RedEyeReef
Active member
JB NY said:
JB NY, are you still running the XM 10K's? And are you supplementing with Actinic?
Lets talk about lighting an SPS tank
- Thread starter JB NY
- Start date
JB NY, are you still running the XM 10K's? And are you supplementing with Actinic?
woowoodengy
Upgrading my 20gal
i have 2 250 aqualine 10k and the color is not that good i am new to sps does anybody use these bulbs? should i switch to 14k? what kind? mine are mogul.
when i go to get sps they are butiful when i bring them home they only look nice when i turn off the mh bulbs and have the atinics running.
please help a newbie to sps.
when i go to get sps they are butiful when i bring them home they only look nice when i turn off the mh bulbs and have the atinics running.
please help a newbie to sps.
JB NY
Active member
Lots of people use those with very good results. It's not your lighting that is causing the lack of color it's your water quality.
see this thread.
Let's talk about water quality in an SPS tank.
see this thread.
Let's talk about water quality in an SPS tank.
MiddletonMark
Premium Member
Yup, I'm trying out the AB 10k 250w and am quite happy with it.
Without actinic supplimentation it's pretty `flat' - but seems to have wonderful intensity and hasn't made my corals less colorful - maybe more.
Of course, my tank chemistry/water quality does seem to have a larger affect IMO than the lighting on color, as Joe suggests.
Without actinic supplimentation it's pretty `flat' - but seems to have wonderful intensity and hasn't made my corals less colorful - maybe more.
Of course, my tank chemistry/water quality does seem to have a larger affect IMO than the lighting on color, as Joe suggests.
What were you using before Mark? I'm currently using Ushios and am very happy with them but have been thinking about switching to AB's. The only thing I don't like is I run 2 55 watt PC's to take out the hint of yellow. This is for my eye, the coloration coralwise I'm very happy with. I also run 2 110 VHO atinics. I wouldn't mind taking the PC's offline because IMO they don't add to coral coloration and also to save electricity.
thanks, Chris
thanks, Chris
MiddletonMark
Premium Member
Chris, on 175's [last fall and prior] I used mostly 10k hamilton and 10k XM, used 10k Ushio too.
When I initially bumped up to 250's I started with one AC 14k + I think a CV 10k. Haven't run Ushio 10k, but I liked the #'s on the AB with my ballast + went that way.
I dunno, I like the AB. Recently upgraded to 2 96w VHO instead of 2 x 55 PC actinics + without that I might not like it as much - but a nice color. IMO, took about 2-3 weeks to get past it's slightly yellow starting color ... now it's quite nice.
When I initially bumped up to 250's I started with one AC 14k + I think a CV 10k. Haven't run Ushio 10k, but I liked the #'s on the AB with my ballast + went that way.
I dunno, I like the AB. Recently upgraded to 2 96w VHO instead of 2 x 55 PC actinics + without that I might not like it as much - but a nice color. IMO, took about 2-3 weeks to get past it's slightly yellow starting color ... now it's quite nice.
sellout007
New member
Man this thread has so much information, and its all confused me. SPS under NO lights?!?!
I just bought a 250w DE Ocean Light MH. My tank is 36" x 36" x 15" high. Did I just spend alot of money on a light that is not right for me? *lol* I also plan on adding some blue T5's down the road as well.
Im jsut so confused and overwhelmed by light periods, par readings, etc etc etc.
I just bought a 250w DE Ocean Light MH. My tank is 36" x 36" x 15" high. Did I just spend alot of money on a light that is not right for me? *lol* I also plan on adding some blue T5's down the road as well.
Im jsut so confused and overwhelmed by light periods, par readings, etc etc etc.
bubareefer
New member
I think that the only bad light set up is the one you do not like. So many people get confused by what is good and bad. I have see so many set ups that lit by different bulbs and fixures. It is a hobby that you can do so much with and what makes RC so specail is how every tank system is different. I use 3-14k phonix HQI 250 DE with PFO pendents and Icecap pendents. My sps look great but some look out of place like they would do better under VHO. With that said, I think that we can all talk about bulbs, photo period, par, ect... till we are blue in the face but I think that the truth is that one bulb, photo, period, is not going to work every sps or tank even. What makes it even more confusing is how you can take a coral from one tank put it in a different one and it will change colors. A good one is Middletonmark gave me a frag of blue tip millipora. I put in my tank and I have had it for about 6 months and it turned a pinkish/orange and green.
I have tried PC's, VHO, and MH. The HQI 250's are what works for me and I run them for about 10 hours. My corals are happy and so am I. The nice sps setup I have ever seen was run by VHO's on a 8 hour cycle. I tryied to copy it and it didn't do the trick for me.
So sellout007 only take the information you find here as advice. Do what you want and try different things. You have a good fixure the t-5's are not a bad idea. I am going to add some to my 210 soon too. It is a hobby enjoy it don't worry about if you have the same peice of equipment as everyone else. Besides six months from now there will be new things on the market for lights and all the new hot items will change.
I have tried PC's, VHO, and MH. The HQI 250's are what works for me and I run them for about 10 hours. My corals are happy and so am I. The nice sps setup I have ever seen was run by VHO's on a 8 hour cycle. I tryied to copy it and it didn't do the trick for me.
So sellout007 only take the information you find here as advice. Do what you want and try different things. You have a good fixure the t-5's are not a bad idea. I am going to add some to my 210 soon too. It is a hobby enjoy it don't worry about if you have the same peice of equipment as everyone else. Besides six months from now there will be new things on the market for lights and all the new hot items will change.
mwood
Premium Member
I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I can't find it and the search function never works.
Is there a benefit to running a Iwasaki/Radium or Iwasaki/xm20k mix over just running a 10k or 15k bulb? I'm not sure PAR would be much of a benefit as xm10k's put out par similar to an iwasaki.
Marcus
Is there a benefit to running a Iwasaki/Radium or Iwasaki/xm20k mix over just running a 10k or 15k bulb? I'm not sure PAR would be much of a benefit as xm10k's put out par similar to an iwasaki.
Marcus
bubareefer
New member
I think that running 3 10k's or 14k's would be the best to do. Personally i do not like xm bulbs they do have nice par but that is you can get a working one. Out of shipment of 10 xm 10k DE that my store recieved only 3 worked. It took us 3 shippments of bulbs to get everything right. :mad2: I like the phenoix bulbs personally. They have a good par and they come in properly functioning. The XM 15k stinks for par as well.
mwood
Premium Member
Can't run 3. I am running 4, 2 400w Iwasaki's and 2 250w xm20k's. I thought about getting better reflectors, like a lumenarc or lumen max, and running 2 400w 10k's or 14k's. I'd have to give up the Iwasaki/20k mix and don't know if I be really giving up much. Here's an old pic of my tank.
RedEyeReef
Active member
mwood,
Very cool, what are the dimensions of your tank?
Very cool, what are the dimensions of your tank?
mwood
Premium Member
4'*8'*15"tall. It's an old shark and ray table tank I bought used and made a reef. I'll eventually finish the room like rainforest cafe. For now I'm working on getting the reef the way I want it. Half sps and half lps/softy with a clam bed in the middle/right. Lighting is my consern lately. I saw a lumen max reflector that was made for a 4'*4' area, but I'd have to go down to 1 bulb per side. I kinda like the iwasaki/20k blend and even thought about adding another 250w 20k to each side. I just don't know if I gain anything with all those bulbs or if I would be better with 2 400w 10k's or 15k's and be done. The way it is I have a blend of more light specturms. Does that really benefit, I don't know.
JMBoehling
Premium Member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6379454#post6379454 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mwood
Can't run 3. I am running 4, 2 400w Iwasaki's and 2 250w xm20k's. I thought about getting better reflectors, like a lumenarc or lumen max, and running 2 400w 10k's or 14k's. I'd have to give up the Iwasaki/20k mix and don't know if I be really giving up much. Here's an old pic of my tank.
Very cool tank..:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Wiskey
New member
I just found this thread, some very interesting information.
I have a tank that measures 48 long *12 wide *18 tall (bad size I know) It is lit by a single 250W XM 10K, and I have had nothing but problems, tons of bleaching, but the bulb has very poor covrage on the ends. I don't want to upgrade to 2*250 because of the bleaching I am having on the corals directally under the bulb.
I had been dropping the photo period to avoid the bleaching, but I am questioning this action now.
I just raised the bulb from 10 inches, to 16 (can't be in the hood to do this) and turned it front to back (spyder reflector), then streched the reflector. Now I have even covrage, but less intence light.
I am betting that I was burning some corals with lots of light (right under bulb), while not giving others the light they need (ends of the tank).
Any ideas, suggestions? I will keep you all posted.
Thanks,
Whiskey
I have a tank that measures 48 long *12 wide *18 tall (bad size I know) It is lit by a single 250W XM 10K, and I have had nothing but problems, tons of bleaching, but the bulb has very poor covrage on the ends. I don't want to upgrade to 2*250 because of the bleaching I am having on the corals directally under the bulb.
I had been dropping the photo period to avoid the bleaching, but I am questioning this action now.
I just raised the bulb from 10 inches, to 16 (can't be in the hood to do this) and turned it front to back (spyder reflector), then streched the reflector. Now I have even covrage, but less intence light.
I am betting that I was burning some corals with lots of light (right under bulb), while not giving others the light they need (ends of the tank).
Any ideas, suggestions? I will keep you all posted.
Thanks,
Whiskey
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