Maybe go back to the top and read the linked thread from aquariumpros.ca - there is a bit of discussion on this, with pictures.

It takes 100 hours for the bulb colors to stabilise. You can take picture of your 175 10K side by side with the 400Watt 10K after the 100 hour period and post it for the benefit of the members.

Thanks

Venki Worathur

What make is your 175 Watts bulb?

oh ok kool
heheh
i was worried for a second there eh
heh

my bad
didn't read the aquariumpro thread
=o)

i got a 175 ushio bulb
=o)

It'll definetly beat a USHIO hands down, no doubt just give it some time.

nbreau,

Check on Ebay, there was guy offering a bare transformer and condenser at a very low rate, he says he can put them in an ABS for additional charge.

so anyone try these in 250Watters yet?
whaddya think of em?
any info on life expectancy of the bulbs?

a son agro is not a HQI or a HQI type ballast at all, it is simpaly a "different" ballast from a different type of product line that seams to work well in our applications. the only HQI ballasts made that are available to us are 150 watt and 250 watt. there are a few other models but no lights that we would use in thoes wattages.

so the story goes that a son agro "should" decrease the life of a MH bulb, but a 250 watt HQI ballast used on the tright types of bulbs will actualy increase the life of the bulb over that you would obtain with a standard ballast.


Steve

hey steve,
if i go 250W HQI, what kind of ballast should i be looking for?
will i be able to run both, these 10,000k and 6500k bulbs with it?

so i understand, the SA ballast is actually a 430W ballast, so is the 250W HQI actually 250W? is there actually a benefit to me, to run a 250W HQI as oppossed to a regular 250W ballast?

Just got my bulbs today. Ordered them late Thurs evening, shipped Friday and arrived Tuesday. Very speedy delivery. I hooked one up side by side with my 2 month old iwasaki's and all I can say is "WOW!" Do those iwasaki's ever look like crap! The 10k's from venkiw look much brighter and there is no need for actinic supplementation.

I will try and post a pic in a day or two

Thanks Venkiw

Lance

HQI is simply another aquarium legend noting more

HQI is a osram trade mark for there Powerstar metal halide bulb line from 70 to 3000 watt mogul base and double ended all included. For exemple calling a hushio double ended bulb a HQI is like calling a Yamaha snowmobil a skidoo

here is a link to the only real HQI bulb in this world http://www.osram.com/pdf/service_corner/hqi_e.pdf

a bit of story http://www.sylvania.com/press/09142000.html

here is the catalog of all HQI bulb http://www.osram.no/brosjyrer/english/K01KAP5_en.pdf

Andy is not realy rong calling his ballast (Sodium son agro 430) a HQI ballast because it is the right ballast to run the REAL HQI bulb
see this link http://www.lamptech.co.uk/Spec%20She...20HQIBT400.htm



But if you go in europe HQI is the way to call ALL metal halide
no mater it is a mogul or a double ended so any metal halide is a HQI anyway :idea: :idea:

Thanks Lance for the excellent feedback.