metal halide questions

[jimmybling31]

ok so I decided I am gonna go ahead and buy one 250watt metal halide for now and upgrade to more of them when i get a bigger tank. I am wondering what the advantages are to the different styles of bulb and such. like "pulse start" or "probe start" and "hqi" or "mogal" base. also reasons for electronic ballast v magnetic.

I was looking at this retrofit kit
http://www.hellolights.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1325

and this one

http://www.hellolights.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=171

and this one

http://www.hellolights.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=169


the middle one is the one I am leaning towards because of the low cost of it. is there anything wrong with a setup like that? I would be building a canopy for it and would use either a 20k bulb or suppliment with t5 actinics.

also is there any advantage to using a 14k bulb and then suplimenting with t5 actinics.

(I understand this will be total overkill for any coral I would ever want to keep in my 29 gallon tank. the reason I am going with a 250 watt is so I can upgrade to a bigger tank and still use everything and just get a better reflector/more ballasts kits.

 

[bamachamp92]

I would be worried about heat with a setup like that inside a canopy on a 29 gallon tank, and the reflector makes all the difference in the world for mogul bulbs. if you get the m58 you cant run radiums on it. If you are going to upgrade later I would just save the money and get what you want in the first place.

 

[oceaninabox]

Double ended bulbs are typically used in smaller nano sized tanks while the mogul is for for a larger set up. Electronic ballasts cost a little more, but are also more efficient and besides that they run cooler. Electronic ballast will fire almost any bulb including radiums. I just starting carrying the Galaxy line and I am setting up 4 new tanks with radium bulbs to see how they work for my needs.

 

[bamachamp92]

Perry, let me know what kind of results you get out of the galaxy, I have icecaps and I have read on some other forums that the radium bulbs wont last as long on the eballasts as the M80, not that it matters with all my sps I will probably change every 6 months anyway. But I am thinking about going to the M80 for more par and longer lasting bulbs so another option might be helpful.

 

[oceaninabox]

You got it Tommy!!!!

 

[jimmybling31]

I would be worried about heat with a setup like that inside a canopy on a 29 gallon tank, and the reflector makes all the difference in the world for mogul bulbs. if you get the m58 you cant run radiums on it. If you are going to upgrade later I would just save the money and get what you want in the first place.

I already have the plans for there to be 4 fans on it. it will also be a pretty open canopy. just covering the front and sides. the back will be all fans. It will also be a 13 inch tall canopy. so all that will help. I do realize the heat will be a problem.

so if I got this one it would do really well and I could run the radiums for a really good look with the tank. it would just be over hanging in the back a little

http://www.hellolights.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1491

would that be a good setup? I kinda want that reflector with a cheaper ballast. it would be very economic that way.


http://www.hellolights.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1676

 

[coral]

You should go with mogul base bulbs because you will have more options. All Metal halide brands seem to have their own unique color. People typically develop a brand preference. for instance I like radium halides but many others I know use XM halides. But if I wanted a radium 250 double ender forget it. You just can't get them. So for brand options I would stick with a mogul base set up. As far as ballasts go I would definitely go with an electronic. Not only because they are smaller and more energy efficient but they will also run any bulb I have found. The other ballast types may not run all halides.

 

[bamachamp92]

i would say that would be a better choice than the other ones. If you buy a good reflector now no matter what brand that is just one more thing you dont have to buy again later, there are a couple of other choices that we can discuss later, I think donny even has a cheap 150 hqi pendant that could get you through until you set up the bigger tank then you could use it as a sump light.

 

[jimmybling31]

i would say that would be a better choice than the other ones. If you buy a good reflector now no matter what brand that is just one more thing you dont have to buy again later, there are a couple of other choices that we can discuss later, I think donny even has a cheap 150 hqi pendant that could get you through until you set up the bigger tank then you could use it as a sump light.

that would be nice. I would just supplement that with actinics I think unless the 20k bulbs would grow everything just as well. I already have the t5's to use. i will go to the store and ask if he has a light. I was gonna try to keep i under 200, but if I was getting one of those lumens I wouldn't mind spending the extra cash.