Oh, if you don't mind mail ordering like I did, 2 complete DE pendants (with 10K bulbs and icecap HQI ballasts) can be had now for about $900 Cdn total shipped. Then you just install the pendents inside the canopy. Pretty hassle-free other than drilling the pendent onto the canopy. Don't need to worry about setting up endcaps, reflectors, UV shield, etc.

or you could go with two M80 ballast (300.00) and two radiums 250 watt bulbs 260.00 and 100.00 worth of wire, reflector and sockets.

Steve

But how will he install the UV shield for his DE bulbs?

DE is the best way to go for 250w, IMO. The intesity rivals or surpasses 400w, and the power consumption is significantly less. When in the pendants, you avoid the burnt eyeball syndrome while working in the tank and temp is less of a concern.

where did you get that from? there is no power difference between a DE and a SE bulb and it has been showen already that over a 2x2 square a SE will through more intensitity over a larger area. the "ONLY advantage to a DE bulbs over a SE (remeber I am talking about both being HQI bulbs as you can get them in both se and de) is the actual space it consumes. as for heat if you have both in a enclosed hood you will also get the same amount, but the DE will be able to put less heat into the water depending on how it is used.. if it is suspended you will get less and if you cool the canopy you will be able to lower the temp with out lowering bulb temp.

basicly if you don;t have the room go DE.

Steve

Thanks for the comments.. I'm really happy with the hood. Basically the frame is held together with both screws and carpenter's glue on the seams so I don't really worry about it falling apart.

I caulked the inside corners basically and that's about it. Just for kicks I also caulked the door frames (the curved pieces that hold the panels together), but there was probably no real reason to do so other than for looks.

The only thing that is starting to show now about 3/4 of a year into its use is the paint that is on a spot near one of the halides shows a little bit of UV weathering, but other than a few crackles in the paint surface that I might fill in with a second coat of paint at some point, it's not really anything (I think) to really worry about.

Steve, if you'd stop being so argumentative and read the post, I said the DE rivalled the output of a 400w while consuming less power. I hope I don't have to explain why the 250 takes less than a 400 :confused:
The pendants also direct less heat towards the surface of the water compared to my 400 SE bulbs.

Basically, if you want a good bulb in a clean package with the same end results as 400w for less power consumption, go DE.

My concern is more for space and heat. As it stands right now my tank will heat to 29C if I keep the doors to the cabinet closed (where the sump and pump are). This is with a 3 T8 tube NO fluorescent canopy and glass cover on the tank.

Then the canopy with the lights goes on the glass top will come off. I'm leaning towards the DE only because I want to limit my canopy size.

Jim

btw what exactly does SE and DE stand for?

SE = single ended bulb
DE = double ended bulb

Cheers

Single End and Double End