MH question

[kms]

I am in the market for a MH setup. Right now I have a small tank (45), but will be upgrading to larger tanks in the future. If I buy a 400w MH ballast, could I use a bulb of lesser wattage, say a 250 watt bulb? What would be the impact of running a 250w bulb on a 400w ballast?

 

[kms]

Also, does anyone know anything about the MH products at affordable lighting dot com? They seem very inexpensive. Are they comparable to other brand products? Are MHs, simply MH...they either are or they are not, or are their differences across brands?
Ex. - what would be the difference in a 10K bulb from AL for $40 and another place that sells a 10K "Ushio" bulb for $95. They are both 10K right? Or what is the difference?

 

[golfish]

Originally posted by KMS
If I buy a 400w MH ballast, could I use a bulb of lesser wattage, say a 250 watt bulb?
NO, you could damage the bulb and or ballast

 

[dskidmore]

Originally posted by KMS
...Are MHs, simply MH...they either are or they are not, or are their differences across brands?
Ex. - what would be the difference in a 10K bulb from AL for $40 and another place that sells a 10K "Ushio" bulb for $95. They are both 10K right? Or what is the difference?
The biggest diffrences between ballast brands is power usage and bulb life. Whatever the wattage of your bulb, the ballast is going to draw more than that to run it. Electronic ballasts tend to be more efficient and don't burn bulbs out as fast. There are quality diffrences between electronic ballasts, you could try getting some data.
With the bulbs, spectrum and bulb life are the critical factors. the Kelvin rating is the highest peak in the spectrum, not the only one. Look for bulbs with multiple spectrum peaks on that light color chart. Also look for bulbs that last longer.

 

[kms]

Thanks everyone! Where would I find the light spectrum chart and does every bulb come with a spectrum peak chart and bulb life data?

 

[bang guy]

I wish!
Do a web search on "Dana Riddle". he has done extensive research on many aquarium bulbs & ballasts.

 

[robchuck]

Originally posted by DSkidmore
With the bulbs, spectrum and bulb life are the critical factors. the Kelvin rating is the highest peak in the spectrum, not the only one. Look for bulbs with multiple spectrum peaks on that light color chart. Also look for bulbs that last longer.
This is solid info, but to add to it, the amount of PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation) is another key factor in bulb selection. Basically, the more PAR a bulb emits, the more energy is available for corals and their zooxanthellae to use.
Hobbyists just need to be careful in how PAR is distributed. Too much can actually be harmful to corals. Corals such as SPS require more PAR than say mushrooms or polyps.
Originally posted by Bang Guy
Do a web search on "Dana Riddle". he has done extensive research on many aquarium bulbs & ballasts.
Also, Joe Burger and Sanjay Joshi are two others who have done extensive on reef lighting. Joe has done some great work providing stats on 250W MH bulbs, and Sanjay has just done a ton of research with MH lighting.