finally about to purchas lights!

[ghostrida3]

i finally have the money to buy light setup for my 125 sps tank.
these are my choices, 3 250 watt halide pulse start or probe, 3 400 watt probe start halides. which will be best? 250s or 400s, pulse or probe? my tank is 24inchs deep.

 

[TXStateUnivReef]

since you are doing sps i would go with the 400 watt because your PAR rating on the lights is gonna be higher which means that your intensity of light all the way down to the sand will be real good so you will get better growth w/ proper supplementation

 

[ghostrida3]

thanks, i figured i just wanted to be sure before i did it cuz ime broker than most. plus i dont wanna do 400s if i dont have to b/cus of heat issues.

 

[GSMguy]

i dont think you really need 400s 250 10ks would be fine.

 

[ghostrida3]

so u think 3 250 se bulbs can get me enough light to grow sps and clams, even on the sand bed?

 

[GSMguy]

yes especially if you get good reflectors reflectors are key

 

[ghostrida3]

ime gettin from hello lights. their retro fit kits, do u think their refletors are sufficient?

 

[ghostrida3]

they look to be the curved kinds that are open on the ends. i cant afford the lumenarcs.

 

[GSMguy]

the lumenarcs would give you about 2and a half times the light and help it penetrate and spread

 

[GSMguy]

you will be fine without them though

 

[ghostrida3]

i wanted to go all halides w/ out flourecents to supplement, will 2 10ks and 1 20k se probe starts be good?

 

[aninjaatemyshoe]

Definately go with the 250s. When you've got both in reflectors, 400W MH is only a very marginal increase in PAR over 250W MH. The reason for this is that 400W bulbs are less efficient and the reflectors do not work as well because the bulbs are so big.

Probe or pulse, it doesn't matter in terms of light output, it just has to do with how the bulbs are ignited. From the bulb selection Hellolights gives you, I would choose the following based on your color preference:
-more yellow, but excellent growth: 2x XM 10000K, 1x Iwasaki 6500K
-balanced color, good growth: 2x XM 10000K, 1x XM 20000K
-fairly blue, ok growth: 1x XM 10000K, 2x XM 20000K

Don't bother with the XM 15000K's as they don't but out as much as the 10000K's or the 20000K's.

 

[ghostrida3]

man thanks, do u know any cheaper spots for the bulbs themselves? once again ime broke. at least broke enough to spend gas money on my reef.

 

[GSMguy]

-balanced color, good growth: 2x XM 10000K, 1x XM 20000K
this one sound good to me

 

[ghostrida3]

THANKS GSM GUY AND ALL OTHERS!!!

 

[BreadmanMike]

I would go with three 400w 20k XM's on probe start ballasts. You will get good growth and color.

The tank will be too yellow with no actinics and 10k XM's, even if you put the 20k in the middle.

JMO...

 

[ghostrida3]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9819843#post9819843 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Aquaticman74
I would go with three 400w 20k XM's on probe start ballasts. You will get good growth and color.

The tank will be too yellow with no actinics and 10k XM's, even if you put the 20k in the middle.

JMO...

so u think the 3 250s will not be enough?

 

[BreadmanMike]

They would be plenty, but I doubt you will like having a yellow reef tank with some blue in the middle. 10k xm's are yellow.

I would choose different bulbs for the 250's or go with 400's.

 

[ghostrida3]

what kind of setup would look good and help me maximize growth? also have u tried any of the cheap ebay bulbs?

 

[BreadmanMike]

I can't comment on the ebay bulbs. I've never used them before.

I would just do three 20k XM's. The par isn't that bad for the 250's, but is really good for the 400's.