Best value 400W ballasts?

[canar]

I do not want to build them myself so that is not an option.

Do to what looks like a change in my light design I think I will be needing more ballasts. If no one has any used ones for a good deal whats my best bet new?

Please notice I said best Value not the cheapest...

Ted

[NewSchool04]

I'm very happy with my 400W Coralvue E Ballasts. I decided to get the dimmable ones and it's a cool little feature, actually changes the spectrum of the bulb. Built like a tank and haven't had one problem in the 7 months that I've been running them. Also, according to the information on Sanjay's lighting website, they overpower bulbs a pretty decent amount.

What lighting changes are you thinking about?

[canar]

10 minis

[NewSchool04]

Wow, that's going to be nice. You'll really like the mini's, I know I like my . . . 3!

[canar]

Well I cant fit 2 of the large Luminarc's side by side. Even with a single large one I am still not 100% happy with the light spread going the width of the tank.

If I use the mini's I can put 4 on each end and one on either side of the overflow box.

That would move me from 2400W of Halide to 4000W of halide.

I am in the process of trying to explain to the wife how I plan to defer the electric cost by alternating lights some during the day while I am at work..

It would be a lot easier if someone was selling 400W ballasts DIRT CHEAP!

Wish me luck...

[444reefkeeper]

You're just gonna run 10 cause I'm gonna run 8...
I wonder if I can fit 12...

sent PM.

[NewSchool04]

Someone will sell them, just right after you buy yours! I'm sure if you're going to buy 10, you can work out a deal. Are you going 400's or dropping it to 250's?

I got mine at www.reefexotics.com, a RC supporter. Got my minis, my ballast and bulbs from the same place, real nice guy.

[NewSchool04]

What I meant is are all 10 going to be 400's? How bout mixing in 250's just to save you some juice?

[canar]

For it to be even it will all need to be 400's

I will probbaby do a sunrise from one end to the other in the am and then a cloud pass in the middle of the afternoon to save power. Plus I heard giving the coral recovery time gets even more growth.

[BenjieC]

Have you thought about light movers? Could save you a couple of lights at least.

[NewSchool04]

Originally posted by canar
For it to be even it will all need to be 400's

I will probbaby do a sunrise from one end to the other in the am and then a cloud pass in the middle of the afternoon to save power. Plus I heard giving the coral recovery time gets even more growth.

That's how I run my lights, still not sure about the growth part but it really does help with heat. I would think it would be pretty difficult to differentiate between the 250 and 400's with that many running. Do you have a diagram of your planned lighting over the tank?

What about those new LB reflectors?

[canar]

I will put up a diagram from work tomorrow.

The LB's do not work for me. The tank is too wide.

My wife walked up to the tank with the LB's running and asked me why I put a spotlight on the coral. There is just too much drop off in light as you move away from center for my needs.

I thought about one of those light movers too. I want to be able to light the whole thing up most the time so that would not work for me either.

[badazztealcobra]

PM sent Ted.....

[NewSchool04]

Light mover is a great idea for a frag tank but I don't think I'd put one on a display tank.

[Rod Buehler]

Building your own isnt that cost effective any more.

There are 3 types and the best will depend on what type of bulb that you plan to run because different bulbs will burn differently on different ballasts

I know that you run SE and not DE, so I will be posting my experience with SE lamps only

You have;
Electronic
Standard magnetic (cap and coil)
HQI magnetic (cap, coil and ignitor)

Electronic..... Back in the day before reeflux lamps were available, I used to believe that electronic ballasts belonged in the garbage because they underdrive most lamps, but the coralvue electronics actually run the reeflux lamps very well! Bulbs like XMs or other bulbs are underdriven on an electronic when compared to running them on a standard or an HQI

Standard magnetic.... Old, but tried and true.. Will fire most single ended lamps nicely. If running Reeflux, expect the lamps to be much bluer than the advertised kalvin rating. Reeflux will also look dim (that goes with blue). XMs fire nice and bright on a standard ballast

HQI.. Will drive all bulbs nicely..The problem is the HQI will overdrive most of the lamps giving a shorter lifespan of those bulbs.

Corals.. Different corals will color differently under different lamps reguardless of PAR.. Some corals will look their best under a very crisp, very bright 10KK XM,, while other corals will do best under a 14KK...

I could keep going but the tread would become OT.

My choice would be an HQI ballast with reeflux 12KK (SE), but over my orange and purple monties, and over my pink stylos/serriatopora I would want XM 10KK (even if its only on a standard ballast)

[canar]

Rod,

Since I was looking at pairing up the mini's with basically the same configuration I have now I was thinking of keeping my current staggering of bulb types. I do want to get away from the 20k's though. I was thinking of using all 10k's but mixing up the reeflux and the XM's. So if I am reading you right I would keep the XM's on the ballasts I have and look at the electronic overdrive ballasts for the new reeflux bulbs?

[Rod Buehler]

Yes, keep the XMs on your standard magnetics (M-59) . If your going to stay with reeflux on the new ballasts, I would go with a coralvue electronic. If you might want to switch bulbs down the road, I would go with an HQI ballast (son 430).

The coralvue electronic wont "overdrive", but it will drive nicely (very nicely).

An HQI will overdrive.

[canar]

What HQI Ballasts will overdrive the SE 400w Reeflux?

[Rod Buehler]

PFO.. Sunlight supply..

[canar]

Everytime I read about an HQI Ballast it says they are for a DE bulb. That don't matter?

[444reefkeeper]

Nope. All of my SE 400s are on PFO HQI ballasts.

[gotfish8]

the HQI will overdrive the bulbs shorting there life to 4-6months, ouch $1400 a year on bulbs

Think of this
10 reflectors =$1000
10 ballasts = $1000-1200
bulbs =$800-1200
Electricity for year $1200
Extra cost to cool the tank
extra cost to cool the house in the summer

initial cost aprox $3000
yearly operating costs aprox $2000

Have you ever thought of LED, I guess the new models are suppossed to be amazing

[BenjieC]

Originally posted by NewSchool04
Light mover is a great idea for a frag tank but I don't think I'd put one on a display tank.

I'm not sure either, but I'm going to give it a try on my 330. It may end up being a very cool effect, especially for my tank. Could save me $3-400+ in bulbs, ballasts, and reflectors, besides the saving in electric and bulb replacement. If it doesn't work aesthetically then I'll switch to 4-400's or 4-250's. I'll still keep the light movers but then I won't have them move as far.

[canar]

Have you ever thought of LED, I guess the new models are suppossed to be amazing

Find me an LED setup that will cover my tank for under 10k

After looking at that for a while I dont even think I could do LED for 20K$$$

[gotfish8]

Premiumaquatics

buy 10 of them
PFO-67110
Price:$899.95