I need some light recommendations....

[Osteomata]

Bear with me, long story: Every year my family asks for XMAS recommendations for me, and every year I have a hard time coming up with anything better than gift certificates. I have become that guy: The family member who is too hard to shop for. Now I have picked up this reef hobby, and it should be easy, right? Wrong. I buy most of my equipment used, and I wouldn't trust a neophyte to buy my livestock. But I really need to provide some gift ideas, especially to my Mom, and I really want to upgrade my light. So...

Can some of you make a SPECIFIC recommendation regarding a 150 and/or 250 DE MH light? (Not sure what wattage I am going with yet) The light will be incorporated into my 54G Corner hood. Either a retro kit or pendant. I selected DE since they seem to be more compact, and the corner hoods don't have a lot of wiggle room. I have PC actinics to use with the MH. Specific manufacturer and model would be greatly appreciated. If you want to break it down and just give a recommendation for a ballast, or the pendant, or a bulb, or reflector, that would be fine as well. Thanks.

 

[bawla47]

what are you looking to get out of the lights?

sps
growth
color
lps/softies?

 

[Osteomata]

bawla47,
My primary concern would be color. I plan on keeping softies, LPS, zoas. I don't intend to do a lot of SPS, but I suspect I will want to do a couple of the less difficult ones.

 

[r00onmac]

illuming.com is where i got my kit... works great. small retrofit style and the pheonix 14k is a killer color...

 

[ek9vboi]

For LPS/softies you don't need so much of MH, but if you can I don't see why not. IMO corner tanks and light configurations are a little bit more tricky. I would go with 250 MH, either VHOs, T5s, or even PCs for actinics. PCs is the standard in lighting.

 

[bawla47]

id prob go with the 250, to plan ahead, too many people wished they went with 250s from the start.

you could run either a 14 or 20k bulb. with 20s you shouldnt need any actinic supplementation.

go with a good reflector, if you have the room, lumenarc reflectors are the best of the best.

zoos look killer under 20k lighting, but youll lose out on alot of natural colors. especially pinks and deep reds from certain colors that 10ks really bring out.

anyhow hths a bit.

Jaymie

 

[Osteomata]

Thanks for the input. Limited consensus is go with the 250 MH. And one specific recommendation for Luminarc reflectors.

I am also giving serious consideration to T5s in order to limit heat problems. Its harder to do T5s on a corner tank, but looks like I can fit 192 watts of T5s with good reflectors over the tank. Man I need to make a decision on this soon.