SE or DE Halides?

[emperor11]

Hey everyone,
I am looking at getting some lights for my 75 that I will be getting. I intend to make the tank a SPS reef. Should I get 400 watt SE's or 250 watt DE's? I have heard good and bad things about both, and wanted to know what ya'll preferred. I know SE's are cheaper to buy, but DE's are cheaper to run. So, I am kind of stuck. Thanks for any help you all can give me!
~Emperor

 

[fishieness]

DEs have a higher par rating. for a tank that size, a few 250 DE would be realy nice IMO. 75s are also pretty shallow arent they? i think some 250s DEs are the way to go, but that is my opinion.

 

[emperor11]

I believe a 75 is 18" deep, just like a 55. However, 75's have the width of a 90. You think 2 or 3 250 watters would be best? I figured 2 would PROBABLY be fine...but then again, I have never used halides before.
Thanks!
Emperor

 

[mr.125]

I think it depends on your application.
Are you going to retrofit your hood?
Or do you want a complete fixture?
Pendants maybe?
I would say 2 250 DE's would be sufficient. IMO

 

[mudplayerx]

Go DE's all the way. The PAR on them pretty much makes them double the wattage of a similarly rated SE bulb.

 

[emperor11]

Originally Posted by Mr.125
I think it depends on your application.
Are you going to retrofit your hood?
Or do you want a complete fixture?
Pendants maybe?
I would say 2 250 DE's would be sufficient. IMO

I am not sure...I was thinking retrofit, but I dont know.

 

[emperor11]

Originally Posted by mudplayerx
Go DE's all the way. The PAR on them pretty much makes them double the wattage of a similarly rated SE bulb.
Thanks Mud!

 

[reefiness]

3 lights would be a waste, MH can sufficiently cover a 2' X 2' area. so being that a 75 gallon is only 4' long you would only need 2

 

[emperor11]

Thanks Reefiness! Can you get HQI retrofit kits? All the ones I am finding have SE bulbs.

 

[coralcollector]

250 Se would be fine I run them on my 200 24" deep the par is about the same De VS Se when you slide the glass in front of the DEs that they must have.Do whatever you can get the cheapest both work great.

 

[reefiness]

for DE you would need to buy 2 250watt PFO mini's for about $100 a pice and then a PFO HQI dual 250 ballast whcihc you can find for about $250 then you will just need to find the bulbs.
You can put the pendents right into a hood if you want you would just need some hooks on the top of the canopy and the pendents come with loops on the top of them.