New lighting for zoo's/To much?

[greenstarman]

This configuration is the PFO Shimmer Halide Hood, is this to much for a 55gallon tank with zoo's? Its only 2 10K lamps but I saw another thread running around that zoo's can lose color, get brown, with to much light. Also I am running a Current USA 4x65watt PC hood right now. If I do get the MH will I notice a change in the electric bill... ha ha, but seriously will I?

-2-175 10K Metal Halide Lamps
-1-175 Watt Dual PFO Halide Ballast
-2-96W 7100K PC Lamps
-Tempered Glass Lens
-95% reflective Reflector focus's light into the tank.
-Low Profile- 5.5" High, 11" Wide, 49" Long
-All Ballasts External
-1-3" Fan

 

[surfnvb7]

well, first answer is the easiest. yes you will obviously see a higher electric bill. (4x65=260watts) (2x175 + 2x96 = 542watts).

so thats a little over double what you are paying for now.

second...do you have a link to this light fixture?

here are a couple things that worry me about the set up.

1) 2x96w 7100K PC lamps
-you do realize that 7100K is almost in the yellow spectrum correct? this will make things look horrible, and the algae will love it. you need actinic bulbs to replace these.

2) 10K metal halide lamps
-this is a big personal preference kinda thing. if you are aiming at a mostly softy tank, zoas/rics etc. go with 14k, 15k, or 20k MH bulbs. you are correct in the assumption that 10k bulbs could burn and/or brown out softie corals in a tank that small. but its not the fact that its more light, its just the wrong spectrum to really make zoas and other softies flouresce and look "cool".

3) tempered glass lens
-wow, i dont recomend these at all. i wasn't even aware they sold these with SE setups. again, got a link to what this fixture looks like? having a glass sheild will help to prevent water splatter from hitting the bulb. but it can also cause the light and fixture to heat up quite a bit b/c there isnt any air circulation flowing around the bulb. also, depending on how dirty the glass gets, it can cause less light passing through, leading to poor efficiency and wasted electricity IMO.

4) dual PFO ballast
- I'm pretty sure these are electronic ballasts. electronic ballasts and 20k bulbs at 175w aren't the greatest combination. but they will do. I prefer to run magnatic ballasts, or any type of ballast that will over drive the bulbs when running a 20k bulb. when you overdrive a MH bulb, it will appear less blue, but brighter. only downside is that it will decrease the life of the bulb by a couple of months.

from your description, i'm guessing this is a package deal, i.e. a already pre-constructed light canopy. and i imagine its over $500, which is alot IMO.

 

[greenstarman]

Here is the link for the light fixture sold at Premium Aquatics in Indy.

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...duct_Code=PFO-48SL10175&Category_Code=PFOshim

I would hate to goto T5's because I am running a 4x65 PC, T5's in the same configuration would be 4x54watt I would lose wattage. The next step up would be a 8x54watt the length of the fixture is ok, but the width would be to big I would have to hang this fixture.

 

[ybenormal]

Comparing PC vs. T5 based on total wattage is very misleading. First of all, watts are a measure of power consumption, not light output (PAR). Second, PCs, by their very design, are not very efficient compared to a straight tube like T5s. Add in individual, high-quality TEK reflectors and you'll find that the T5s will blow away your current PC lighting. IMHO, you would be very happy with 4x54w T5s over a 55g tank. Just don't skimp and buy one of the cheaper off-brands.

 

[greenstarman]

Power is a relation of Current and Voltage, power ouput not consumption, in a circuit I would be producing wattage based on volatage and current. If I had a generator with a load of 4 amps and a voltage of 9000 my ouput wattage is 36Kilowatts. I work on lasers for a living, if i am on a laser with a total wattage of 4000watts and then work on a Laser that is 5000watts that means the Light Amplification has increased by 1000watts. The laser light being Infrared is able to cut thicker steel with the extra wattage, an increase in power. How does going from one 64watt bulb to a 54watt bulb increase my light ouput? Same goes for a bulb in a desk lamp, if I have a 40watt bulb its dull if I go to a 100watt bulb the light is brighter which would mean that light output has increased again.

 

[surfnvb7]

i was never any good at electrical engineering, or physics for that matter. so i'll try to limit my response to very little scientific jargon

you are correct about the "power" term. but i think what ybenormal is trying to say, is that wattage shows up as electrical usage on your power bill.

i cant remember the equation, but intensity can only be related to wattage when the systems variables are EXACTLY the same. once you change pressures, temperatures etc....you have changed the intensity (and possibly the temp).

a 175w 10k bulb, is a heck of a lot brighter than a 175w 20k bulb, which is MUCH brighter than any ~175w power compact bulb, which in turn is alot brighter than any ~175w flourescent NO bulb (T8/T12)

again, i can only answer your questions based on my personal experiences, i honestly dont remember the technical jargon behind why T-5's of the same wattage are brighter than T-8, T-12's and power compacts. i imagine it has something to do with teh smaller tube at greater pressure (thus greater temperature)

i'm sure that T5 set up will do nicely from what i've heard. prob could keep SPS also.

 

[greenstarman]

What types of gas are used in T5's?

 

[surfnvb7]

no idea, something sulfer based i'm sure... the color of the bulbs are due to whatever color paint/chemical they line the inside of the bulb with.

i'm sure someone would know these technical questions over in the lighting/filtration forum. lots of engineers hang out over there

 

[greenstarman]

LoL.

 

[milkshake]

I'm running a 250W 15K SE along with two 75W VHO pure actinic.
They all seem to love it, the zoa's that is.

 

[surfnvb7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7634271#post7634271 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by milkshake
I'm running a 250W 15K SE along with two 75W VHO pure actinic.
They all seem to love it, the zoa's that is.

the XM 15k? that has been my all time favorite bulb so far (for zoas at least). i ran 2 of them on a 20g-high, 175w magnetic ballasts.

i had to switch around though b/c they were too dim for the more light loving sps to thrive.

its really strange how the XM 20k is brighter than the XM 15k. i hope XM *fixes* them.

 

[greenstarman]

Has anyone heard of ?Raden? don't laugh if its well known..

 

[surfnvb7]

you mean Radium?

 

[greenstarman]

Could be I visited Premium Aquatics and the owner had a Metal Halide setup that he refered to the bulb as ?Radium/Raven/Raden?
Are they good?

 

[surfnvb7]

got a link?

the only problem with radium bulbs, is that they are european, and have to be either run on electronic ballasts, or HQI ballasts....

i've heard radiums on electronic ballasts almost under drive the bulbs, thus they are not very intense. and ridiculously blue (more so than XM 20k)

i have a 250w radium on an HQI ballast. the ballast overdrives the bulb to ~333w. so the color is alot less blue, and much more intense. the downside to this is the bulb life is decreased to 4-6months. and its $80 a bulb

 

[shilo_1]

T5 are more intense than PC. They are very easily comparable to MH's. Its not totally the actual bulbs that make the difference, but the combination of that and the fact that on good setups, each bulb has its own individual reflector, increasing output by up to 95%.
Before knocking them, try doing some research. Many times, T5's will burn your softies long before MH's will because of the intensity. Check out the lighting and filtration forum here on RC for some very interesting reads.

 

[staninct]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7624491#post7624491 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by greenstarman
Here is the link for the light fixture sold at Premium Aquatics in Indy.

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...duct_Code=PFO-48SL10175&Category_Code=PFOshim

I would hate to goto T5's because I am running a 4x65 PC, T5's in the same configuration would be 4x54watt I would lose wattage. The next step up would be a 8x54watt the length of the fixture is ok, but the width would be to big I would have to hang this fixture.

You would double if not triple your PAR by switching to T5s. I'm not sure that the old more watts per gallon theory can really be applied when comparing T5s to PCs. I went from 192w of PC on a 38g to 156w of T5s and now I can keep SPS with no problem. I have less electricity, heat, longer bulb life and more corals!

Back to the question - - If you are going to go to MH, look at at least 14k or higher rated bulbs so you don't cook your corals!!!! You might consider 1x 250w placed 12" off the water in a high quality pendant to spread the light out a little, you'd be able to put your zoas on the outside of the "beam" and do some SPS directly under it. Hope this helps!

 

[greenstarman]

Is this to small for a zoo tank, the only other option is their 6bulb configuration for a total of 324watts. The one on the link is only 112watts.


http://www.cadlights.com/product_info.php?cPath=25&products_id=66