Lighting???

[Reptoreef]

Ok, here's everybodies chance to get gabby with their current lighting... I'm curious as to what everybody is using... Me, I use 2 55 watt act blue pc 2 55 watt 10000k pc and 2 12k 175 watt Metal Halides... I may change the next time it's time for new lighting to 2 10k MH and 2 55 watt ultra act pc and 2 50/50 pc... any suggestions? What brands have you used and , so far, which is your favorite and why.

[Grandmaster_Toad]

I currently use an icecap 660 that run 4 x 110watt VHO's
2 UVI Actinic blue, 2 UVI Actinic super white.The bulbs seem to last a long time, and produce nice true colors. Everything grows great under them.
I like the ice cap ballast because of the power, durability and accessories. Like dimmers etc.
Halides are very nice too.....had one.....but sold it to upgrade and never bought a new one.
GT

[jerryc]

I have 2*110 watt VHO and 2*175 MH Hamilton 10K lamps changed from strait VHO
and will never go back. The deference in my coral is outstanding Thea expand
at least 2 times whit Thea did before. Only had one type of mushroom that did not
like the change it was a very low light coral ever thing else loved it.

[ereefic]

On the 120 we have (3) 175w PFO standard ballast running Ushio 10k's in the Reef-flectors. Although the standard PFO ballasts will no longer run Ushio's (bulb redesigned), you need Pulse start for Ushio's now. Also (2) 65w PC actinic 03's that are mainly for dusk and dawn effect.

On the 45 we have a PFO 250w Mini-Pendant running an Ushio DE 10k on a PFO HQI ballast.

On the 110 SPS we have a dual PFO 250w standard ballasts running XM 10k's and will soon add (2) 110w VHO super actinics run on an ARO ballast.

Is that enough? :tard:

[Reptoreef]

Whew... Eric, I'm running CoralVue 12k right now but am considering a chang to 10k Hamiltons or xm's. Remember, I'm running 175 watts per halide. Ushio's are kinda yellow, but with all the actinics, I may consider them if I'm confident that the yellow will be drowned out. My plan is... Act 03 or ultra act(purple coloring over bluer wanted?) begining @ 8am. 50/50 act blue/daywhite from 9am and halides from 10am... halides off @ 7pm, 50/50's off @ 8pm, and act's off @ 10pm. Any body have any comments? I believe I can run 65 watters in place of my current 55 watters, also(I run a TOP 4x55watt pc hood, dismantled and DIYed into my canopy) if so I will... anybody know if this is a fact???

[jerryc]

[quote="Reptoreef"]Whew... Eric, I'm running CoralVue 12k right now but am considering a chang to 10k Hamiltons or xm's. Remember, I'm running 175 watts per halide. Ushio's are kinda yellow, but with all the actinics, I may consider them if I'm confident that the yellow will be drowned out. My plan is... Act 03 or ultra act(purple coloring over bluer



Repto my 220 watts of actinics with 10k looks great to me just a little bit of blue i like it.

[peregrinus]

i'm running workhorse7 with 2 110watt VHO's supper actinic's and 2 175 watt MV(home depot specials) with the super actinics its a white light. :D

[davejnz]

On my 30galSPS,I use a 250wCV 10k ran off of an IceCap ballst.I supplement with
2x39wT5's(driven at 63w) ran off of a WH5.I use a G.E. 6500k T5 to balance the blue of the CV10k and a T5 act03 that peaks at 420 to supplement my CV10k that peaks at 450nm.
On my 40 gal I use 2x95w URI VHOact and 2x39w(63w) G.E. 6500k T5's in individual parabolic reflectors all being ran off of an IceCap 660.

----Brands i've used----
PC-many different brands and spectrums,best when used with parabolic reflectors
VHO-URI actinics,awsome bulb,its reputation speaks for itself
T5-ATI aquablue,ATI act03,G.E. 6500k,happy with them all
MH-CV 10k,the original bulb was the best(pure whte/touch of blue and bright as :sunny: ) but had issues with the glass being thin and excess UV so they changed the bulb(much higher quality) which is now more of a 12-14K but looks awsome as a stand alone bulb and coloration has been great.Probably will be getting another one when its time to change.

[pfloyd19732003]

2x250 20k XMs, 4x110 VHO super actinics

[Reptoreef]

Cool, I'm now running the 4 55 watt pc Both act 2 are blue 2 are 03. I decided on the XM's and would not go back, however, I am adding a single 250 watt 20k DE AB driven by an HQI ballast for an increase of intensity and a highly probable increase in desired colors. The new light and ballast will be here any day.

Repto

[pro2k]

I'm just getting started but I have 4 40w on the 55gal right now but plan to add to that later if I get stuff that needs intense lighting. I'm running 2 ultra daylight tubes, 1 50/50 actinic, and 1 actinic 03. I like the blue coloring of the actinic but should you limit actinics? I would almost like to run 3 pure actinic o3's and 1 daylight. Would that be a problem?

[Sea~Horse~Whisperer]

On my 125 I have 3 - 250w 20k's. They are so blue I don't use any actinic supplementation. The bulbs are coralvue.

Before I upgraded to the 125, I had a 55 and I used 520 watts of Power compacts. (half 10000k and half 03).

:roll: I like the MH but I miss the old electric bills.

Angie