Lighting for best SPS growth

[tike]

Hi All!

I was just wondering what type of lighting gives everyone the BEST sps growth. I was running a 250watt MH 10,000K bulb for the longest and had good coral growth. Two months ago i switched to 14,000K bulb and growth has slowed on the sps tremedously! Zoos, xenia, and mushrooms are growing about the same.

So what bulb do you use for the best sps growth???

 

[BCT182]

6,500k is a grow bulb I think. Now if you could mix some 6,500k and 14,000k your in super shape. Growth and look too.
Brett

 

[flip_3_6_0]

I think 10K is the best combination of growth and color. Also, i have had much better growth with my AB 20K than my 15K coralvue so i dont think lower kelvin always means better growth- lighting confuses me - If i could do it over again i would go 10K with VHO actinic.

 

[karsco]

In my experience for the best combination of growth and color I like the 250W XM 10K. (I also supplement with 65W actinic PC's) I have tried the following Iwasaki's 6500, Ushio 10K, Hamiltion 10K, and Aquaconnect 14K. The XM was by far brighter (and has a highest par value of the 10K's) than these other bulbs and also produced great coloration and growth. I know Dr. Mac really likes the XM bulbs but I believe he use 20K XM's over his prop tanks. Here is a cool site where you can see pictures of color comparisons and PAR values...

http://metricksystem.com/chris/250wcolour/

 

[northwestsps]

wow right after Sanjays speach. 10k XM are the best in a lot of cases but the iwasaki's are the best in others. usually the lower color temp the higher par in general.

 

[karsco]

Northwest,

You are right the Iwasaki's do have the highest par value of the 6500 K's. The XM I believe have the highest PAR Value of the 10 K's. It all comes down to what look you like. IMO the Iwasaki's are way to yellow and are not appealing to me. Did Sanjay have a recent article come out? I have read his old article comparing the different MH bulbs...

 

[tike]

Thanks everyone!

I was thinking of going back to the 10000K XM, it's what I had before. I have a 50 gallon that I am not too concerned about growth but the 20 has lots of frags in it and i would like for them to get a good growth started on them.

 

[bc_slc]

sanjay has a couple new articles on the 250w DE bulbs and the 400w DE bulb comparisions.

 

[bradreef]

the only problem with the xm's is the yellowing that can happen. Other than that they are more blue then the ushio and they have more power and all the same peak's. The EVC's are what sanjay is using and they have good power. They are cheap too. $49.99

 

[tike]

Where do you find the EVC bulbs??