Input from our light bulb experts please

[alve]

After seeing all the different light bulbs with different ballasts demonstrated at the meeting last week it made my head spin with an overload on information and I would like some help with choosing a bulb combination please.

I have an Outer Orbit fixture with 2 x 250W MH and 4 HO T5's. For the last 7months I have had in there 2 x 250W - 14k Phoenix bulbs with the original T5's that came with it (Current Slimpaq Extreme 2 x 420nm and 2 x 460nm).

Now I would like to change out my bulbs and could use some advice what would be a good combiniation for growth and visual appearance?
What brand and how much K for MH and what brand and how much nm for T5's?

A lot of people at the meeting seemed to love the Radium 20k I believe but aren't 20k's very low on par and slow down SPS growth? With all my little frags I would like to get some good growth but I also want it to be appealing to look at the tank and make the colors come out.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Gomer]

radiums have fairly good par for the good color bulbs. ..but they only come in SE.

 

[seminolecpa]

Aldie,

To be honest with you with the growth rate you are getting unless you are extremely dissatisfied with the color of your current bulbs I wouldn't change a thing.

Can't help much on the De front as all of my experience has been with SE bulbs but you could try here to check on the par ratings of various bulbs. BTW he may be coming to speak at one of our meetings some time soon.

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/lighting

 

[Tumbleweed]

[quote author=seminolecpa link=topic=4867.msg59322#msg59322 date=1224219978]
Aldie,

To be honest with you with the growth rate you are getting unless you are extremely dissatisfied with the color of your current bulbs I wouldn't change a thing.

Can't help much on the De front as all of my experience has been with SE bulbs but you could try here to check on the par ratings of various bulbs. BTW he may be coming to speak at one of our meetings some time soon.

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/lighting
[/quote]
Yeah I think Eileen said something about him coming out in April.

 

[alve]

Thanks for the info Bryan. I will definitely check out that link.

You are right, I am having good growth right now and should probably stick with the Phoenix 14k. I still don't know what kind of T5's I should get since the ones that came with the fixture are some kind of off brand I believe (never heard of them).

Are the T5 actinics just for viewing pleasure or are they beneficial to coral growth? I thought I read somewhere that only the white T5's are helpfull for coral growth.

 

[Gomer]

Alve, what size t5 fixture do you have?

 

[alve]

They are 48"

 

[Gomer]

doh. a shame it wasn't 36"

 

[alve]

Why is that? You got some 36" T5's you are trying to get rid off

 

[Gomer]

not get rid of, but I would let you borrow several of them to try out.

 

[alve]

Thank you very much for the offer Tony! Unfortunately they are too short for my fixture. Any brands and types you would recommend to go together with the Phoenix 14k?

 

[Unarce]

Depending on your taste, there are a couple bulbs you can go with. For the 20k look, the Helios bulb puts out decent PAR. Unfortunately, there aren't any test numbers on them. They'll be slightly bluer than your Phoenix bulb, so you'll get a bit more of the fluorescing effect. Helios quality is questionable, though, as their failure rate lately even rivals Hamilton bulbs.

At the other end, Ushio makes a 14k bulb. The PAR will be the same as the Phoenix, but you'll get a full year of use from it as opposed to 6 months with the Phoenix. The bulb color is more balanced, like a true 12k, but your T5's will help in the fluorescing department.