What lights would you use?

[Mouse]

The tank measurements are as follows.

6ft long, 2ft wide, 3ft deep.

I am in no doubt that i want to use metal halides but the configuration is still uncertain. I seek enlightenment from someone who has seen the light.

Configuration 1

2 x 400w 10,000k + 2 x 400w 20,000k

This is the configuration i am most likely to install. With this setup of lights will i need to use Atinic bulbs to make the corals flourece after the main lights go off, or do the 20,000k MH bulbs act in exactly the same way? I have asked around and get different answers.

Configuration 2

2 x 1000W 10,000k MH bulbs + Actinic compact flourecents

How many compacts should i use to balance that light? Am i going overkill on the 1000W bulbs?

Any advice would be greatly appreceated. Any ideas Nathan, you seem to know allot about lights?

Guide me from darkness

 

[Anonymous]

IMO - 3 400 watt 6500K Iwasaki + 3 160 watt VHO actinic.

 

[reefland]

I'd agree with "Guy". I might make it 4 VHO 160w tubes, two in front two in back.

Shipping costs of 160w VHO tubes are killer. You might use 4 standard 110w VHO tubes and stager them a little.

 

[Anonymous]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by reefland:
<STRONG>Shipping costs of 160w VHO tubes are killer. You might use 4 standard 110w VHO tubes and stager them a little.</STRONG><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I just bought six 160's from Marine Depot. The shipping was free and the prices were reasonable.

I mentioned 3 bulbs because That is what I run on each of my IceCaps. For four 160's you would need two ballasts.

 

[Mouse]

3 x 400w 6500k sounds interesting, but waht about the 20,000k bulbs. Any of you guys know about these?

Thanks for the lighting ideas

 

[Mickes]

We have a 400w 20,000k on a 24x24x24" tank at the store... It is a very nice blue color, but IMO it just isn't bright enough. After 4 months there is only one Acro that is showing any growth, and that frag came from a colony in my tank that I had for 5 years under 175w 10,000k's. Also, it don't even compare to the color and growth rate of other frags from the same colony that are under 400w 65k now. The softies and LPS’s under the 20,000k’s seem to be doing very well though.

I’m with Guy on this one…. 3 400 watt 6500K Iwasaki + 3 160 watt VHO actinic.

[ July 24, 2001: Message edited by: Mickes ]

 

[Mouse]

Cheers guys, thanks for the info on the lights. Im goig to take your suggestion to a Brittish BB and see what they think. People are very pro German over here and the theorys differ tremendously. I have seen the lighting review by Nathan and i have to say that the Iwasaki's look king. Thanks again.

 

[toptank]

on my 180 I have 2 x 400 10K germans and 1 x 400 6,500 in the middle with 2 x 5' 140 watt actinic VHOs.

Barry

 

[Jason Day]

I would go with the three 10,000K 400watters.

Pluse a couple of actinics.

In my opinion the 6500k just looks to green and yellow even with actinics. I have a 400 watter 10,000k German on my 100 gallon and the growth of my Acropora is good and the color is pleasing.


jason

 

[M.E.Milz]

Question for Guy, how do you run 3x 160watt VHO's on a single ballast. I assume that you are referring to an Icecap 660 ballast. When I looked into this, I thought that Icecap limited the total length of the bulbs on this ballast to 16 feet. But 3x 160watters would be a total of 18 feet.

I ask because I am in the planning stages for a similar lighting set-up. Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by M.E.Milz:
<STRONG>Question for Guy, how do you run 3x 160watt VHO's on a single ballast?</STRONG><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well, the 660 is GUARANTEED to run 16 feet of bulb. 18 feet pushes it a little. Here's the response from IceCap: http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=3fe33be1d2feaf00dba8bd9fd2beb871&threadid=28951

 

[M.E.Milz]

Thanks Guy.

 

[golfish]

I use 4x55 watts of blue PC's to make my 1 400 watt Iwasaki look close to my 10K HQI's. I'm not sure 3x160 VHO will make these bulbs look good enough for you. The light from the 400 watt Iwasaki is pretty ugly.....To me anyway

 

[Mouse]

mmmm, now methinks the german 10,000k's. Especially when the Krauts ar only the other side of the not so big blue wobbly thing. Cheers again guys.

 

[M.E.Milz]

Someone told me that the color/appearence of the Iwasaki 400 watt 6500K bulbs will be different depending on the ballast. In particular, they claim that these bulbs appear less yellow/green when run on a mercury vapor ballast (like the ones used on PFO fixtures). I saw a PFO fixture with 1x 400 watt Iwasaki and 2x 28 watt actinic PC's, and I must admit, they set-up did not appear to be yellow/green at all. The down side is that you cannot change bulbs with this ballast, you must use the Iwasaki's.

Consequently, 3x 160 watt VHO actinics may be plenty if you use mercury vapor ballasts for the MH's.