250w metal halides and flourescents

Diver_1298 · 10-14-2004, 04:56 AM

I did it.

I ordered 2 - 250 Metal Halide fixtures with Ushio 10000k bulbs. I already have a 4' long coralife with 4 x 65w bulbs where 2 are actinic and 2 are 10000k.
What would happen if I took out the 10000k compact flourescents in the coralife fixture and replaced them with actinic bulbs. I would end up with 500 watts of metal halides at 10000k and 260 watts of blue actinics. The reason for all this...
My wife told me she wanted the 90 gallon tall tank which is 4 inches taller than the 70. Please tell me this will be enough light to grow hard and soft corals

I now have more money tied up in the lighting than almost everything else put together

Is there anything else I am forgetting?? Don't keep your fingers tied up

Thanks, Jim

Matt Rogers · 10-14-2004, 07:30 AM

That should be plenty of light for anything you want to grow. *

The actinics would work too, but sounds like you'll have plenty of options for different combos of bulbs to find what suites you if not all blue.

You're psyched!

matt

Diver_1298 · 10-14-2004, 12:32 PM

Yes, I am definitely psyched
I just hope that I don't overdo it to the point where I have to buy a $700.00 chiller. [glow=red,2,300]Move over corals, I may need a place to live that has heat and a/c like your tank[/glow]
One question that I am curious about after all my lighting research is... Why is it that almost all the bulbs that are in the high end kelvin range (10000k and up) are made in Europe or Japan? The only American company that manufactures these bulbs that I could find was Venture lighting. And it appeared that the reason they do is because none of the big 3 (G.E. Sylvania/Osram, and Phillips) want to have anything to do with this type of lighting? Maybe it's not mainstream enough or profitable enough. There is NO cross reference on 6500k to 10000k bulbs or higher in the big 3 database...Just a little rant *

What is your take on this subject?
Jim

Matt Rogers · 10-14-2004, 04:30 PM

No clue!
I would think there are enough reefers to make it profitable.

JohnO · 10-14-2004, 04:35 PM

I wonder if the lamps use in Hydroponics could have something to do with it?

John

Diver_1298 · 10-15-2004, 07:26 AM

Even the "Hydroponics" stuff that I could find made by GE and Sylvania was way low in the Kelvin range 5000 - 5200k. I think it's a conspiracy to keep Americans in the dark about high kelvin rated metal halide bulbs. "pun intended"