250's or 400's

[marine_freak]

Ok I have to get in the mix..... I run 2 400 watt Radium 20k's on a dual pfo HQI ballast. My sump is plumbed into a very cool dark basement...... I have 4 muffin fans in my canopy and open on top my temp never fluctuates greater than 77.8-79.0.... the colors are very nice and plenty bright... all my corals love it and my tank is 22" tall. As for electric bill, I have come to the conclusion that everything in the sps business that is worth while will cost a lot of money...... I vote 400 watt SE Radiums and I change mine every 6 months.

 

[exoticaquatix]

another 400 watt owner here. i have to say that at times (when the power bill comes) i wish i had gone with a 250 but the rest of the time i love knowing that i can run a 20k bulb on my 65 and not have to mess around with supplemental actinics. i only have one ballast to plug in, route wires for, hide ect. when i get some moon lights ill be able to enjoy my tank after the halide goes out and ill have no complaints.....well aside from the heat.
when i upgrade to a 120 i think im going to go with 2 x 250 DE 10 or 14k and 2 x 54 watt actinics. ill get comparable color and PAR from what i gather and a relativly low jump in wattage.
-nick

 

[crb10]

ok so what reflectors do you guys recommend and also, i dont dont like the real blue look so are 14k 400w cool? sorry for all the questions i just want to get this right!

 

[Horace]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7346239#post7346239 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MiddletonMark
Seen JB NY's tank/photos?
Doesn't use as much photoshopping.

Or does he use green and blue sand?

First off his sand is not even real sand, its epoxy so it is reflecting the colors that are around it. This guy lives just up the road from me and in person the tank is every bit as spectacular as these pictures show and then some. Before you accuse somone of photoshopping I suggest you atleast know something about the tank.

Yes I have seen JB NY's pictures. Definitely spectacular! Is it as good as GQJeff's tank? I really cant say, I have never seen JB's in person, but I doubt it is any better....is it equal? Perhaps, but frankly IMO the color Jeff gets is pretty much as good as it gets.

Yes he does use Zeovit, and every zeo product for that matter. There is a hell of alot going on in this tank for sure. But given that lighting is one of the top 3 essentials to SPS, the 400w XM 20ks are certainly getting the job done.

Now am I sold 100% on just using 400w??? Im not so sure yet. I really would hate to give up the dusk/dawn effect by going pure 400w that is only on for 8 hours and no actinics.

Currently I run 6x54w T5 and its plenty bright and I am pretty certain I am getting more than enough PAR as it is.

Truth be told, I dont know what to do. What ever it is I wont be changing right away. I just ordered a new set of T5s including the UV Super Actinincs so that may change my whole view on switching to halide. I have a few more things that I want to tweak on my system and see the results before I do somethign hasty and order a new set of halides.

 

[ReeferMonkey]

I feel your pain. I'm setting up a 36Lx24Wx18H ~60g system this month and have been wrestling with the lighting decision. I've currently got a 250W L3Mini w/ a 10K CVR on my 20L and considered just swapping over the L3Mini and putting a T5 rig or something on the 20L (soon to be prop).

However, a local guy has a L3 with a 400W HQI ballast and I've thought about going Radiums. I really wanted 2 lamps on the 60g to get more even growth (eliminating 1-point-source growth patterns) but... the equipment cost is a bit higher for the 2x250W (either in Lumenarc or LumenMax reflectors) and electricity is about the same. I can't decide

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7347234#post7347234 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by diver_ua
RichConley

But 2 bulbs are not enough for long tank. There is big shadow zone.

length 52"
high 22"

I run 2x250W XM10K's in Lumenarc III reflectors on my 225gl(60Lx36Wx24H) and it is more then enough light for color and growth. Before running the Lumenarc's I ran 3xReef Optix's III reflectors and I still didnt have the same coverage as the Lumenarc's.

For supplemental Light I run 3x140W VHO's(2xSuper Actinic, 1xActinic White)

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7377066#post7377066 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReeferMonkey
I feel your pain. I'm setting up a 36Lx24Wx18H ~60g system this month and have been wrestling with the lighting decision. I've currently got a 250W L3Mini w/ a 10K CVR on my 20L and considered just swapping over the L3Mini and putting a T5 rig or something on the 20L (soon to be prop).

However, a local guy has a L3 with a 400W HQI ballast and I've thought about going Radiums. I really wanted 2 lamps on the 60g to get more even growth (eliminating 1-point-source growth patterns) but... the equipment cost is a bit higher for the 2x250W (either in Lumenarc or LumenMax reflectors) and electricity is about the same. I can't decide

A single Lumenarc III with a 250w bulb will be enough for that size tank.

 

[SunnyX]

Along with the length of my tank, consider that my tank is 3FT WIDE.

Even with that width I still have great coverage.

 

[SaraB]

Not trying to steal the thread, but I will be setting up a 225 gallon (72Lx24Wx30H) tank as well and have this same lighting question ... 250 DE's or 400 DE's or maybe a combo of both (2-250's and 1-400 center)? I saw the 225 tank running 3-250's in a single lighting combo system and was not pleased with the darkness in the tank. Maybe with better reflectors (luminarc's) the 250's would be okay? Also getting HQI ballasts should help?

Sara

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7377930#post7377930 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sara B
Not trying to steal the thread, but I will be setting up a 225 gallon (72Lx24Wx30H) tank as well and have this same lighting question ... 250 DE's or 400 DE's or maybe a combo of both (2-250's and 1-400 center)? I saw the 225 tank running 3-250's in a single lighting combo system and was not pleased with the darkness in the tank. Maybe with better reflectors (luminarc's) the 250's would be okay? Also getting HQI ballasts should help?

Sara

3x250W in Lumenarc III's will be fine.

Sunlight Supply and PGS will have new DE units within the next week or so.

 

[blstravler]

This is my old 120 with 2 400w 20K XM's.

I have since upgraded to a 180, I started with 3 400 watt 20K XM's. I got good growth but everything was purple/blue. I recently moved to 400 watt 10K Ushio's. With the 10K's even though it has not been that long the devrisity of colors in my tank has greatly imporved, I know have pinks and red's and baby blues that I never had before.

 

[ReeferMonkey]

SunnyX, why do you have to be the voice of reason? But I waaaaaaant a 400W (why, I'm not sure...)

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7378034#post7378034 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReeferMonkey
SunnyX, why do you have to be the voice of reason? But I waaaaaaant a 400W (why, I'm not sure...)

I am the last person to me the voice of reason, my life is full of excess.
Honestly the only reason to go 400W would be if you were going to run Radiums or XM 20K's.

I waaaaaaant all T5's over my setup but I KNOW that I dont need them. :mixed:

 

[SaraB]

Thanks SunnyX. Can you run DE's with the Luminarc III's or just SE's?

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7378141#post7378141 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sara B
Thanks SunnyX. Can you run DE's with the Luminarc III's or just SE's?

SE's only in the Lumenarc III's.

In a week or so the DE versions by Sunlight Supply and PGS should be available.

So if you want to continue to use DE then I would suggest you pre-order the reflectors.

 

[J4Life]

Well I don't know how much value I will add to this thread, but I am having a hard time understanding why anyone would want to run the 400 watt MH's in the first place. It sounds to me that they basically have some big issues to deal with in terms of:

Cost, heating, par, and replacing to often. To me that just doesn't make much sense but then again my tank isn't deeper than 30 inches.

I recently switched from running 6, URI VHO's on two IceCap 660 ballasts and I got great coloring and moderate growth with any coral that I put into my 75 gallon tank.

Now I am running 2, 250 - SE, XM's 10k with 2 - 110 watt URI Super Actinic R's and I think that my growth rate is off the chart and coloration is even better. The best part is that I have them 4 inches from the top of the water and I DO NOT see any significant heating from them. Granted my hood is an open canopy design with 2 - 4-1/2 inch fans. I think I could ditch the fans and I would be just fine.

Here are some recent pics of my 75 gallon:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=840751

When I go to a larger tank, probably a 180 for me I plan on using the same setup. I feel confident that the XM's with the VHO suppl. will match anything out there. Plus I don't know about the rest of you but I like cost efficiency. In other words "Bargain Basement reefing":lol:

On the subject of bulb replacement how often does everyone replace their MH's. I was thinking every 12 months based on 8 hours a day.

Thanks,
Bill

 

[MiddletonMark]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7377066#post7377066 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReeferMonkey
I really wanted 2 lamps on the 60g to get more even growth (eliminating 1-point-source growth patterns) but... the equipment cost is a bit higher for the 2x250W (either in Lumenarc or LumenMax reflectors) and electricity is about the same. I can't decide

In your case ... I vote 2 MH, love having the pair on my tank. So many ways to experiment with lighting

Esp if you don't have a center brace - I'll often run 6 or 7 of each - but that can be staggered over a 10 hour day so I can view the tank longer. [only a few hours in the middle with both on]
Similarly, with two you can mix up bulbs. I've become a fan of mixing two halides - 10k and 14 or 20k for the best of all worlds. With 36" ... the bulbs spread into each other, the central area's corals get light from everywhere. I really like how that works, though when I ran just a single MH I had the crummiest reflector ever and that no doubt plays a part.

For the intensity, I'm honestly thinking about swapping one out for the 175w I have in the basement. If the water is clear - you don't need to nuke 'em IMO. [esp if using a good reflector as you are that bounces most of the light actually into the tank]

Just my take on your predicament.

 

[prop-frags]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7378151#post7378151 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SunnyX
In a week or so the DE versions by Sunlight Supply and PGS should be available.

GREAT NEWS! I've been waiting!!

 

[diver_ua]

I have 120g (22H), but I can't buy VHO bulbs in my LFS. I use 2x150 10K + 2x38 actinics now and I don't like my setup (very dark and yellow). I'm palning to start SPS tank.

Please advice me which bulbs I need to buy?

 

[Stoney Mahony]

So what do you think, 2 x 400w 20k XM on my 55 wide? I think it looks good .

It's a young tank, but the colors are poppin!