Stircrazy and other lighting gurus

[Myka]

Ah, in that case you're like me! So I don't think ou have issues with the Ushio 10K, although I would bet you would want at least one of those VHOs to be actinic. The Ushio 10K is very yellow. You'll get hella PAR running those Ushio SE 10K on the PFO HQI ballast.

[fishytime]

Add a HOT5 retro fit kit and run a fiji purple bulb?

[midgetwaiter]

I like the pink too.

Even easier than switching to T5s would be to use URI / UVL 75.25 VHOs. They are 75% actinic and 25% 10k Tri Phosphor like the URI Aquasuns so you get a really nice pop on red colours but still get the actinic too. Very similar to to the Fiji Purple but still kind of unique.

I'm using the T5 75.25 with the Aquasun 10ks and I love them but it's a bit too much red. I'm going to try the 75.25 with some 12 Actinic Whites soon.

[marie]

So I have 2 of the needed 3 reflectors (they just so happen to plug right into the hamilton ballasts, no messing around with wiring) and I thought I would try them out tonight to see how bright they really are.

Does anyone know where I can get sunglasses for my poor fish.

[StirCrazy]

Ok, sorry I didn't see this sooner, but I just left India.

Ok so as you have been told yes you can upgrade and yes it is fairly easy.

the question I have is are you running and electronic ballast or a normal ballast, if it is electronic then you will get a small increase in output but you will get the other benifits of a larger more even foot print.

If it is a normal M80 ballast you will get all the benifits of the other plus a huge increase in light out put.

as for bulb use, any one is usble as they are all based off German bulbs, even the USHIO which has a probe starter in it still works on an pulse start ballast.

XM bulbs respong suprisingly well to HQI power supplies so they are a good choice in bulbs.

it is definatly not worth it to go to a 400 set up, you already have the ballast, so for the most part you would not gain any output from a 400 over the HQI as there is realy no good ballast for a 400 set up that is made for high output like a HQI. the 400 HQI's are not a HQI ballast and actualy decrease bulb life instead of increasing it as a good HQI setup will.

Steve

[marie]

They are not electronic ballasts. I decided to go with the xm bulbs because first off they are cheaper and second, according to sanjay they are a bit whiter then the ushios.

So in your opinion Steve, how often should I be changing the bulbs. Are they being overdriven to the point where the bulbs need to be changed more often then every 12 months?

[StirCrazy]

actualy they are not being overdriven at all and should last longer than normaly. I would go a minimum of a year on them and even up to 1.5 years, you have to play it by ear and decide when you want to change them. one way is to have a new set of bulbs and say at 1 year put one new one in and over a coupel days see the differance, then put the old one back in and in a month do it again.. if you start getting a huge change month to month time to change them. the other way is to have a PAR meter and do measurments on them instead.

Steve

[marie]

Thanks Steve, just what I was hoping to hear .



These lights are crazy bright, well worth the money I spent to upgrade and so far I don't miss the vhos at all. The 10k xms have a way nicer colour with these ballasts

[PoonTang]

Originally Posted by marie

I'm happy with the colour and growth of the corals , the biggest problem I have and the reason I'm looking at changing things is the hamilton hood is very noisy (because of crappy fans) and the light spread is terrible

Why not try upgrading the fans first? alot cheaper than a whole new system.

[marie]

Originally Posted by PoonTang

Why not try upgrading the fans first? alot cheaper than a whole new system.

Well your a bit late with that suggestion .

New reflectors and bulbs are in and working wonderfully and its not quite a whole new system, I still have the same ballasts