new guy here! help me choose 250MH type

[shyne]

Hello everyone!

I'm just trying to start my first SW tank. I will most likely be using a 65t tank. I know that I'll want corals and such. That's it, everything else is up in the air!

I've ordered a 2x250MH canopy for the tank. I figured that would be enough for most. The problem is, I'm not sure whether to use a probe-start or pulse-start ballast. I've checked this site http://www.aquarium-lighting-guide.com/metal_halide_ansi and most 250's on there use a probe. But I've heard that pulse start run more effiecient and are better.

The problem is, I'm not sure what bulb brand or K that I want. I know that a 6500K is too yellow so I'm looking for something above that.

What should I go for? pulse or probe? What has more options? Good bulbs? electronic ballasts are out of the question.

BTW great site, helpful people and very informative! Prepare for more annoying newbie questions from me!

Thanks for reading:rollface:

[Mr.Lloyd]

An Icecap electronic ballast from Premium Aquatics is $114.95 and you would need one for each bulb.They are cool running and easy on electricity.I do not know what you plan on spending reefing but it will be more than you planned.IMO buy the best equipment you can get even if you have to wait some.

[shyne]

Mr. Lloyd,

I would purchase electronic but in Canada, they're about 240 each ballast. Shipping from the US is such a hassle and sometimes customs rips you off. :( thanks for the reply though.

Can someone answer the question? probe or pulse? what has better bulbs/options in the 250 category. thanks

[jay24k]

I just got my XM 10K bulb in. It's really nice and white but without my actinics, it wouldn't be crisp white. I would supplement with VHO actinics imo but the 10K is nice. I've heard the 14K is more white with a bit of blue but I have no experience with it.

[fishdoc11]

If I were you I would check out the 2 very extensive threads at the top of this forum. One is on 250 SE bulbs, the other on ballasts.
Chris

[Todd March]

Single ended? Double ended? Will you be supplementing with actinic or blue fluorescent bulbs? What sort of life will you be keeping in your tank? This last one is the most important question of all. You choose and buy your lights and bulbs AFTER you decide what you want to keep (not following this rule of thumb is the biggest newbie mistake of all. Very expensive $$$$ too...!)

Simply wanting to keep "corals" for instance is not enough information for us or for you! LPS and SPS corals for example, require very different lighting... Search about corals and figure out what types you want to keep the most.

BTW—for the most part, probe-start or pulse-start is not a big decision for most hobbyests; you really need to decide on the bulbs you want (and may want to use in the future), then decide between mag, HQI or electronic ballasts, and the ballast you choose (for the lamps you want to run) will either be probe-start or pulse-start for that particular bulb and ballast. In short, the decision is made for you.

The big thing to learn about is magnetic versus HQI versus electronic ballasts. There is much to learn here! The first and most important thing is that HQI does NOT mean double ended bulbs! It refers to high wattage magnetic ballast standards from Europe. For instance, if you decide you want to run Radium 20K 250W single ended bulbs (German), you will need an HQI ballast. This same ballast can also run 250W Double ended bulbs. This makes HQI very versatile.

RC is great, and if you use the search feature here, you will learn in no time at all...!

[bvoss]

I like the IceCaps, but when you get sticker shock (which is worse in Canada), consider falling back to Workhorse ballasts and T5s or VHOs. A 65 is a pretty shallow tank. You can keep almost anything in it with VHO or T5s. The best part is that everything can be recycled when you upgrade.

If you can afford to go straight to MH, then I am a fan of IceCaps, XMs, and PFO parallel reflectors.

Do not compromise on proper internal (drilled) overlflows, a good skimmer, RO/DI, and good circulation.

Good luck,

Bill

[shyne]

I ended up getting the pulse start ballasts. i went with the pulse start because i was told they are more efficient. I was also recommended the aqualine 10k's. I will not be supplementing with any other bulbs until i upgrade to another tank. I know i should've planned it out better, but it was an impulse buy, hence the questions without research. :o In regards to corals, i have no idea. the soft corals are more appealing to me but i'm sure i'll want sps/lps. is it possible to have these together? what would be a good bulbs for them? i'd also want an anemone in the future. I really appreciate your reply. very informative. thanks for putting up with my n00bness
Originally posted by Todd March
Single ended? Double ended? Will you be supplementing with actinic or blue fluorescent bulbs? What sort of life will you be keeping in your tank? This last one is the most important question of all. You choose and buy your lights and bulbs AFTER you decide what you want to keep (not following this rule of thumb is the biggest newbie mistake of all. Very expensive $$$$ too...!)

Simply wanting to keep "corals" for instance is not enough information for us or for you! LPS and SPS corals for example, require very different lighting... Search about corals and figure out what types you want to keep the most.

BTW—for the most part, probe-start or pulse-start is not a big decision for most hobbyests; you really need to decide on the bulbs you want (and may want to use in the future), then decide between mag, HQI or electronic ballasts, and the ballast you choose (for the lamps you want to run) will either be probe-start or pulse-start for that particular bulb and ballast. In short, the decision is made for you.

The big thing to learn about is magnetic versus HQI versus electronic ballasts. There is much to learn here! The first and most important thing is that HQI does NOT mean double ended bulbs! It refers to high wattage magnetic ballast standards from Europe. For instance, if you decide you want to run Radium 20K 250W single ended bulbs (German), you will need an HQI ballast. This same ballast can also run 250W Double ended bulbs. This makes HQI very versatile.

RC is great, and if you use the search feature here, you will learn in no time at all...!

[shyne]

Originally posted by bvoss
I like the IceCaps, but when you get sticker shock (which is worse in Canada), consider falling back to Workhorse ballasts and T5s or VHOs. A 65 is a pretty shallow tank. You can keep almost anything in it with VHO or T5s. The best part is that everything can be recycled when you upgrade.

If you can afford to go straight to MH, then I am a fan of IceCaps, XMs, and PFO parallel reflectors.

Do not compromise on proper internal (drilled) overlflows, a good skimmer, RO/DI, and good circulation.

Good luck,

Bill I decided against the icecaps, only because of the extra cost. i know i would have probably saved more in enegy costs down the road, but i had to keep the initial cost down. The 2x250MH will be over a 65gallon with the dimensions of 36x18x24, so it's pretty tall, for me atleast. i will be picking up/building the rest of the equipment shortly. thanks for your reply :)

[Todd March]

Shyne, with that much light over a 36" long tank, you will have LOTSA light and I recommend you definatley look into SPS corals and clams...!

[shyne]

that's what i like to hear! i'm definatly interested in clams also! but will it be too much for soft corals? and are soft/sps/lps/rose? anemone compatible?

[Todd March]

Generally you want to stay away from combining softies and SPS corals... Though some do it with heavy carbon filteration and skimming. Softies tend to put a lot of toxins into the water when they sense SPS corals around them... Also, generally, SPS corals like a lot more flow than softies or LPS.

You can combine them all, but it just takes more species selection and managment. Acros and softies would be hard, Montis and softies much more managable...

I have never kept very many softies, so I'm not the best brain about them... But I think you might have too much light for a lot of them... Or rather they would grow VERY fast and take up too much room very fast...

Hopefully someone more knowlegable will pipe up...

[shyne]

thanks Todd. i appreciate the help. :)

[phishlet]

You'll like the AB (Aqualine Bushke) 10k bulbs. I run them over my 125 gallon reef and am very pleased.

[Duce]

Shyne...All I can say is I would not recommend PFO..... I had bad experience with mine.... and someone on another board has problem with theirs......
With that said ICE CAP are very nice ballast... or you can go local with CoolTouch or Maxkor (sold under couple labels) .... Heck my CoolTouch is lasting longer than my PFO and cheaper.....

[Todd March]

I personally think the AB 10K's are the brightest bulb on the market. Many complain of them being too yellow (a complaint with most 10K's) but to my eye that have a lot of violet too... Tests have confirmed this, but they lack a decent spike in the blue spectrum, so ideally they go good with blue supplementation. But for PAR, they just can't be beat...

Many hobbyests have reported UV damage to corals with the AB 10K when it is real close to the water (and some have reported it even with the bulbs 12" over the water), but they are definatley the minority, but it is something to watch out for or think about it if any of your corals bleach...