cdentii
New member
I prefer Ushio 10k bulbs and pc actinics myself. They look awesome and corals are doing great.
Lighting for SPS
- Thread starter Daniel Murray
- Start date
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Daniel Murray
Diver Madness
I would say if you have the means then crank out some carpentry skills and build a nice canopy for that tank.
Of course if you are like me you would have to buy all the tools first so that would be an expensive endeavor.
Raising the bulbs off the water is the only way I could see using higher wattage lights. Without more room between the bulbs and the water heat will be a huge problem, as will water accidentally hitting those bulbs. You will also get better light spread in your tank.
Tim
OK I do not have the tools
Between the bulbs and the water heat is not a huge problem Not with the Custom Hood that Gary built me at Champion Lighting. It has a clear acrylic lens and a 4" Fan with awesome cooling , The e ballast runs cooler and the heat coming out of the hood is just a little over room temp. As well water accidentally hitting those bulbs no problem. (You will also get better light spread in your tank.) My Tank looks a lot better were it is at. That factor was built into it by Champion lighting. Gary came to my house and took measurements before they mad the hood. This is the second Custom Hood they maid me. That is why on there web site you will not see 72" M/H Hood.
I have known Gary for about 9 years +. He dose go out of his way for Me
www.championlighting.com/home.php?cat=547
www.championlighting.com/product.php?productid=18404&cat=0&page=1
moortim
Mountain Goat
Well that sounds like you have all the bases pretty well covered, as far as lights go, since you say heat and water are not a problem go with either 250 or 400watt. I like 400's but I am a little bit of a light freak. You may just have to try different bulbs or look at other peoples tanks in person to get the color you like.
Tim
Tim
Daniel Murray
Diver Madness
Hi, Tim my light set is with 175 watt lamps and 175 e ballast. That is one reason the hood was designed to sit so low. Second reason is to keep the light in the tank and not the room.
Daniel
Jumpincactus
Well-known member
Not to hijack this thread,can anyone tell me if I need something between the ushio 10k ulbs I'm burning? someone told me that UV is a problem with single ended bulbs over open water.
Daniel Murray
Diver Madness
How fair is your lamp off the top of the water? If you do not have a cover on the bottom of lamp fixture I would put it no less than 8" off the water.
Jumpincactus
Well-known member
Right about 8" give or take. I remeber years ago it was highly recomended to have a UV resistant sheet of acrylic between the bulbs and the water. I have been told by my LFS that todays bulbs have some type of uv filter in the glass itself.
I really need to know as I dont want my SPS bleaching out or cause any harm to my critters. Do todays MH bulbs offer some protection in the glass they are made of. Or do I need to get some UV resistant acrylic and put it between my bulbs and the water surface. Seems to me if UV was an issue then how how do shallow water corals survive? The water must have some filtering effect.
I really need to know as I dont want my SPS bleaching out or cause any harm to my critters. Do todays MH bulbs offer some protection in the glass they are made of. Or do I need to get some UV resistant acrylic and put it between my bulbs and the water surface. Seems to me if UV was an issue then how how do shallow water corals survive? The water must have some filtering effect.
Llarian
Well-known member
Single ended bulbs have a UV filter already, yes.
Double ended bulbs must be shielded.
-Dylan
Double ended bulbs must be shielded.
-Dylan
kevinpo
Expert
Hello,
Double ended bulbs must have a UV shield between the bulb and your corals/eyes. Single ended (mogul mount) produce both UVA and UVB but but most of which is filtered out by the outer envelope of the bulb. Should the outer glass break on either the single or double ended bulb turn the lamp off right away. It is very difficult to get corals to recover from UV burn even from a short exposure of just a few hours.
Regards,
Kevin
PS: The safe distance of bulbs from the water is 6-12". This is to prevent overheating of the tank water and breakage of the bulb by splashing water.
Double ended bulbs must have a UV shield between the bulb and your corals/eyes. Single ended (mogul mount) produce both UVA and UVB but but most of which is filtered out by the outer envelope of the bulb. Should the outer glass break on either the single or double ended bulb turn the lamp off right away. It is very difficult to get corals to recover from UV burn even from a short exposure of just a few hours.
Regards,
Kevin
PS: The safe distance of bulbs from the water is 6-12". This is to prevent overheating of the tank water and breakage of the bulb by splashing water.
Daniel Murray
Diver Madness
OK I got my new Reeflux lamps today and they Look great
longnose
New member
IMHO-2-400w, for a long run(if your circuit breaker can handle it).I never had a long run success w/250's on SPS.MY 2 cents.
DLONG
Active member
Hi Kevin,
I have been running Radiums in PFO HQI's for awhile. I had heard that the Reeflux 10k may have problems running with HQI And that they lose their spectrum very quickly with any ballast. Example would be great blue to start and then losing that "blue shine" after 3-4 weeks.
What has your experience been so far with these bulbs? Thanks
Doug
SueT
Well-known member
tossing my experience in here for whatever it's worth.. I have never ran anything but 250w lamps over my sps. Anywhere from iwasaki's at first to XM's and now to reeflux. I have had the reeflux on Coralvue's e ballast now for ~4 months,haven't lost any of the popping blue that is so different with these bulbs. Must say I love them and the sps even the non blues seem to like them too.
DLONG
Active member
Thanks Sue,
Sue, have you tried (or want to) the 12k version? What did you notice when you switched to the reeflux 10k? How did the coraline algae react, and did you get any bleaching events?
If I switch from the Radiums, I do have 4 vho bulbs for actinic if need be. I just fear coral cooking, as I have 3 400 watt bulbs with the luminarcs over a 66 inch long tank. But I do like the few tanks I saw that have the reeflux.
Sue, have you tried (or want to) the 12k version? What did you notice when you switched to the reeflux 10k? How did the coraline algae react, and did you get any bleaching events?
If I switch from the Radiums, I do have 4 vho bulbs for actinic if need be. I just fear coral cooking, as I have 3 400 watt bulbs with the luminarcs over a 66 inch long tank. But I do like the few tanks I saw that have the reeflux.
SueT
Well-known member
Doug, I really don't think I would want to try to 12k's. I have a friend that did and he's not real happy with his colors. He even had the 400w. What I did see was an explosion of coralline algae. I had never been able to have it before with the XM's and iwasaki's. No bleaching at all in any of my corals. In fact the exact opposite, great growth and colors.
kevinpo
Expert
Hi Doug,
Nice to hear form you
I've been running 16 400W 10,000K Reeflux bulbs all on PFO HQI ballasts in PFO reflectors for more than a year now (I just put in 9 new ones in August ) I have them on my 550 home tank, the store 450, both the 200 gal cubes at the store, and a 125. I run them for 10-12 months. They make the blue corals really blue. I get the same growth as I was getting with the Ushio/Radium combonation I used to run.They last longer than Radiums but a couple of months less than Ushios.
HTH,
Kevin
PS: I tried a 12,000K version and it only lasted about 6 months. It also didn't seem to have the HP I need for all those shallow water Acropora
Nice to hear form you
I've been running 16 400W 10,000K Reeflux bulbs all on PFO HQI ballasts in PFO reflectors for more than a year now (I just put in 9 new ones in August
) I have them on my 550 home tank, the store 450, both the 200 gal cubes at the store, and a 125. I run them for 10-12 months. They make the blue corals really blue. I get the same growth as I was getting with the Ushio/Radium combonation I used to run.They last longer than Radiums but a couple of months less than Ushios.HTH,
Kevin
PS: I tried a 12,000K version and it only lasted about 6 months. It also didn't seem to have the HP I need for all those shallow water Acropora
DLONG
Active member
Thanks Kevin,
Now that sounds like a good sampling!
So, would you say they lasted 9 months, can't tell from your message (I have been running my halides only about 6 hrs/day, rest with vho)? Also, do you notice a pink shade to them that others have on that other reef forum? I understand that the newer versions don't have that problem.
Think I will give them a try.
Doug
Now that sounds like a good sampling!
So, would you say they lasted 9 months, can't tell from your message (I have been running my halides only about 6 hrs/day, rest with vho)? Also, do you notice a pink shade to them that others have on that other reef forum? I understand that the newer versions don't have that problem.
Think I will give them a try.
Doug
kevinpo
Expert
Hi Doug,
They last 10-12 months for me. I run 6 URI VHO Super Actinic and 4 T-5HO 450nm with the 5 400W halides. There may be a slight pink tint but it's not too noticeable.
HTH,
Kevin
They last 10-12 months for me. I run 6 URI VHO Super Actinic and 4 T-5HO 450nm with the 5 400W halides. There may be a slight pink tint but it's not too noticeable.
HTH,
Kevin
SueT
Well-known member
I did have 1 of my reeflux turn pink and got a replacement. I was trying to run them on my pfo ballast{not hqi}. Was told they aren't made to run on them and it was replaced and have not had any problems with the new e ballast.
