Troy,

I'm runing the Hamilton German 10K (purchased from Jayson 2 weeks prior to the pics), here are 2 pics of my tank from Oct 13 2002. The corals have adjusted more and look muck better now, except for the blue/purple acro, but I think my alk has more to do with that. I'm not super happy with my camera, but this should give you an idea. I'm also using the Hamilton ballast, will get the number off the inside maybe on the Sunday when I make it home. Oh and 2 URI 110 VHO Atinics.

Got any frags you can part with?

Lee

http://www3.telus.net/public/a7a92965/fish/P1010027.jpg
http://www3.telus.net/public/a7a92965/fish/P1010053.jpg

Modified just for you Tony!!

RBP (really big picture) alert .... :shock: :P

I really want to use 10k 250w MH, w/VHO actinic on my new 120G tank.

I bought Adam's IceCap 430 and I have the 110w Super Actinic bulbs and endcaps ready to go. I went to the local hydrophonic store and picked up two- 250w MH setups (reflectors, sockets, wires, boxes) for a very good price. I belive I bought the M57 ballasts, that steve and others have been talking about, Steve also confirmed that they should run the Ushio's fine.

My question is, are these the best ballasts for the job? I'd really like to do this right, I could simply "swap" ballasts and keep the rest of the setup intact. Is there a better "bare ballast" out there that I could aquire and swap?

that is two different issues, you wanted one for iwasakis or 10K, that will run both fine, now the other statement depends on how muich you are willing to spend.. to buy a raw M80 ballast so far the best price I have come up with is 150ish per ballast, no wires or anything just a bare ballast. for 340, I can get the double PFO hqi from J&L so unless I find a cheeper sorce befor to long I will be shoping at J&L for this.. so realy it all depends on what you are willing to spend on ballast.. you probably got yours for about 60.00 each.. are you willing to spend tripple the amount?

Steve

Actually "ANSI M57" is 175W, so if they're 250W ballasts they're probably "ANSI M58."

175W - M57
250W - M58
400W - M59
150W - M102
1000W - M48
150W (double ended) - M80
250W (double ended) - M81

The M80's and M81's seem to be a fair bit more in cost ... I remember when I looked into this I was looking at >$150 per ballast...

Delphinus you have the M80 and the M81 backwards.. the M80 is a 250 watt MH
which you can verify here
http://www.advancetransformer.com/ec...3167015001.pdf

the M81 is a 150 watt
http://www.advancetransformer.com/ec...3167015002.pdf


Steve

Whoops, thanks for catching that .... and I got the M48 wrong too, it is M47 for 1000W and M48 is for 1500W I think.

I just took the box apart awhile ago, and it's a SYLVANIA M58, I belive. Now I'd better really verify that because I'm confusing myself AND you guys! Geez.

So can you use HQI ballasts on regular bulbs. I thought HQI had a double ended bulb?