Bulb for Frag Tank

[Bullet]

Which bulb would be the best for color and growth for a 20gal frag tank with a 175wt MH over it? It is a SE PFO ballast if that make a difference. I don't care about looks.

 

[mwood]

1st choice: Iwasaki 14k high par and 14-15k color
2nd choice: xm10k high par and 10k color

Slight difference in source of blue purple color. Iwasaki has a spike in the blue spectrum. Xm10k has a lot of purple and less blue.

 

[Bullet]

So this one?:

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...&Product_Code=14K-175IW&Category_Code=mh-175w

or this one?:

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...&Product_Code=10k-175XM&Category_Code=mh-175w

 

[mwood]

yup. The Iwasaki costs more, but has slightly higher par and a 14-15k look. Some say it looks white without actinics, no yellow. The xm costs less, but may look a little yellow.

 

[mwood]

http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe....avelength=400&Maxwavelength=700&Submit=Submit

 

[Bullet]

Is there a chart or something that you get this information from?

 

[mwood]

The link above. www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com Sanjay from Penstate tests lamps and posts results. PPFD is PAR. CCT is the corralated color tempature, but maxes out past 15k. 20k's never show up. The spectral irradiance is like light output. The wavelenght is as follows.
red 780-622
orange 622-597
yellow 597-577
green 577-492
blue 492-455
violet 455-390

Marcus

 

[Covey]

What about the good old Iwasaki 6500K bubl I thought that was the growth king.

 

[mwood]

No blue light. There may be a lack of color in the corals per the last meeting with Mike. He showed examples were a coral grown under blue light colored up better than one under 6.5k. Plus, there would be less color spectrum shock going from a 15k light to a 20k light when he moves a frag to his main tank.

 

[Double-J]

could also try a coralvue reflux 10k or 12k. I'm not sure if they make a 175watt. I have a 10k 250 over my prop and Happy with it.

 

[Bullet]

I ordered the XM 10K and it does not run. Anyone know how to tell what type of POF ballast I have?

Here is what XM told me:

"Bob,
> XM 175W lamp is designed to operate using ANSI M57 ballast.
> We have heard using a pulse start lamp ballast may have this problem
> of lamp coming on and then going off. This is not isolated to XM but
> others also.
>
> You can certainly return the lamp to us and we can check it for you
> and if necessary send you a replacement. It is important that your
> ballast is an ANSI M57."

This is the ballast that I have:

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=PF1412

 

[Coralfreak]

There is no reason that bulb should not run on that ballast.

 

[Bullet]

So the ballast I have is an ANSI M57?

 

[Coralfreak]

I believe so, its a standard ballast, which XM's run on. What they are referring to is an "HQI" ballast which you dont have. I have the same ballast, but 400W, and it will run XM's.

 

[mwood]

Who did you get the bulb from? You could get a replacement quicker through the vendor.

 

[Bullet]

I got it from premium aquatics. I am going to call them to see if they will just take it back and they can deal with XM so I do not have to and they can send me a replacement.

 

[mwood]

PA is awesome. I think the guy's name is Jeff. He really helped me out on a ballast and should just replace it. You might go through some steps to validate it's the bulb before calling. Try a different bulb, check the wiring, try a different ballast with that bulb, depends on what you have available to you.

 

[Bullet]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7328824#post7328824 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mwood
PA is awesome. I think the guy's name is Jeff. He really helped me out on a ballast and should just replace it. You might go through some steps to validate it's the bulb before calling. Try a different bulb, check the wiring, try a different ballast with that bulb, depends on what you have available to you.

I have tried it all except for the ballast. I do not have another 175 watter.

I have not been happy with premium lately. I have called like 3 times in the past few weeks and I always get the answering machine...and they never call back. That is unlike them. Then I made an internet order on a Sunday night and I forgot something. So I called to add to it in the morning and they told me that I could not add to it even though it still had not been shipped yet. Again...not like them! I hope I have a better experience next time or I will start using Marine Depot again. I just like premium because I get everything in 2 days.

 

[bgreenlee]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7328957#post7328957 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bullet
I have tried it all except for the ballast. I do not have another 175 watter.

I have not been happy with premium lately. I have called like 3 times in the past few weeks and I always get the answering machine...and they never call back. That is unlike them. Then I made an internet order on a Sunday night and I forgot something. So I called to add to it in the morning and they told me that I could not add to it even though it still had not been shipped yet. Again...not like them! I hope I have a better experience next time or I will start using Marine Depot again. I just like premium because I get everything in 2 days.

I got a little bent at them for not being there at IMAC the morning that I was leaving. I waited around a full hour and no one showed up. Jay is making it right with me though, he is shipping my order free of charge and carrying over the discount from IMAC.

Shame it is so far, you could try it on my ballast, I know its an M57 for sure.

 

[mwood]

If you continue to have issues you could post on their forum. IMO, that is why it is here. They exist for the customer and should be more than willing to make things right. They have no reason to upset a customer and should want to correct any issues. Good luck.