Lighting change and color pop without actinics

[Dave VG]

I'm running a single 250 Watt Lumatek digital ballast with an XM 10K bulb on a spider reflector over my 30L. These ballasts are killer bright and a pair of them worked well on my 90. But"¦"¦this is wayyyy to much light for my 30L mixed reef even at 30" off the water with no room to go any higher. LPS hate this lighting lol. I was going to go with a higher K bulb to cut the par and get some pop but instead I'm getting a killer deal from Dave (Neoz) on a 175 SE setup with an XM 10K bulb to replace the 250 watt setup. Anyone have any experience with 175 SE bulbs other than 10K. I'm trying to get the pop without using actinics. Really would like a balance between growth and pop if that's possible.

 

[jaybfresh]

An XM 20K should cut down the intensity and add better colors. I'm not sure if phoenix or radium bulbs are made in a 175w version, but they would also be a good choice!

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

the 250w Radium would have been a good choice but you're moving to 175w and I haven't used that wattage since the mid '90s so I'm interested in hearing what others have to say as well!

 

[Dave VG]

Thanks jaybfresh and Gary. jaybfresh I have seen a tank in person with 20K's seem to blue for me. What do you run on your tank? Do you supplement with actinics

 

[Dave VG]

Gary what bulb configuration are you running now?

 

[jaybfresh]

XM is the only 175w I have run and I only had that setup briefly. But as you said, they are very blue.

I checked and there is a 175w Phoenix bulb. This is the bulb I use with my 250's and it provides a great compromise of colors and intensity... it has a blue tint but not like the XM.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Gary what bulb configuration are you running now?

URI VHO actinics with 400w 14k Ushio SE's.

FWIW when I set up my first reef aquarium I was running 175w 5500k lamps which (at that time) was considered "state of the art" :spin3:

 

[Dave VG]

URI VHO actinics with 400w 14k Ushio SE's.

FWIW when I set up my first reef aquarium I was running 175w 5500k lamps which (at that time) was considered "state of the art" :spin3:

lmao :lmao:

I was looking at the 12 to 14k range but without seeing them in person i hate to spend money twice if by chance I don't like the the first one I pick.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I was looking at the 12 to 14k range but without seeing them in person i hate to spend money twice if by chance I don't like the the first one I pick.

this is a good way to go about picking a bulb.

I've had Coralife 10k's that were more blue than 20k Radiums.

 

[sedorusc]

I ran 14k icecap 175 for about two weeks until one of my used ballasts bit the dust and then I setup my T5's. was a nice mix of white blue. still have them if your interested. about two weeks use and I have two bulbs I'll let go of cheap. hamilton also makes a nice 14k.

 

[Dave VG]

Wow I find it hard to believe there are only 3 people here that have experimented with bulbs and have any input.

I ran 14k icecap 175 for about two weeks until one of my used ballasts bit the dust and then I setup my T5's. was a nice mix of white blue. still have them if your interested. about two weeks use and I have two bulbs I'll let go of cheap. hamilton also makes a nice 14k.

sedorusc did you run these on magnetic or digital ballasts? And did you need actinics to supplement for the color pop.

 

[Henry Colf]

I'm running 2 175 watt 15k xm's on my 90 gallon. I'm getting good growth and had excellent colors until my tank had a crash. I'm still getting growth and the colors are coming back. They are a white/blue mix.

 

[Steve Canyon]

Why not simply create some shade till they get used to it? a few strips of anything between the light and the surface of hte water, remove a little at a time over a 6 month period of time....

 

[Dave VG]

Thanks Henry good info, sedorusc has offered to sell me some icecap bulbs he has so that maybe a good option at this point. Steve good idea thanks. I have tried that short term like for a couple of weeks and they did start color up nice but as soon as i took the screen off right back to losing color and i have no place to put a permanent overhang. Bottom line is its just to much light for a 30 IMO.

 

[Dave VG]

Ok so the new 175 Watt XM 10K is up and running. Thanks Dave (Neoz). I can definitely see a difference in brightness. Guess we’ll see if my LPS color back up. It’s not that they are bleached just dulled. I will definitely be changing out the bulb to try and get that pop without actinics tho.