DE bulb manufacturers, a few special blends, and lots and lots of OEMs.
Narkon
Premium Member
Traveller, do you think you could explain to me in layman terms what Comparison of PPFD, CCT, actually mean? I am trying to interpet (sp?) the charts and graphs in the PRODUCT REVIEW by SANJAY since he did the three bulbs I was choosing from (Radium, HIT (blv) 10K, Aq. Con 14K).
My setup is a standard 29 gal with one 150W DE in a Reef Optix III on an Icecap E-ballest. I currently have a BLV 10K on which seems a little to white for the eyes, since I only have one 24" URI VHO actinics on for supplementation.
But I am worried that if I switch to the Radium or the AC 14K that I will lose to much light for my SPS uptop.
My aquarium right now is mixed SPS (top half) to LPS (bottom half). I don't want to much light that hurts the LPS, but want it bright enough for my SPS.
any fwiw will be welcome.
My setup is a standard 29 gal with one 150W DE in a Reef Optix III on an Icecap E-ballest. I currently have a BLV 10K on which seems a little to white for the eyes, since I only have one 24" URI VHO actinics on for supplementation.
But I am worried that if I switch to the Radium or the AC 14K that I will lose to much light for my SPS uptop.
My aquarium right now is mixed SPS (top half) to LPS (bottom half). I don't want to much light that hurts the LPS, but want it bright enough for my SPS.
any fwiw will be welcome.
Narkon,Narkon said:
Think of PPFD as a way to measure/compare how much plant light is available for use. Higher number PPFD with the same amount of electricity(watts) consumed is normally a good thing
Think of CCT as a way to measure/compare the color of the light. A higher number typically indicates a more blue look to your eyes.
It is a bit more complex then that as you can see on the charts but for this discussion the above should be fine.
Based on the data Sanjay has posted (what I saw does not seem to deviate) you can expect to change your corals usable food producing lighting by:
-24% by switching from BLV10K to Aquaconnect 14K
-25% by switching from BLV10K to Radium
-44% by switching from BLV10K to BLV20K
fwiw1: If you want it more blue, I would likely go with the Aquaconnect or the Radium for output although I have not seen any "14K"s personally.
fwiw2: my 70g is the same depth and the LPS on the bottom had no trouble under BLV20K's. The clams were not happy though and I would suspect SPS at the bottom would not be happy either. In my case I mix the cheaper bulbs to get the color and performance I want with IC10K/BLV20K.
Hope that helps.
Narkon
Premium Member
Traveller have you seen a Radium in the 150W DE? Wondering if it looked much different than the 250W SE, or not.
My wife is picky, doen't want to blue, but would like more blue than what we have. Just haven't seen a radium, but I think best bet will be to buy one then later buy the other if she doesn't like the first.
All my SPS are at least within 10 inches from thier base to the water surface. But my frogspawn and maze brains get a nicer darker color in partial shade instead of full glare of the 10K, so wondering if the 10K is to bright.
My wife is picky, doen't want to blue, but would like more blue than what we have. Just haven't seen a radium, but I think best bet will be to buy one then later buy the other if she doesn't like the first.
All my SPS are at least within 10 inches from thier base to the water surface. But my frogspawn and maze brains get a nicer darker color in partial shade instead of full glare of the 10K, so wondering if the 10K is to bright.
I have not seen a Radium 250SE, but I have quite a few 400SE Radiums and I burned in and tested a 150DE Radium, they strike me as a bit purple when compared to Ushio/BLV/HIT 20Ks. Of course Radiums put out more PAR/PPFD IME.
I did not put the Radium 150DE over a tank and my IceCap ballasts are now in 70wt configuration, so I can't even try it for you at this point.
fwiw: You would likely be able to shift a too blue bulb toward white with a different daylight or 10K VHO, but then you would give up some of the actinic glow.
10K BLV may be too much for some if you want to know for sure drop down to the 20K and see what happens. Likely a cheaper experiment then the other bulbs.
I did not put the Radium 150DE over a tank and my IceCap ballasts are now in 70wt configuration, so I can't even try it for you at this point.
fwiw: You would likely be able to shift a too blue bulb toward white with a different daylight or 10K VHO, but then you would give up some of the actinic glow.
10K BLV may be too much for some if you want to know for sure drop down to the 20K and see what happens. Likely a cheaper experiment then the other bulbs.
Howdy moonpod. I hope all has been wellmoonpod said:
You've got a PM ;>)
Cheers.
So that is where my IC150 ballast went, oh wait a second, you loaned it to memoonpod said:
Thanks for sharing that, I won't rush to have one of my current 70wt IC's bumped up just to take pictures.
fwiw: The Radium fired and burned in on the M81 no problem.
Most excellent and extremely gracious of you my friendmoonpod said:
I'll turn it around quickly for you but will likely only pull data from M81, Blueline, and ARO ballasts. Don't have an available IC at the moment and the CV and Aromat are acting up.
Narkon
Premium Member
Thanks Moonpod for telling me that. That narrows my choices down.
Actually, Traveller did you try the BLV 20K and the MegaChrome 20K also?
I worry about losing to much usable light since Sanjay studies didn't cover it, as far as going from the BLV 10K to a MegaChrome 20K bulb.
I think I might go with the AC14K, but at that point am worried it will be to dark.
Moonpod, which one is darker visiually AC14K or MegaChrome 20K?
Actually, Traveller did you try the BLV 20K and the MegaChrome 20K also?
I worry about losing to much usable light since Sanjay studies didn't cover it, as far as going from the BLV 10K to a MegaChrome 20K bulb.
I think I might go with the AC14K, but at that point am worried it will be to dark.
Moonpod, which one is darker visiually AC14K or MegaChrome 20K?
I have a 1 year old MegaChrome 20K and multiple BLV20K's. At that point in time, their numbers were within' margin of error to consider them the same performers. Halide formulations since then may have changed but I doubt it.
Side by side the only 20K's I could pick out distinctly were the Radium, Iwasaki (50K), and just barely the CV20K.
Side by side the only 20K's I could pick out distinctly were the Radium, Iwasaki (50K), and just barely the CV20K.
Narkon
Premium Member
Traveller would you think of loaning me the Megachrome 20k to see what it looks like, and moonpad would you mind if I seen the AC 14K?
Would be cheaper I think if they were both at ravellers first, then sent to me, thats even if you two go with the idea.
That way I can show my wife what they will look like and let her decide on which one she likes the look of, and just deal with slower growth if that is what happens.
Would be cheaper I think if they were both at ravellers first, then sent to me, thats even if you two go with the idea.
That way I can show my wife what they will look like and let her decide on which one she likes the look of, and just deal with slower growth if that is what happens.
Narkon,
It is not as simple as you might think, the age, burn in process, shipping, etc., all shift coloration a bit. If you liked one and went to buy a new one, it would not be the same color as mine and you are back to a POW (****ed of wife).
In addition, this is one of the few times of year I have time to play with these tests and need to check what the loss was over the last year.
Bottom line: my bulbs are tied up until January and personally I would avoid getting caught up in the perfect lighting debate or you'll drive yourself crazy
It is not as simple as you might think, the age, burn in process, shipping, etc., all shift coloration a bit. If you liked one and went to buy a new one, it would not be the same color as mine and you are back to a POW (****ed of wife).
In addition, this is one of the few times of year I have time to play with these tests and need to check what the loss was over the last year.
Bottom line: my bulbs are tied up until January and personally I would avoid getting caught up in the perfect lighting debate or you'll drive yourself crazy
Similar threads
