Ballasts

[stingray2]

Which is a better ballast the blueline or the icecaps. IT will be for 250watt halides

[lalmatia]

For the money, and according to Sanjay Joshi's experiment PFO.

[original-reefland]

I agree, I just swapped out my IceCaps for a Dual PFO 250w ballast, and with the exact same bulbs. the tank looks much better to my eyes, brighter too. No more flicker either.

[Deez]

I have 3 of the Blueline eballasts, and they work GREAT. They don't get very hot, and I've had no problems with firing the bulbs, nor with flickers.

[myreef]

Although I do not have any experience with the blueline, I have a dual 250 watt PFO ballast and it is great. They are well made and the heatsink box is sturdy. I am going to add another halide to my system and will be puying PFO again. I recommend them to my friends also...great ballast at a good price....that's a hard combo to beat. HTH

[stingray2]

I was really looking for an electronic ballast, do the PFO's get hot how much do they draw. Thanks

[zochs]

I looked at the electronic ballasts also. With all of the issues people have with them I went with a unit that doesn't use an electronic ballast. It probably will only save you a few dollars a month in electricity. At that rate it would take years to make up for the difference in price. As far as the heat goes, mine (250 watt) is not that hot. I can keep my hand on it. HTH, Jon

[theringnebula]

I had an Ice Cap 175 and had some issues with it. It lit my first bulb a total of twice before it would not light any more. So I exchanged the bulb for another thinking maybe it was a bad bulb. The next bulb lasted for about 3-4 months before it too died. But during that time the bulb would flicker more and more and I would often come home and fine the bulb had gone out. Now it may have been 2 bad bulbs but I don't know but I got rid of it for a PFO and have had zero problems since. I don't know but it may have been insufficient voltage at my house as the IceCap says it needs 120 V and I was only getting around 115 V or so.