help with light setup

[rarelyseriousb]

Im thinking of changing my lighting over my tank. The tank is 20Lx18Wx23H. Right now I have PFO electronic 175 MH over it and 4 t5HO attinic over it. the t5 dont really fit over it. Im thinking of just going with 1 SE 250w MH. some of my questions:

1, is this a good Idea?

2, I cant decided between a pendent or a good reflector.

3, the wife is sick of light bleeding into her office so is there a good pendent/reflector that would help with this?

4, If I go with a reflector what are the better ones. I dont want to drop 150 on a turd.

5, and last question I can think of now is what choice of ballast or are they pretty much all the same?

 

[bamachamp92]

I would go with radiums, I put off the switch for a long time on my 320 because of the cost of replacing all my lights and I wish I would have done it a lot sooner. If you go with reflectors instead of a pendant I would go with lumenarc I love mine, but I have heard nothing but rave reviews on the lumenmax elites. If you plan to run radiums, I have mine on icecap e-ballasts and I really like the color, but I have read the bulbs wont last as long as they will on a pulse start M80 ballast like the PFO. I had de 14k pheonix and went to 20k radiums se and I would not go back to de, but its all preference. Most of what you get on here will be opinion or personal experience, but there are a lot of people on here with amazing tanks using radiums. That is why I chose to go that way. There are a lot of threads about this I would do some reading before you decide. Good luck with the lights.

 

[rarelyseriousb]

thanks Tommy. I am leaning to radiums if I make the switch. I have heard a lot of good thing about them. but everything else is up in the air. I am leaning towards a good reflector but clueless on ballast. I want an electronic I think. And I also want to dump th T5 to stop overhaning the tank.

 

[Mr.Firemouth]

SE Moguls are superior IMO to color, maintenance, PAR, and overall performance.
I have all DE lamps and am switching the fixture from 3-250w DE and 2-150DE to 3 250W SE in Luminarcs. I have repaired the sockets that have burned all the way thru on my DE 4 times this year alone!

Use the Lumenarc style reflector instead of the pendant for better performance from the lamp.

 

[rarelyseriousb]

thanks. I am thinking of SE in a Lumen Max Elite fixture. from what I have read the do well about a foot off the water, so I might make a canopy but who knows. As for bulbs I was think 250w radium 20k. Would this be a good bulb? also what electronic balest is a good choice? or are the all about the same?

 

[jimmybling31]

I am up in the air about ballast myself. I am thinking about going with the same setup you are right now.

 

[rarelyseriousb]

yah im not sure what the difference is in electronic ballests. If you find any leads or a place to purchase this stuff let me know.

 

[bamachamp92]

I can tell you I like the icecaps that Ive got but they are the only eballasts Ive used so I dont know about the rest