250w DE BULB FEEDBACK "POLL"
- Thread starter jmc74
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rogergolf66
im an addict lol
I am ordering today 4 T5HO overdriven by icecap balist cant wait.
Roger
Roger
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10446498#post10446498 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Nuuze
Hmmm, that's going to be a difficult one for me too when it comes time to replace bulbs!
So for 250w from looking Sanjay's site the XM 10k has the highest par of 95. What is average par for SPS that is not too much light?
I would like to go to a bluer bulb than 10k but afraid of loosing par.
If yoo look some more I think you will find that there are higher par bulbs than the XM 10000K. For 10000K and up, check the Giesemann and the Aqualine Buschke. They are among the highest I believe.
Lighting is alot more complicated than Par alone. I'm not an expert but the reflector, the ballast, the bulb and the installation of it all is atleast as important than the bulb choice. A bulb with a Par of 70 with a good reflector may very well kick the butt of a bulb with a par of 100 in a crappy reflector in terms of uniform light coverage. Yeah, the 100 PPFD bulb is brighter in the hot spot but with the poor reflector it may not come close to the lower par bulb in terms of distributing light throughout the tank.
Nuuze
New member
That's where I run into a little confusion.
The ballasts I am using is the ACLS ballasts from Sfiligoi so I guessed on comparing it to IC since both are electronic.
My light fixture is the Sfiligoi XR4 with lumenarc like reflectors.
So I wouldn't mind going to a bluer bulb like the Helios but want the growth of a 10k. But 10k will be fine also since I have 4-54w T5 actinics. Also I noticed price jumps on some brands too.
The ballasts I am using is the ACLS ballasts from Sfiligoi so I guessed on comparing it to IC since both are electronic.
My light fixture is the Sfiligoi XR4 with lumenarc like reflectors.
So I wouldn't mind going to a bluer bulb like the Helios but want the growth of a 10k. But 10k will be fine also since I have 4-54w T5 actinics. Also I noticed price jumps on some brands too.
rogergolf66
im an addict lol
Yes I am going to use my T5's as actinics and change my halides to 10K
Roger
Roger
jmc74
Premium Member
they made no difference now that I have the phoenix 14k, my crappy actinics are "ACTINIC BLUE" and i get the same color with and without them, so im patiently waiting for a set of 4 True Actinic 03 420nm, that was going to arrive FRIDAY
, and still has not arrived. that is my only hope...also i decied to turn off the actinics "the crappyones" because it made no diference, except I was running 220w more electricity, just for nothing :hmm5:
That makes sense, on eballasts those Geisemann and AB's would drop in par. And they are pricey.
You have 4 T5's so you should have plenty of light no matter what Halides you choose. I would be inclined to pick a halide based on color instead of looking for the highest par bulb.
You are in a good situation with the 4 T5's so you shouldnt need the highest par bulb you can find. I found that its much easier to get a look to the tank that I liked by using a bulb with a slightly blue (or actinic) tint. I was running 4 T5's and two 250 watt DE's and could get just about any thing I wanted with something like a Reeflux (10K or 12K) with a bit of a blue tint. It wasnt nearly as easy (and I was limited) with a bulb that had no blue at all or a tinge of yellow. And ... You can still find some good par in some of the white bulbs with just a hint of blue. Like the Reeflux 10000K or the IceCap 10000K (if IceCap has gotten them distributed yet). But then again, everyones idea of enough blue is different.
I switched reflectors to Lumenmax and lost two T5's because of the width of the reflectors. I put the 2 T5's on IceCap 660 but it's not like having 4 T5's. It was nice to have the flexibility for color of those extra 2 T5's. I can still blue up the halides easy enough with the 2 overdriven T5's but dont quite have the subtle color options. Like I said, just my opinion but I would be looking for a bulb with decent par going for color more than screaming output. Your 4 T5's should allow you to do that easily. Plus, the pcitures I have seen of your tanks with the lighting ... it looks like you have more than enough light. Maybe it's the pictures but your tank looks super bright.
When I ran Iwasaki 150 watt DE 50000K's I used 2 UVL Super Actinic, 1 ATI Blue + and 1 Geisemann Aquablue special.
With Reeflux DE 10000K 250 watt It was 2 Super Actinic and 2 Blue plus.
Same combo with IceCap 250 watt DE 10000K and with Aqualine 10000 150 watt DE
Right now I am running 2 Reeflux 12000K 250 watt with 1 UVL Super actinic and 1 ATI Blue + ... The T5's are on IceCap 660. They were on standard HO ballasts when I ran 4.
The Reeflux 12000K's still arent broken in yet so it may change.
With Reeflux DE 10000K 250 watt It was 2 Super Actinic and 2 Blue plus.
Same combo with IceCap 250 watt DE 10000K and with Aqualine 10000 150 watt DE
Right now I am running 2 Reeflux 12000K 250 watt with 1 UVL Super actinic and 1 ATI Blue + ... The T5's are on IceCap 660. They were on standard HO ballasts when I ran 4.
The Reeflux 12000K's still arent broken in yet so it may change.
rogergolf66
im an addict lol
I think he ment 5K I hope 50K it may as well be a black light 
Roger
Roger
Nuuze
New member
Do you think I should use 2 UVL Super Actinic, 1 ATI Blue + and 1 Geisemann Aquablue combo along with 10k's? Reason why I'm thinking of using the Geisemann Aquablue combo is because on some hot days I do not use the halide and some days I have the usual actinic - halide - actinic photoperiod but with no actinics while the halides are on.
Nuuze
New member
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rogergolf66
im an addict lol
link is dead didn't go anywhere.
Roger
Roger
rogergolf66
im an addict lol
Wow didnt' know they made 50K it does say that it is not a blue as exspected it is compared to a 15K.
Roger
Roger
I may be new to this and all but I like my Hamilton's of course I'm using the DE's but I like the color. Makes everything pretty, I'm even thinking of just going without my VHO's or maybe switching them over to T5's. I don't know yet. I'm still new so I'm still learning but I do like color and the colors in my tank right now are very bright and pretty.
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