Lights? Need Help.

[Gina McReeferson]

I am looking at XM 10k's on Marine Depot and it states that they are not compatible with IceCap electronic ballasts. However, on RC they have a nice thread comparing PAR ratings on different bulb/ballast combos and XM/icecap is one of these. Can I or can I not run XMs on IceCap electronics? Further, Marine Depot states that XMs are MORE yellow than Ushios yet the pictures on RC seem to show differently with the XMs appearing a crisp white. I am confused. They have a high PAR rating on RC and their color seems acceptable. I would like to go with electronic ballasts, so I can remote mount them and because of there efficiency, but I am unsure if this is the right choice.

I just want a bulb that runs with as much blue as possible while also maintaining a healthy reef. I don't want to buy $10,000 dollars in new fixtures/bulbs. I just want to get 3 new halides for my system and want to choose wisely. I would like 20k bulbs but I am getting the impression that they would not provide what is needed for my sps' to flourish(PAR).

Here is what I have,

-8' long 24" deep 24" wide tank
-6 Current USA 96w 18" 50/50 pc's
-2 250w mag ballast (not HQI) w/radiums(my intention is to move these fixtures to my frag tanks)

I can afford the new ballasts and bulbs and can build reflectors and fixturing but cannot afford to buy a new actinic setup to add more blue. I have been reading and reading and can't seem to get anywhere. What ARE acceptable PAR levels and what are not? I am ready to buy but can't make a d@$n decision. I know some of you guys love the tech stuff like me, but know much more than I do in this area(any would be much more), so come on, lay it on me. I really need some help here. Get as technical as you like, I just want to learn.

Thanks in advance for any and all help you can give me/us,
-Dave and gina

 

[naturebatslast]

So people don't care about PAR, it's more what they want to look at. For myself, I like growth and err on the side of it. Have you read any of Sanjay's Lighting Pages? http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/
It gives various Par values for various bulb and ballast setups.

 

[JohnK]

I have been told that some DE bulbs should not be run on electronic ballasts as the electronics "underdrive" them which can shorten bulb life and decrease performance. Again, I was told, some mfg's are specificially reccomending NOT running their bulbs on some or all electronic ballasts. I assume the idea is that DE bulbs will run on electronic ballasts (or specific ones) but it may not be the best idea. *not my exp or opinion, just second hand, unreliable speculation....

If your talking SE bulbs then I don't know what the problem would be.

 

[Gina McReeferson]

I am talking SE bulbs, I don't want to buy a pendant, and don't want to have to fabricate a full enclosure fo a DE.