Steve Tyree's chat the other night

[DJ88]

Tony,

I can't find anything on 150W radiums either. Spectral data that is.

You have a 150W ballast huh? It's a start right?

I did some pricing for the Iwasaki Aquas. around $140-150 a pop. and you need the medium socket as well. No biggie. gives a bit more room to fit it right? ;)

What I want to do and why I want to do it is as follows.

I want to ditch my VHO's and other fluorescents over my main tank. If I can get my mitts on some 150W electronic ballasts. :D ;) I will put two Aquas in my lid on either side of the Iwasaki 65KK. Or maybe on in front focused to the middle with a reflector. The main reason is for asthetics. I think it will give a better light as the main area of weakness in the 65KK's spectrum is around 450nm. If I can fill that void I wouldn't need to supplement with VHO's or NO's. plain and simple. As an added bonus I will get MORE PAR with a MH than a VHO or NO. Hands down. If this aids on growth or coloring so be it. Bonus.

Personally I am sick of having to supplement my main light with fluorescents. It isn't that bad for needing supplementation but it needs a touch, not like the old Iwasakis. The problem is that it can't be beat by any 250W for intensity a lot of 400W for that matter. I tried a 10KK ushio and it was dim. :rolleyes: So I'll go for the aquas. If it is pleasing to my eye I will use it and that is all that is important. I already know that my 65KK keeps my corals healthy and growing in conjunction with how I look after the water quality. Now I am filling my needs.

Does that answer your question about where I am leaning Tony? lol

I'd love to get a blueline ballast and throw a 400W radium on my tank. The changes of that happening right now are slimmer than me winning that 34 million super seven the other week.

Another reason I am leaning to the Aqua's now is tank size. I only have a 2'x2' footprint. If I was running my 120 I'd have no problem setting up a dual 400W radium with a center 250W Iwasaki. Dream tank. so space is of a premium for me. I'd rather have two/three MH bulbs and maybe one 03 for a sunrise/set effect than the setup I have now.

As a bit of an aside since we are chatting about 150W MH. I was talking to Fulham yesterday and again today. Looks like the price they will be selling the new High Horse HID 150W ballast for is about $70US. They will be coming out in about three months. I'll start saving now. [img]smile.gif[/img] I wonder how this puppy will run an aqua. ;) I am already hooked on the workhorse ballasts over anything else available so who knows. :D

[ 07 June 2002, 12:23: Message edited by: DJ88 ]