help with MH setup

glxtrix · #1 01/31/2006, 03:05 PM

So I'm fairly new to the whole MH deal, and I know you can order everything seperately to make your own setup. Which ballasts and bulbs do you prefer? My tank is a 30g with a 10g sump BB all around. So with that I'ld prolly be looking into a 250W bulb. Any info would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

Lee

phenom5 · #2 01/31/2006, 03:22 PM

250W bulbs & ballasts

cmhollis · #3 01/31/2006, 03:38 PM

What do you plan to use for reflectors? The LumenarcIII from Pacific Garden Supply blows everything else away. Sometimes you can find them on propertyroom.com for cheap.

glxtrix · #4 01/31/2006, 04:33 PM

holly crap phenom5, thanks for all that info

cmhollis, not too sure for reflectors yet, I have some metal reflector stuff at the house that can be polished for better reflecting quality, but I'll definatley look at your suggestion once I come to that fork in the road, thanks!

glxtrix · #5 01/31/2006, 04:44 PM

so is the Iwasaki 6500K that good of a bulb? Anyone using them? Hoe you like them, good coral growth from it? And what ballast are you using? Thanks.

examiner · #6 01/31/2006, 04:55 PM

Yes, the Iwasaki is a good bulb....and no, not very many people are using them anymore. A 6500K bulb will look very yellow to your eyes, almost to the point where it appears someone urinated in your water. In the "old days", thats all we had, so that's what we used (heavily supplimented with VHO actinic lighting). Yes, coral growth is excellent with these bulbs, they just don't present a very visually appealing picture.

For your tank size, you can probably concentrate on whatever "color" you like, rather than par. Even a lower par 250 watt bulb should be plenty for a 30g.

Your question is just way too broad at this point...there's magnetic, electronic and HQI ballasts, SE and double end bulbs, dozens of color temperatures to choose from. Everybody's got a different opinion and there's really no right or wrong.

As a rule of thumb, the lower the K rating of the bulb, the more yellow looking it is, the higher the K rating, the more blue. Lower K generally means better growth, higher K sometimes results in better colors but less growth.

As a starter setup, you can't go wrong with a M58 magnetic ballast and a single ended bulb like a Ushio, XM or Hamilton. Many other options available, but that is generally the cheapest way to get into MH's.

glxtrix · #7 01/31/2006, 05:07 PM

thanks examiner, yeah I understand the whole K ratings and what not of lights, just not too sure what would be a cheap solution to getting into MH's. Thanks for your suggestions

glxtrix · #8 01/31/2006, 06:57 PM

so between these bulbs, which do you guys thing is better in a 10K

Ushio, XM or Hamilton

akhanf · #9 01/31/2006, 08:10 PM

There are some coralvue retrokits (bulb+reflector+ballast) for sale on ebay, about $190 for a 250W. And you can upgrade to reeflux (10K or 12K) for $7. I just ordered a couple of those for my 55. You might want to check those out too.

glxtrix · #10 01/31/2006, 08:12 PM

thanks and I have, but 190 is out of my range right now. I know you can throw together a set up for under 100. Thanks for the heads up