Anyone run xm 10k?

[lastlight]

Did you guys run 250s or 400s?

[Skimmerking]

250' and 400's

[nlreefguy]

I ran 250s and i agree that is a very accurate pic of what they look like. Extremely bright lights! Just the barest hint of yellow. Definitely run actinics.

[lastlight]

ok great i'm def going with the 250 SE =)

I already know supplementation is a must though for me. I need some blue and I also want to view the tank over a 12 hour period.

Even though they are old school many people claim the 10k / uri vho combo is GOLD. I've been looking into vho and wow it costs more than t5 for the retofit kits! The tank is in the corner so what should I do for the vho or t5s? I could fit 36" bulbs on 2 sides and 24" bulbs on the others.

option 1:
single t5/vho on both adjacent viewable sides
2 total

option 2:
double t5/vho on both adjacent viewable sides
4 total

option 3:
t5/vho on every side of reflector (4 total)

vho? t5? who cares you'll sell it in a year brett?

[fkshiu]

I have VHO/T5HO on both sides of the MH pendant. The only VHO supp. bulb to run is the UVL/URI super actinic leaving the T5HO as your colour tweaker. I currently run a KZ Fiji Purple and a Gmann Actinic+ as my T5 bulbs (along with an Iwasaki 14000K 175W which has a very similar colour to the XM10K on the M80 and the VHO super actinics) and this seems to be the "perfect" combo to me.

[lastlight]

vho/t5 pairs? but for my cube i might see colour banding maybe if i don't have them on all 4 sides of the reflector? for a long tank i think it works well having them inbetween your halides.

so that would be 4xvho and 4xt5...way too much light/cost?

[Funky_Fish14]

Brett, I used to run XM's over the old 75. (They were 400W though, but yes SE/Mogul) Had a 10K bulb in a PFO HQI Ballast. That thing runs like a champ, PUMPS the light out like mad, and views as a PERFECT crisp white. No yellow unless on a CRAPPY ballast or very old bulb. Its just white. Initially when I just had the one 10K over a 33g I ran it with a 96W actinic PC and it looked pretty awesome. IMO your selection in the first post is an awesome choice. Until I decided not to go so hardcore with my reef thats what I was going to be running in a lumenarc over my 52.

Hope that helps,

Cheers,

Chris

[i have crabs]

ive always hated 1 mh over a 36" tank i think 2 is a much better way to go unless u get some huge pendant maybe, also a 250w with a electronic ballast can do the same as a 400w on a regular ballast so ive never been sold on 400w lights but ive also never owned one,
cant remember what bulb it is but i think its a 10k xm and even with 4 22k t5's its more yellow than i like, i put it in for the massive par a 10k gives u but since the tank is gonna end up with not much sps i think ill be switching back to a more blue bulb maybe around 14k

depending what u decide i might have 2 250w's i could sell i havnt been shure if im gonna sell them or not but i dont think i need them anymore so 2 lumimax 3's and a galaxy ballast and 20k bulbs

[Delphinus]

I wouldn't bother with 150's. (Sorry Dez!!) Not worth it IMO. 150's are great for nano tanks.

I ran 2x250w SE XM 10k's plus 2x110w actinic over my old 75g tank which I took down last year. Pity it's all gone now otherwise I could have showed you it. Anyhow, wasn't m80 ballasts but it was a pretty decent colour. When I had SPS in it they coloured up pretty wicked.

Here's a picture from that tank's glory days..