luc24cobra
New Member
I'm either setting up a 180gal or a 210gal SPS tank and i'm wondering if i'll have enough light to have good growth and nice color. I'm planning on using 3x250 HQI setup with 14k Ushio DE bulbs, will this be enough?
Will 3x250 HQI ushio lighting enough?
- Thread starter luc24cobra
- Start date
luc24cobra
New Member
I forgot to ask if you guys think i'll need to suppliment with blue antic lighting to get good color or will the 14k bulbs be enough?
gio28
Active Member
IMO i think you will be good if you position the corals accordingly.
my personal opinion is that actinic supplementation is good for several reasons:
-dawn/dusk effect
-the coloration when both lights are on looks nice
-the 420 and 460 NM really help bring out the fluorescence in the corals
IMO if you get some actinic T5s or something in like that in the mix then you should be able to provide light for just about everything i think.
my personal opinion is that actinic supplementation is good for several reasons:
-dawn/dusk effect
-the coloration when both lights are on looks nice
-the 420 and 460 NM really help bring out the fluorescence in the corals
IMO if you get some actinic T5s or something in like that in the mix then you should be able to provide light for just about everything i think.
J
jetskiking
Guest
You will be fine with that lighting especially on the 180. The 210 is a little taller but it will probably still be fine.
globaldesigns
Member
I use 2X250 Watt ushio bulbs with 50/50 compact pc... I just switched to 10K on the MH as I found the growth on my coral very slow to non-existant, just switched to 10k 3 days ago, and I can already see some differences in some of my coral with:
- coral extension
- flouriscence under moon lighting
- growth, now you can't expect much in 3 days, but I can see some white ends on some corals that were not there 3 days ago (an indication of new skeleton growth)
So I would say having 3 would be fine... I did like the 14K look, but with research I found that most corals are within the first 5 meters, and the Ushio 10K bulb replicates this region... Therefore I decided to switch back and can say that it does look really nice and I actually like it better than before.
- coral extension
- flouriscence under moon lighting
- growth, now you can't expect much in 3 days, but I can see some white ends on some corals that were not there 3 days ago (an indication of new skeleton growth)
So I would say having 3 would be fine... I did like the 14K look, but with research I found that most corals are within the first 5 meters, and the Ushio 10K bulb replicates this region... Therefore I decided to switch back and can say that it does look really nice and I actually like it better than before.
luc24cobra
New Member
that is not to yellow for you? you have any pics of the new 10k's? Are they ushio bulbs?
stanlalee
Active Member
250w is plenty of light regardless of kelvin (yes including 20k, theres alot more to growth than PAR). You should be focusing on reflectors for PAR and coverage then use the bulb that looks best. You can easily double the PAR using a well developed reflector over common units without any other changes. Look into lumenmax 3, lumenmax elite or cayman sun reflectors and choose a nice looking bulb of your choice (XM 20k, Ushio 20k, Aquamaxx 14k, Pheonix 14k). If you are using supplementation (two 160w VHO super actinics are the best supplementation available and the univeral standard for a 6ft tank) then you can consider a whiter bulb but I still wouldn't go with anything yellow. AB 13k would be a good high PAR whiter (but not yellow or ugly) bulb to run with supplementation. I guess the ushio 14k fits that description too but I have not seen or used an ushio 14k (based on the 20k I would expect it to be whiter than most other 14k).
J
jetskiking
Guest
Originally Posted by globaldesigns
http:///forum/post/3142318
I use 2X250 Watt ushio bulbs with 50/50 compact pc... I just switched to 10K on the MH as I found the growth on my coral very slow to non-existant, just switched to 10k 3 days ago, and I can already see some differences in some of my coral with:
- coral extension
- flouriscence under moon lighting
- growth, now you can't expect much in 3 days, but I can see some white ends on some corals that were not there 3 days ago (an indication of new skeleton growth)
So I would say having 3 would be fine... I did like the 14K look, but with research I found that most corals are within the first 5 meters, and the Ushio 10K bulb replicates this region... Therefore I decided to switch back and can say that it does look really nice and I actually like it better than before.
I also run the ushio 10k on my frag tank and love it. Its not yellow but more white. My Colors never look better than they do after being under the 10k.
http:///forum/post/3142318
I use 2X250 Watt ushio bulbs with 50/50 compact pc... I just switched to 10K on the MH as I found the growth on my coral very slow to non-existant, just switched to 10k 3 days ago, and I can already see some differences in some of my coral with:
- coral extension
- flouriscence under moon lighting
- growth, now you can't expect much in 3 days, but I can see some white ends on some corals that were not there 3 days ago (an indication of new skeleton growth)
So I would say having 3 would be fine... I did like the 14K look, but with research I found that most corals are within the first 5 meters, and the Ushio 10K bulb replicates this region... Therefore I decided to switch back and can say that it does look really nice and I actually like it better than before.
I also run the ushio 10k on my frag tank and love it. Its not yellow but more white. My Colors never look better than they do after being under the 10k.
J
jetskiking
Guest
Just dug these out of my photobucket. Here is a good comparison.
Ushio 10k 250 hqi On left phoenix 14k on right both with around 6 months burn time.
Ushio 175w 10k single end on frag tank and phoenix 14k 250 HQI's in display.
Ushio 10k 250 hqi On left phoenix 14k on right both with around 6 months burn time.
Ushio 175w 10k single end on frag tank and phoenix 14k 250 HQI's in display.
globaldesigns
Member
Originally Posted by luc24cobra
http:///forum/post/3142390
that is not to yellow for you? you have any pics of the new 10k's? Are they ushio bulbs?
I will have to take some pic's, but no they are not too yellow. Quite surprisingly they are very white and with my 50/50's with actinics it looks very nice. I have seen alot of bulbs in 10K and they are horrible but these are not... Also remember that all bulbs react differently with all ballasts, I can honestly say say the pheonix 14K on my coralife ballasts didn't work well, after researching I found out the flickering I saw was because the bulb and ballast didn't like each other.
At my LFS, they said after talking with a technician that the 2 best bulbs are the KromeColor (Geissmen) and Ushio are the best and seem to work well with all ballasts.
I personally won't be going back to the 14K, unless my coral grows too much, then maybe I will test out the Ushio, I won't be putting the Pheonix 14K back in.
http:///forum/post/3142390
that is not to yellow for you? you have any pics of the new 10k's? Are they ushio bulbs?
I will have to take some pic's, but no they are not too yellow. Quite surprisingly they are very white and with my 50/50's with actinics it looks very nice. I have seen alot of bulbs in 10K and they are horrible but these are not... Also remember that all bulbs react differently with all ballasts, I can honestly say say the pheonix 14K on my coralife ballasts didn't work well, after researching I found out the flickering I saw was because the bulb and ballast didn't like each other.
At my LFS, they said after talking with a technician that the 2 best bulbs are the KromeColor (Geissmen) and Ushio are the best and seem to work well with all ballasts.
I personally won't be going back to the 14K, unless my coral grows too much, then maybe I will test out the Ushio, I won't be putting the Pheonix 14K back in.
J
jetskiking
Guest
I should note that the pics I took were with any suplementation off. Its strictly the halides.
globaldesigns
Member
Originally Posted by jetskiking
http:///forum/post/3142906
I should note that the pics I took were with any suplementation off. Its strictly the halides.
I won't bother taking pic's yours do the job very well
http:///forum/post/3142906
I should note that the pics I took were with any suplementation off. Its strictly the halides.
I won't bother taking pic's yours do the job very well
luc24cobra
New Member
thanks this helps a lot. do you think a IceCap 250 HQI All Aluminum Pendant would make a good reflector
luc24cobra
New Member
I also found these kind of reflectors CoralVue Lumen Bright Reflector any good????
stanlalee
Active Member
the ice caps are average. the lumenbrights are very good I just didn't know the came in double ended like you want to run (I mentioned the good ones above I am positive come in 250w double ended configuration). there are more reflector choices in single ended mogul lamps.
luc24cobra
New Member
I was thinking about maybe going with single ended style cause the reflectors are a lil cheaper. what other single end style reflectors are good?
luc24cobra
New Member
theres no difference between HQI lamps vs single ended lamps are there??