MH lighting help

[mike_dani]

So I am stuck in a pickle….

I know I need some MH 250w lighting but I can decide on what to buy, I have looked at the Icecap, the Blue wave 7 Dual HQI, Vertex HQI and Coralvue ballasts. The issue here is money do I need an Icecap ballast or will the others work, it really comes down to 112.00. I think I want to use these Reflectors and Phoenix DE 14000K bulbs. Any advice to a NEWB would be greatly appreciated.

This is the price break down as I see it:
Icecap ballast 129.99 each x2 260.00
Vertex Ballast 94.99 each x2 190.00
Blue wave 7 dual 250w HQI ballast 172.25
Coralvue Ballast 114.95 each x2 230.00

Phoenix DE 14000K bulbs 49.95 each x2 =100.00

So it will break down as follows:
Icecap with Reflectors = 440.00
Coralvue with Reflectors = 410.00
Vertex with Reflectors = 370.00
Blue wave 7 dual 250w HQI with Reflectors = 352.00

 

[H@rry]

I have heard good things about the IceCap and Blue Wave ballasts. I have also heard a couple of people say they had problems with the Coralvue ballasts dieing after a few months. I have a Blue Wave dual 250W ballast that I got used and I've been running it since the spring. I'm satisfied with it.

Are you going to put the lights in a canopy or hang them? I'm not sure about that reflector but most of the double end are designed to be hung. Some of them can be very difficult to change bulbs in when they're in a canopy.

My personal preference is the old PFO magnetic ballast with Coralvue Reeflux 10K mogul base bulbs. Changing bulbs is a snap and a bright crisp white light.

Just my penny's worth.

 

[mike_dani]

I have heard good things about the IceCap and Blue Wave ballasts. I have also heard a couple of people say they had problems with the Coralvue ballasts dieing after a few months. I have a Blue Wave dual 250W ballast that I got used and I've been running it since the spring. I'm satisfied with it.

Are you going to put the lights in a canopy or hang them? I'm not sure about that reflector but most of the double end are designed to be hung. Some of them can be very difficult to change bulbs in when they're in a canopy.

My personal preference is the old PFO magnetic ballast with Coralvue Reeflux 10K mogul base bulbs. Changing bulbs is a snap and a bright crisp white light.



Just my penny's worth.

I will be mounting it to the canopy that I am having made :bigsmile: I am no starting to think that I will use just the standard spider reflector wit ha single ended bulb, due to ease of changing bulbs and such

 

[Tomoko Schum]

I love the color and intensity of Phoenix 14K bulbs. I have used a Ocean Light fixture (2 x 250W) by Aqua Medic with the bulbs on my 120 tank. I did not have any problem inserting my light bulbs into the fixture. It felt snug (not too tight, though), but I always managed to change my bulbs without any problem with the fixture hanging in the air. I believe that it all depends on the sockets in a fixture. I am afraid that some fixtures come with tight sockets.

I am using three SE bulbs in Lumen Bright reflectors on my 180 tank. The sockets on these are kinda tight or the threads were not smooth on them. Bulbs did not screw in as easily as I thought it would. Bulbs did not turn smoothly as if the surface of the socket was rough. After I applied some dielectric grease on the bulbs, they finally went in smoothly. So, you see, I have a different experience from Harry.

By the way, HQI ballasts tend to be somewhat noisy as compared to electronic ballasts, which are silent. I always hated the continuous hum of my HQI/magnetic ballast. However, bulbs burn brighter on HQI ballasts in general.

If you go with 10K bulbs, you probably want VHO or T5 bulbs for actinic supplement. If you use 14K or 20K, you don't have to use actinic supplement. Some people find 14K and 20K too blue and go with 12K.

I know it's kinda bewildering to newbies, but these are important points not only to you but also to the family who has to put up with your hobby. My husband is a bit annoyed by the high pitched hum of my fans in the canopy at the moment.

 

[BHAMR6]

Just my opinion but i just went from 2 250watt pfo m-58 ballast w/th spider reflectors and s.p.s 20k single ended bulbs. to Galaxy electronic ballast w/th lumenarc mini reflectors and radium 20k single ended. It is daylight and dark diff. i dont know if its the ballast,reflectors or bulbs are maybe the combo but it looks 10x better the light output is way better. It took me a long time to try and stomach buying all new light set up but now that i did it made a big difference...

I agree w/th Tomoko the hum my pfo ballast made was loud.. W/th the galaxy there is no noise.. Now if the fan in the canopy didnt sound like it was going to take off i would be ok

 

[Fishcrazy06]

I think pretty much everyone you talk to will have a different opinion. Some people like this some people like this. I just recently (last night) switched over to a Dual Sunlight supply magnetic HQI Ballast. Running DE XM 15ks. I love the way it looks but to me its a wee bit too white for my taste. I am use to running actinics. Other than that I am happy with the combo. also running the sunlight Pendants.

I think the best thing to do is either look at other peoples tank and see what you like. Pictures can help at times as well.

Hope to have confused you some more! LOL

Eric

 

[H@rry]

FishCrazy if right. You're not going to decide by talking to people. Lighting is somewhat of a religious question, belief, opinion, etc.

Ford or Chevrolet
Chocolate or Vanilla
Nikon or Canon
NHRA or NASCAR
VHO or T5

Everyone has their own preferences and they have their reasons for it. You need to look at some tanks and judge for yourself what you want.

Good luck :xd:

 

[Tomoko Schum]

I recall a lot of people were disappointed about XM 15K. I may be mistaken but I seem to recall that Dr. Sanjoy Joshi's report indicated that XM15K is not as bright nor blue as XM20K on a certain ballast.

MH bulbs can look very different depending on a ballast used with it.

I agree with Eric about finding what appears best to you by looking at other people's setups. I am very grateful that Philip Root took time to show me various light setup's in Fishtails years ago. It was quite eye opening.

 

[mike_dani]

Wow

Thanks for all of the info..... I looked at H@rrys tanks today and was amazed at the difference between 175w 250w 15K 20K and 10K

I think I am going to go with SE bulbs and spiders, now I just have to decide on Kelvin and ballast. I currently have 4 54W T5's and am thinking of going 12K and supplementing with actinics. I think with the 12K I will have enough room to use more or less actinic if need be. I think I will go with the Electric ballast so my wife doesn't strangle me with the Hum.....

Does this so logical:neutral:

 

[H@rry]

Does this so logical:neutral:

Mike, I try not to ever let logic interfere with my decisions.

Also bear in mind that the lighting on the 180s is 400W MH (10K & 20K) with Actinic VHO supplementation.

 

[redtop03]

have you looked at the lumatek ballasts,I have 2 of those with the 250w phoenix 14000k DE bulbs in an Odyssea light fixture....I love the color and intensity and my coral seem to like it too

 

[Silveradositn]

i have used ice cap and blue wave ballast and honeslty eather would work ive never used coralvue so i dont know about theres.but blue wave is fine... on bulbs phineox 14k are great if you dont want to run single end radium then pheniox 14k are my pref in double end

 

[orthokardia]

I run Icecap with reeflux 10k and love them........on the recommendation of H@rry by the way.

 

[Zef004]

So bart this where you been hiding out. Lol

 

[jason.tammy]

Mike I am fixing to do an order from Reef Geek and with the new account with them we can chk some more prices if you like.I am running 3x electronic ballast(reefbright)and 3x20k 400w reeflux bulbs with 2xpurple plus T-5's and love the combo.I am still getting great growth,no noise and the colors look great as well.Almost forgot single ended bulbs.
Jason

 

[OMG Corals]

Running coralvue with Radium 20k and spiders. Love it. MY $.02

 

[KingRicky]

I recently switched from 4X54 T-5's to 2Z250w 20k Radiums on Coralvue ballast and the difference is remarkable. I have gotten great growth with the new setup. You are more than welcome to come take a look at my tank if you want.

 

[Yerboy]

Mike i really think you should go with LED. And now during setup is the best time. No one wants to switch to LED after they have been setup for months and just now installed the 2nd set of MH bulbs... Cough cough old obvious thread is obvious.