250w DE to 400w SE Metal halide?
- Thread starter dz6t
- Start date
super cook
Non-member
I belive that this would be a backward step as the 400w se gives off the same amount of light as a 250w de due to the glass sheild on the se bulbs
so it would cost you more to run it to get the same out put.
so it would cost you more to run it to get the same out put.
penguinsix
Josh
super cook said:
what about the fact that most de bulb pendents have a thicker uv protective glass than the se bulbs? and wasn't this proven false? doesn't it have more to do with the balast as well?
this is me
I like turtles
He's "down sizing" remember.
Scuba_Dave
Non-member
Sanjay's testing basically showed that a 250w DE was equiv to a 400w Se with the proper reflector
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=590771
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=590771
Scuba_Dave
Non-member
Didn't you just buy a Seahorse setup? 
If I took in his presentation correctly, what sanjay found was that the 250 DE lights (with good reflectors) put out a focused intensity close to that of the 400 SE lamps, but the 400 SE lamps had a lot more spread on the light - in other words the 250 DE has similar peak intensity but the 400 SE lamps put out signifigantly more overall but it's spread over more area.
If you swap out 2x250 DE for 1x400 SE you will get a little more intensity in the center of the tank and a little less on the ends, but you will see less electricity usage and less heat overall.
If you swap out 2x250 DE for 1x400 SE you will get a little more intensity in the center of the tank and a little less on the ends, but you will see less electricity usage and less heat overall.
I used a SE 400 over a 75 for years. It worked fine, just place higher light demanding corals closer to the center, and less light demanding corals on the ends. It didn't look funny at all, just very bright. I also ran a SE 400 over a 120 and it worked just as well, but I eventually swapped it out for 2 x 250 SE lamps because it was an oceanic tank with the glass centerbrace (which gets dirty/fouled by Ca deposits fast) so I wanted to have 2x point source lights.
Oh yea, the 400W lamps also give you much more shimmer effect.
Oh yea, the 400W lamps also give you much more shimmer effect.
Unless the centerbrace is REALLY REALLY perforated you will see a serious shadow. I had my 75G with the AGA brace for 3-4 yrs as a reef running 1 x 400 SE + 2x 96W PC actinic. I got used to it, and arranged the rockwork to de-emphasise the shadow in the center of the tank, but overall, honestly, any centerbrace will take away from the one lamp set up.
Tough call, I don't know what to suggest. If It would help, I might have the parts on hand to loan you a 400 SE 10K retro to try out.
Edit: I forgot to answer, About 12" above the water on the 400's, but thats a rough estimate since I haven't run one in a year and a half.
Tough call, I don't know what to suggest. If It would help, I might have the parts on hand to loan you a 400 SE 10K retro to try out.
Edit: I forgot to answer, About 12" above the water on the 400's, but thats a rough estimate since I haven't run one in a year and a half.
