o-lighting

[chadfarmer]

i have just changed my t5s for 150w metal halides DE (dual)

i am not sure if i like it or maybe try the 250w that i have in a box(dual also)(a lot of work to mount them)

if you had the lights

what would you use?

 

[Markk96]

If I had the cash I would go with the Solaris, but I will stick with my 250W SE MH bulbs.

 

[frenchie]

halides usually higher cost in electric bill and higher temperature in tank, mike(mpcart) has a t5 retro kit on his 58 gallon and his tank is amazing. So i don't know which ones i would use i'm debating switching out my halides for t5's on my 125gallon.

 

[sirreal63]

I have both...I think my growth is equally good under the 150's as the 250. All bulbs are XDE 10K's. I have contemplated swithching the single 250 for a 150 but I probably won't.

 

[frenchie]

hey jack can i see a pic of your tank going to be ordering some halide bulbs soon DE 150 watt and stuck between ushio and XDE, my outer orbit has the usa current brand which puts of to much of a yellow color and i looking for more of a white crisp color or maybe bright white bulb with a little blue in it.

 

[chadfarmer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9640502#post9640502 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by d.french
hey jack can i see a pic of your tank going to be ordering some halide bulbs soon DE 150 watt and stuck between ushio and XDE, my outer orbit has the usa current brand which puts of to much of a yellow color and i looking for more of a white crisp color or maybe bright white bulb with a little blue in it.

why not look at the 14k Phoenix (high par as most 10k bulbs except the xde)

cheapest i have found them besides getting them from china is (www.illuming.com)

 

[sirreal63]

sure....the FTS is kind of yellow because the XDE 250 is very yellow. I prefer the 150 XDE 10k for color.

The left side with the 150 XDE it looks a lot nicer in person, I have a hard time with the white balance.

Chad...a pair of 150's would make a lot of light in that tank. ;-)

 

[sirreal63]

I didn't like the Phoenix...the color was very washed out looking in the 250 watt 14K DE version. Great growth but the color was just unnatural.

 

[frenchie]

thanks for pics jack looks great.

 

[kpc01]

I would use th MH and sell the T5s to me ....honestly though I like MH for my own personal preference, but T5s cause of temp, electicity etc.

 

[Reeferhead]

I have 2 x 250 DE over a similar sized tank 33x18x24. Admittedly, I think its a little over kill but I can keep clams on the bottom, in the shade, with sunglasses on

Even with acclimation to the light, I've had some zoas "crawl away" into shady crevices after a couple months.

If I could start all over I would probably go with the T5s but my tank and hood dimensions won't really accommodate them.

 

[sirreal63]

My clams are very happy at the bottom of the tank under 150's.