Metal Halide Buy

[Jiddy]

Currently running VHO on my 220gal tank. Finally have the extra cash to upgrade to Metal Halide. I was thinking of running 250w 400w 250w setup. With the 400w in the middle window and the 250w on the sides. I know a carpenter and an electrician so i was going to go DIY on the canopy and retrofit the halides in. My question beging, is this a good price/quality for my ballast decision.

TIA

http://www.championlighting.com/pro...07&cat=0&page=1

 

[Scooterman]

Jiddy the link was expired but I can say dealing with them in the past I always had great service, make a call it may help. How deep is your tank man?

 

[Jiddy]

its 30 deep, for the cash ill go with these.

http://www.reefexotics.com/lumenarc_retro.htm

just get the 3 400w witht he Lumenarc III reflectors, i just cant decide if i want 10k or 20k

 

[Scooterman]

Get two 10k's & one 20k for the middle

 

[Jiddy]

Good brand thou? Nice starter kit?

 

[Scooterman]

Everything but the ballast sounds great, I don't have anything on the ballast, they may be another brand packaged in their housing. Might get someone that has them to chime in.

 

[mungus]

Jiddy SueT is using those ballasts. You may want to give her a shout.

Brian

 

[davidabrown66]

Do these have some sort of UV shielding? I just went to halide last year from VHO, and used my original VHO with actinics and one daylight bulb with an hour or two a day of halide, then slowly increased the lighting period over the next month, but still had light shock to my corals. Luckily, the only thing I lost was all my coraline. Just saying...be carefull.

-David

 

[Sherman]

The Lumenarc reflectors have an amazing reputation. You've made a great choice there. As for the Kelvin ratings... 20K is awfully blue. You're funding your electric company nicely with 1200w of power, why waste it all in non-productive blue lighting? That's just my personal opinion. Why not settle for a nice middle ground, at 14000K? There's a reason they're so popular.

 

[CCR]

15K XM Great bulb

 

[Jiddy]

Thanks for the advice on bulb choices. One thing is thou, they give you a choice of bulb when you get the package deal. They are coralvue bulbs either 10K, 12K or 20K

 

[Scooterman]

Jiddy reflux 10K's produce a nice blue tint with good performance as far as PAR goes, you can add some blue with the reflux 12k's but loose lots of PAR. Just another thought!