question on lighting please

[Joezreef]

I have tried several bulb/ballast combos...I currently run 3 400 watts over my 220 reef....Im using 400 watt coralvue dimmible ballast with the radium bulbs....a few people have told me that the par outta my combo is bad? I use to run the 12k reeflux? what should I do im looking to get better growth...Im running 1 single vho for supplementation!
what do youall recommend? I just got my 20k and rather not switch ballast?
Thanks Joe

 

[wicked demon]

How does the reef look? use the corals health to determine what is best for you. People talk trash about aquatraders but my zoas have never been happier than under the 15k hamiltons that everybody seems to hate, so , go figure.

 

[Joezreef]

they look good good pe but not growing like crazy....Ive been told I could get better growth from a t5 than the bulb/ballast combo im running?

 

[Joezreef]

I even thought about getting a 10k reefux for the middle and 2 12k reeflux for the outside?

 

[Joezreef]

any thoughts~

 

[AZDesertRat]

I also use the 12k Reeflux but have been reading about the new 14k Coralvue, the PAR is amazing for a 14k bulb which should not require any actinic supplementation.
For growth I found nothing beats the XM 10k but it requires quite a bit of actinic to look nice, I used 2x140w VHOs to supplement them.
I think the 14k Coralvues will be my Christmas present to my reef.

 

[Joezreef]

is the 14k par higher than the 12k reeflux? have you ever used the 10k reeflux?

 

[AZDesertRat]

Yes the 14k Coralvue PAR is a lot higher than the Reeflux 12k, its even with a lot of 10k bulbs even. There were some independent test results over on RC at one time. You could also email David at Coralvue who is the distributor of not only both the Coralvue and Reeflux but the Radiums too.
He is the one who suggested I try the 14k when I asked about them.

I tried the first generation Coralvue 10k and didn't care for them at the time but that was 6 years ago and I believe they have improved since then.