Anyone run xm 10k?

[lastlight]

I was originally going to run twin hqi radiums on my new tank (36x30x20) but I like to stare at my tank a lot. I don't want to run my halides 12 hours a day. So supplementary lighting is the obvious solution but I think that's a bit much.

Another possible idea is a single xm 10k SE centered over the tank with t5s around it for a bit of blue.

Here are numbers from Sanjay's site (PPFD):

2 x 250w Radium 20k SE on M80 = 2 x 85 = 170

OR:

1 x 250w XM 10k SE on M80 = 182
+ some T5s

Seems like the single mh with T5s is the way to go. I'm a fan of a nice crisp white with blue highlighting. I just don't want any yellow. I've read plenty about the XMs on icecaps and people describe then as crisp white. I laready know the M80 will fire the bulb WAY brighter (182 ppfd vs 115 on icecap) but how does the color look on HQI? Almost impossible to search due to limitations with short words like '10k' and 'xm' so I'm asking for opinions.

Thanks!

[ALBERTA REEF]

I use to run 2 250W 15000XM single end bulbs. They Has a nice crisp white and a good cool blue too. I liked them but I think the would of performed better on a Electronic Ballast. Lower the kelvins 10000k more of the yellow color.

[nlreefguy]

I used to run XM 10K bulbs on electronic balasts. I have run them on magnetic ballasts too. They are extrememly bright and start out very white, but tend to lean a little to the yellow over time. They definitely do not lean toward the blue side of white in my experience.

[lastlight]

So long as they gradually lean to yellow and start out white that is ok. I would be running 4 blue t5 bulbs to bring the colour temp up. If they were always pretty yellow I might have troubles achieving the look I'm after.

Did your 10ks look the same but brighter on magnetic? Was it m80?

Thx

[marie]

I have 10k xm moguls with my m80 ballasts and no supplemental actinics and I love the colour.... no trace of yellow at all. They are very, very bright

[marie]

This is pretty accurate pic of the colour and the bulbs are just over a year old
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v224/mariesnell/jan1410005.jpg

[lastlight]

Oh nice I'm a big fan of your tank so win/win!

Do you think one bulb is enough over my tank? How high should it be?

Thanks!

[Skimmerking]

hey there Brett why not go with a 400 2 over the tank on a lumenarc reflector.

[lastlight]

Won't a 400 10k fry my tank? It's only 20" high?

Based on the numbers I'd guess the 250 would be a lot of light. I'm also thinking it would take even more blue t5s to overcome the 10k to give me an overall subtle blue color.

[Marlin65]

I run a 400SE 14,000k with only 16" no problem.

[lastlight]

Which bulb?

[Skimmerking]

i would go with a 20-14 K Brett and 15 " is nothing for a 20" tank.

[fkshiu]

I ran XM10Ks on M80s for a over a year. White with the barest hint of yellow. I wouldn't have run them without actinic supplementation but I like the bluer look personally. They are truly PAR monsters, though, on an M80. I would suggest a slow adaptation period to prevent bleaching.

[marie]

I'm lighting a 29" depth and the light has no problem keeping the bottom well lit so It would be like you having the lights 18" above the water on your 20" tank....I don't think you'll have any problems lighting the whole tank with one bulb from that height




hmmm, from that height above the tank your whole house will be well lit :lol:

[lastlight]

Did you guys run 250s or 400s?

[Skimmerking]

250' and 400's

[nlreefguy]

I ran 250s and i agree that is a very accurate pic of what they look like. Extremely bright lights! Just the barest hint of yellow. Definitely run actinics.

[lastlight]

ok great i'm def going with the 250 SE =)

I already know supplementation is a must though for me. I need some blue and I also want to view the tank over a 12 hour period.

Even though they are old school many people claim the 10k / uri vho combo is GOLD. I've been looking into vho and wow it costs more than t5 for the retofit kits! The tank is in the corner so what should I do for the vho or t5s? I could fit 36" bulbs on 2 sides and 24" bulbs on the others.

option 1:
single t5/vho on both adjacent viewable sides
2 total

option 2:
double t5/vho on both adjacent viewable sides
4 total

option 3:
t5/vho on every side of reflector (4 total)

vho? t5? who cares you'll sell it in a year brett? :razz:

[fkshiu]

I have VHO/T5HO on both sides of the MH pendant. The only VHO supp. bulb to run is the UVL/URI super actinic leaving the T5HO as your colour tweaker. I currently run a KZ Fiji Purple and a Gmann Actinic+ as my T5 bulbs (along with an Iwasaki 14000K 175W which has a very similar colour to the XM10K on the M80 and the VHO super actinics) and this seems to be the "perfect" combo to me.

[lastlight]

vho/t5 pairs? but for my cube i might see colour banding maybe if i don't have them on all 4 sides of the reflector? for a long tank i think it works well having them inbetween your halides.

so that would be 4xvho and 4xt5...way too much light/cost?

[Funky_Fish14]

Brett, I used to run XM's over the old 75. (They were 400W though, but yes SE/Mogul) Had a 10K bulb in a PFO HQI Ballast. That thing runs like a champ, PUMPS the light out like mad, and views as a PERFECT crisp white. No yellow unless on a CRAPPY ballast or very old bulb. Its just white. Initially when I just had the one 10K over a 33g I ran it with a 96W actinic PC and it looked pretty awesome. IMO your selection in the first post is an awesome choice. Until I decided not to go so hardcore with my reef thats what I was going to be running in a lumenarc over my 52.

Hope that helps,

Cheers,

Chris

[danzing]

I'm running a 400 watt 10k mogul lamp(XM) and a 175 watt 20k mogul lamp(XM), have noticed some yellow now that you mentioned it. Also noticed that the coral is not as colorful. it's basic colors like brown, green, and some yellow and that's it. Do other more expensive lamps produce better colors?

[sphelps]

I also use to run a single 400W SE XM 10K with T5 supplement. As stated it is pretty white to start with but over time (IME a couple months) it gets pretty yellow.

I'm into the bluer look now and I keep most of the same corals without a problem. I'd be curious to see a par comparison between bulbs at certain water depths since blue light doesn't get filtered out by water as much.

[i have crabs]

ive always hated 1 mh over a 36" tank i think 2 is a much better way to go unless u get some huge pendant maybe, also a 250w with a electronic ballast can do the same as a 400w on a regular ballast so ive never been sold on 400w lights but ive also never owned one,
cant remember what bulb it is but i think its a 10k xm and even with 4 22k t5's its more yellow than i like, i put it in for the massive par a 10k gives u but since the tank is gonna end up with not much sps i think ill be switching back to a more blue bulb maybe around 14k

depending what u decide i might have 2 250w's i could sell i havnt been shure if im gonna sell them or not but i dont think i need them anymore so 2 lumimax 3's and a galaxy ballast and 20k bulbs

[lastlight]

According to Sanjay's results an electronic ballast almost never performs nearly as well (ppfd) as the M80 HQI ballast running the same lamp. Use more energy true...but I'm not worried about that. By regular ballast you mustn't mean M80.

If you decide to sell your mh setup though fire me a pm and maybe it will work out for me. I'm still concerned about how often I like to view the tank. I don't want my mh on for longer than 8 hours so I already KNOW I'll have a few t5 bulbs over it.

[Dez]

Have you considered 2 x 150 watt halides instead? I was running 150 watts over my 24" tank and got tremendous growth with an acro sitting on my sandbed. Then long term electrical costs would be less than dual 250watts.

I was in the same boat and had end caps for vho's and also T5s with a ballast capable of running either, but I opted with going T5's even after I saw the super actinics on the VHO's. I'm running giessman actinic plus for actinic and it is the BOMB with just the actinics on. Anyway, hope this helps.

Des

[lastlight]

Aw Dez come on =)

You wanna toss 150s into the mix now? Lol. Maybe? I like the selection there is for 250w.

I guess I could always just go 2x250w radium and supplement THOSE. On M80 they have good par and aren't as blue as on e-ballasts. That option just costs me more which was something I was trying to avoid this time around.

At least I'm more sure about t5 > vho. It will cost me less to setup and there are a billion more options. Not to mention those vho bulbs suck a lot of power.

[Marlin65]

I have an M80 hamilton ballast and optics reflector with two 10,000 XM bulbs one has 3 months on it the other 5 months for $200 if you want I did not like the color went to the Phoenix bulb 14,000k You would have to pay for shipping though.

[muck]

I have an M80 hamilton ballast and optics reflector with two 10,000 XM bulbs one has 3 months on it the other 5 months for $200 if you want I did not like the color went to the Phoenix bulb 14,000k You would have to pay for shipping though.

Shipping... Brett will make the drive to pick it up from you Im sure. :wink:

[lastlight]

Oh you bastard. I drove out for the camaraderie first and the tank second.

[muck]

Oh you bastard. I drove out for the camaraderie first and the tank second.
sorry... couldn't let that go by. :razz:

[superduperwesman]

anan I thought this thread was about running 10 km ahah

[lastlight]

i used to be a distance runner but i can assure you it's not about running these days lol.

[Delphinus]

I wouldn't bother with 150's. (Sorry Dez!!) Not worth it IMO. 150's are great for nano tanks.

I ran 2x250w SE XM 10k's plus 2x110w actinic over my old 75g tank which I took down last year. Pity it's all gone now otherwise I could have showed you it. Anyhow, wasn't m80 ballasts but it was a pretty decent colour. When I had SPS in it they coloured up pretty wicked.

Here's a picture from that tank's glory days..
http://members.shaw.ca/hobiesailor/aquaria/tankshots/75g.jpg