• Folks, if you've recently upgraded or renewed your annual club membership but it's still not active, please reach out to the BOD or a moderator. The PayPal system has a slight bug which it doesn't allow it to activate the account on it's own.

back and forth debate on lights

R

reeferwanabe

I know to a big extent this is personal choice but I wanted more feed back.
I'm currently using coralife aquapro 72" w/3-150 10k bulbs and 4-96 watt actinics.
I was thinking of going all t5's like 8-54 watt fixture.
now I'm thinking 2-250 watt pendants 16x16x7.5 with parabolic reflectors and using 12 or 14k SE reflux bulbs. I don't have a hood or cover on this tank.
anyone using this pendant? its coralvue. I guess I would suspend them 16-18" above the tank
 
R

reeferwanabe

le_se_pendant.jpg

this is the pendant. ballast comes seperate. thinking one on either side of center brace 250 watt w/12k reflux.not ready to jump on this.just looking or dreaming right now. any downside to using this. 150 gal. tank
 
R

reeferwanabe

I see reflux does not sell 14k so I guess the 12k would be way better than 20k unless anyone thinks 14k in another brand is better than the 12k reflux
 
malulu

malulu

NJRC Member
my tank is 210g, i got the samething before - "coralife aquapro 72" w/3-150 10k bulbs and 4-96 watt actinics."

about 1.5 years ago, I changed to the outer orbit HQI - 250W x 3, with 8 T5 in it don't really like it that much, i think it may be due to the T5 ballat is not as good as the one from IceCap.
images
images


in the future, i am thinking to replace it with that you just posted (but with 400W), am thinking TWO may be good enough, but the two center brace may blocked some of the lights.
 
M

mnat

Officer Emeritus
Staff member
Moderator
If you are going 250w and want a good 14k bulb get the Pheonix 14k. Love that bulb and they make it in double end and single end (I know this because I accidently bought the se bulb and it sits in its box at home).
 
R

reeferwanabe

David are you using a chiller? if not you may have to with 400 watts. this was my concern even with the 250's. if you use one did you notice a spike in your electric bill? how many people are using 400's? are you all using chillers?
mnat if I purchase those lights I may buy that bulb from you if its still available.
have you ever tried the 12k reflux? or did you go right to the 14k phinix
 
Nickjr000

Nickjr000

On a 150 I think 250 watt is plenty , 400 is only gonna heat up your water more. But on a 6' tank you will need 3 pendants. Go with the lumenarc mini's everyone who has them loves them including me. I have 4 - 250 watt lumen mini's over my 215 and it lights it up nicely. The top of the tank is crowded though, Especially with the 2- 6' actinics ;D
 
R

reeferwanabe

thats what I am leaning towards. I thought the light spread with the 16x16 suspended 16" above the tank would light up the tank. with a little bit of shaded areas for corals that like it that way. They sell a duel ballast. whats your opinion on this? 190. for duel 115 for singles x 2=230. only downside I can think of is if it blows you loose both lights. also thinking 12k no actinics.
 
M

mr_X

the 12k reeflux is very blue. more blue than the 14k phoenix actually. if you like a blue tank, it's a nice lamp.
as for the dual 250 watt ballast- you are correct. i purchased one from sunlight supply and in the first 2 months one side went out. i had to send it back to them and they replaced it, but my tank did without 2 lamps for a week.
i would suggest 3 single ballasts. i use a single 400 watt halide in the center and two 250 watters on the sides of my 195, which is 25" deep, and didn't need a chiller. just a 12" fan. the 250's were fine for sps/clams/anemones, and i didn't need the 400.

have you guys seen the thread about the artemis bulbs from ebay?
http://renegadereefers.org/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=4893&st=0&sk=t&sd=a
 
Nickjr000

Nickjr000

mr_X said:
i purchased one from sunlight supply and in the first 2 months one side went out. i had to send it back to them and they replaced it, but my tank did without 2 lamps for a week.
Click to expand...

Yeah I have 4 single ballasts because that's what I wanted to avoid
 
R

reeferwanabe

ok. got the bulbs in yesterday. hooked em up. They look really nice. we shall see in the long run. even if they only lasted 4 months it would be worth it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top