400W XM 20K Shots FTS please.
- Thread starter SunnyX
- Start date
normanviking
New member
Where can you get the LumenarcIII reflector at? And how much?
SunnyX
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7527968#post7527968 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ceak
Sunny - with all this you just might convince me!
It's either two XMs on M59s and LA3s or a single Radium on HQI and Lumenmax. My tank is a 40x40 cube so it's not easy
Ceak, I ran 20K XM's on my old 120gl and abosolutly loved them. Coral was amazing but growth was moderate. Growth was moderate due to the bulbs being run on a 250W E-ballast.
Now with 400W I think this will be the perfect combo.
As for Radium vs XM20K, the spectral chart on Sanjays site shows that the two bulbs are almost identical. The XM20K appears to have higher spikes in the Blue range.
Basically why pay more money then you have to?
normanviking
New member
Sweet. Thanks for the link. I did a search for them also. I found a place that sells them a little cheaper.
http://www.thereefstop.com/catalog/products_new.php?osCsid=f25ec13c9b6a515eeab26ed071d6091e
http://www.thereefstop.com/catalog/products_new.php?osCsid=f25ec13c9b6a515eeab26ed071d6091e
Justin/TiV
New member
Thats what I was thinking about doing, I think the 20k's might be a bit too blue for me...but I can always throw one of my 50/50 vho's back on...I like the color of 14k....but here nothing good about par off of them...my 10k's are not blue enough for me, I liked them at first...but not now
Justin/TiV
New member
ahh...well I'm running 250w SE xm 10k, not 400w
thanx
Horace
New member
This is one of the best tanks (240g) in the country, and it is lit by 4x400w XM 20k, 2x110 VHO SA, 2x54w T5 B+. Freggin amazing colors!
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v467/gqjeff/jeffs reef/
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v467/gqjeff/jeffs reef/
If I were to go with only one MH it would probably be a Radium since it's brighter than the XM. But like you said if I have 1 MH then I will most likely need to add some VHOs and then the total amount of watts, heat and total cost would be very similar to having two XMs on Luminarcs... So the latter sounds easier
What do you mean by stagger? The tank is 40 wide so two LA3s would fit perfectly, I also though I could have them in a slight angle so that both direct more ligth towards the middle of the tank and less on the sides...what do you think?
SunnyX
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7528885#post7528885 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ceak
If I were to go with only one MH it would probably be a Radium since it's brighter than the XM. But liek yuo said if I have 1 MH then i will most likely add some VHOs and then the total amoun of watts and Heat and costs would be very similar to two XMs on Luminarcs... So the later sounds easier
What do you mean by staggering? the tank is 40 wide so two LA3s will fit perfectly, I also though I could maybe have them in a slight angle so that both direct more ligth towards the middle and less on the sides...what do you think?
I dont think the cost of replaceing Radium bulbs every 5-6 months is worth the extra 19 PAR you get out of them.
I was thinking maybe you could stagger tem something like this, but maybe a little closer to each other.
[_]......
.......[_]
Best thing to do is run two Lumenarcs side by side and keep SPS in the back 2/3rds of the tank.
SunnyX
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7529152#post7529152 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ceak
Which is basically the way you have yours...
I'm leaning heavily towards this option...
Its worked great for me so I am sure it can work great for you too.
I've taken all the guess work out of it for you.
SunnyX
New member
Ok I hooked up the lights and fired them up. Took the pics when the bulbs were on for 10 Min. I expect the bulbs to burn a bit whiter within the next week or so.
Here is a pic of 10K XM
And here is a pic of 20K XM
I have not adjusted white balance yet to the pic appears much more blue than it really is. I will play with my camera some more to get it to portray the correct colors.
Here is a pic of 10K XM
And here is a pic of 20K XM
I have not adjusted white balance yet to the pic appears much more blue than it really is. I will play with my camera some more to get it to portray the correct colors.
143gadgets
New member
I have been watching this thread and I am trying to decide between Radiums and XMs. I am going to be using 250w Icecaps to run them though. I am not concerned with par, because they both have about the same par that my 14Ks put out (the radium puts out just a bit more). I am more concerned about getting awseome coloration. I can't wait to see the pics when u get that white balance set. Thanks for the useful info.
