lighting help

[jvschlegel]

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I am about to upgrade my lighting on my 120 gallon. Currently running 175 mh and want to get 250 MH ballast and 10K XM bulbs. According to the lighting website on the net, I am best off with PAR using a PFO ballast when using the 10K XM bulbs.

Any thing else to consider? Any other recommendations? Need to purchase soon because my 175 bulbs need to be replaced.

Looking at the ARO or PFO ballast. which one should I go with?

jon

 

[chrisd1009]

I like XM 10,000k on Icecap ballasts with actinic supplements. PAR is arguable. I've seen bulbs/ballast combo's which were supposed to have higher PAR, but users had little growth to back it up.
IMO/IME, XM 10,000k with heavy actinic supplement provide an asthetically pleasing look with the best growth you can find.
again, my statement is IMO/IME. I cannot back it up scientifically.
I've used M58 ballasts, Blueline Ballasts and Icecap Ballasts. Each Ballast has ran XM, Ushio, Catalina, Reeflux 10,000k as well as XM 15 and 20,000k bulbs.

 

[CeeGee]

I have seen a tank (fishdoc11) that was running 10k's (XM I believe) and VHO actinics and it was beautiful. I am thinking about going with the same combo but I will be using T5 actinics unless they don't cut it and then I will go to VHO.