Lets talk about lighting an SPS tank

[MiddletonMark]

They are interesting charts for those insights - which IMO are valid.

It's also interesting to see how places that look quite close to each other might actually have quite different readings too.

It's when I compare that tank to mine when it's not worth the pixels it's printed on, which we all seem to agree.

 

[Mchava]

true since everyonce tank and aquascape is difrent but if we take a look at how each bulbs rating change in one tank is give more of a perpective of how one bulb is diferent from the other if you know what i meen.

 

[AcroSteve]

Someone (Steve Tyree?), suggested that you can get a year out of some bulb by having it on for 8 hours a day at the beginning of the year and extending that out to 12 hours towards the end.

Implies that increasing the hours can make up for loss of PAR. Also lower hours at start means it takes longer to lose the PAR in the first place.

Any more information on this?

Does the rate of PAR reduction during the life of the bulb occur at the same rate of color shift, or vise-versa?

Is the PAR reduction strictly linear over the life of the bulb? What about the color shift?

 

[MiddletonMark]

That's a good question. I think his point was that you're providing them the same amount of photons, though over a different amount of time.

As for how many, I know Sanjay has some stuff written - but mainly on wattages/bulbs I don't run. But a PAR meter would ... working on getting one for our reef club to rent out to members.

 

[krootk22]

i use 2 175 w MH 14k bulbs with 2 96 w PC blue over my SPS tank. it's time to change to new bulbs. would 175 w 10k bulbs increase the growth with out loosing much color? which 10k's are the best?

 

[NuclearReefs]

10k ushio's are getting the best results in my opinion.....in the 175watters.... if it was 250 watters it would have to be the XM 10's

 

[RedEyeReef]

Just to throw in my 2 cents here. I just put a Sun Aquatics 14K over my reef to test after reading Sanjay's last artical. Not because of the PAR, it was low, but because of the hugh spectrum peaks in 450nm and 420nm. I don't care about growth, just color. I have more growth then I know what to do with. The bulb has been up for few days now and I am very impressed. It flouresce my SPS almost as much as when my VHO actinics are on and still has the hugh 450nm blue peak. The best part is my pink bird nest and yellow SPS still look their color. I can't wait to see if it still looks this good in a few weeks and month. Oh did I mention the price?

 

[NuclearReefs]

i use 2 175 w MH 14k bulbs with 2 96 w PC blue over my SPS tank. it's time to change to new bulbs. would 175 w 10k bulbs increase the growth with out loosing much color? which 10k's are the best?

Red Eye,, good points and i love the color on those 14k's.. but as he was saying , he was looking for more growth..eventally the fragging will begin,, hehe!..


Nathan

 

[RedEyeReef]

Sorry, tracking to many threads and forgot the theme of this one.

 

[krootk22]

easy to do.....

 

[NuclearReefs]

What were we talking about again? ...LOL

 

[krootk22]

not sure??

 

[NuclearReefs]

So back to the thread. How many people have seen the new XM 10K bulb. Im reading and reading great things over this bulb, Especially with the higher PAR rating that this bulb delivers.I have a 20k 400 Watter over a prop tank and I dont like the color by itself. Im leaning towards getting Supplemental tubes off my tanks and going with halides with 20k's as supplementals. This 10k bulb is teasing me enough to switch out my 6500 iwasaki .. ( I never thought I would replace a single halide system with another bulb )

Thoughts on these 10K bulbs?

 

[rbattle]

I have the XM 10K's and I love them. I also have an Iwasaki that I run over a fuge. They are all 400's. I really really like the color of the 10K's. The Iwasaki, with blue plus supplement, is still a very good color, but the 10K's with blue plus's look incredible. I have seen Ushio's, AB's, and XM 20K's, and I like the 10K XM bulbs with blue plus supp than any other combination.

Rush

 

[NuclearReefs]

thanks Rbattle....... Im thinking im gonna give one a try,,,

 

[Ereefic]

I have the 250w 10k SE XM's and love them. I am using them without actinic's (will add them soon though). The color is a nice crisp white nice and bright. I'm getting great colors with them.

We are also running a 250w DE Ushio 10k on a different tank and these XM's look alot brighter.

I would say give them a shot. It's gotta be more pleasing to look at then the Iwasaki's and PAR isn't that much different (in the 250w version).

 

[rbattle]

I forgot to say that I think I am going to try running the Iwasaki's on my next blub change. As I said before, I tried the Iwasaki on my tank, and it did look a little more green, but I liked it as well. If you try the 10K's out, Nuclear, I would love for you to post your thoughts on it versus the Iwasaki. I havent had time to let the Iwasaki burn in all the way, and my 10K's are getting old.

Rush

 

[fishdoc11]

I would do a search and see the problems people have had with the 10k XM's. They claimed to have fixed it but I saw someone post just a couple of days ago that they had the same problems. I know some people that are very happy with the XM's but I know some people that have been burned, myself included. They are not worth the risk IMO with the money we have invested in these tanks.
Chris

 

[Ereefic]

Just remember that you'll hear alot more bad about something than you will good.

For the price, there worth a shot. Just get them from a reputable source so if there is problems, you know they'll take care of you. Worst case, you have problems and return them and get something else.

Best case, you have no problems and love these bulbs. If you like a crisp white look, try them. If you don't, don't.

 

[MiddletonMark]

Else I would suggest trying them side by side maybe. I'm about 5 months into my se xm10k 175 with a hamilton 10k running next to it - installed within a month of each other. I like how the hamilton appears to last, but the xm seemed brighter and with a slight more blue for the first month or two.

Total anecdote. I'll probably stick with the Ushios or Hamiltons I have next time, though I have no complains with the XM.