New lighting for 180 gal after 6 yrs

[ssreef]

Help I am redoing my lighting for 180 gal after 6 yrs. I know their are a lot of new options as of 1999. New electronic ballasts se and de bulbs ect.
I am replacing 2 400w 6500k iwaskai and 2 hamilton 400 ballasts. 2 160w vho 72 ".
Should I just stick with what I have or start with a new lighting system? This is in a canopy. If you had the opportunity (got back $$ from income tax and wife (G-D love her) said go for it, if you need it.
What set up would you recomend? You have to remember it has been 6 yrs and after reading posts you guys assume people like me know what you are refering to. So Please also tell me where I can buy the setups you are refering to and why it would be better.
I would like to thank anyone willing to help with their advise in advance. Thanks icbic

 

[Anonymous]

Personally I'd stick with what you got, no need to go to electronic ballasts. Maybe change the color temp of the halides, but other than that. Although that's more lighting that I'd put on my 180, but I'm not big on SPS

 

[Len]

Your lights sound perfectly fine. There are some new bulbs out that look terrific (XM, ETC) but halide technology is more or less the same. There's also double ended 400W halides, but the articles Sanjay has written about them show these aren't much of an advantage over the mogul 400W halides.