Metal Halide ballasts (1 Viewer)

[Reefaddict79]

I am in the process of gathering equipment for my new tank, my question is what ballasts are you guys running and what wattages? I have been looking at a galaxy or ice cap dual 250w ballast, out of the two which would you guys prefer or have used and opinion of it?

tank is 30 inches deep

 

[slyfox]

actually ballasts are very linked to the bulbs you intend to use as well... any idea what bulbs you want?

 

[tntfishandreef]

We have the icecap 400w running 20k XMs at the shop on our frag tank and the main display. I'm also running the same setup at my house. You can come by the shop and take a look at the tank to see if you like the look.

 

[Reefaddict79]

Ive seen yalls tanks there awesome!! but Im not ready to bite the bullet on 400 watters. I am really wanting to go more for color than growth, I am only planning on keeping sps in the upper 3rd of the tank. After reading a little it seems not all bubs are created equal. I do want the halides to produce a blue hue .. Sooooo I was planning on a 14k , 15K bulb of some sort. I already have relectors so if yall have bulb and ballast combinations of a double end flavor lemme know.

 

[tas5tas]

Get the 250w Coralvue Dimmable and 12k Reeflux Bulbs....I promise you won't be dissapointed.

 

[slyfox]

single end or double end effects bulb choce... phoenix 14ks are very popular there are afewguys on ere that use the, the coralvue12ks are too... the coralvues run best on the coralvue ballast.... the xm 20k is a nice 20k bulb.... an older style e ballast like an icecap will put out a bluer hue a more overdrived one like a pfo will be less blue

 

[i_am_poor]

I'm currently using 250w Coralvue + 12k Reeflux and is considering going to 20k. They just released the 20k Reeflux also.

 

[Reefaddict79]

I have lumen max reflectors and have decided on a galaxy ballast,( havent purchased yet) unless you guys talk me out of this ballast. What would be a good bulb for this ballast.

 

[Reefaddict79]

Get the 250w Coralvue Dimmable and 12k Reeflux Bulbs....I promise you won't be dissapointed.

Have any pics of the colors this combo can produce?

Is this a SE or DE setup

 

[andrew7b]

I used to run bluewave ballast w/ 14k Pheonix 250w de on a maristar fixture. I'm running 14k Pheonix on my son new set-up. Have a look at the bluewave ballast. I think it's a alittle better then the galaxy.

 

[Guest]

I've heard good things about the galaxy/radium 20k combo. I also read the new ice cap ballasts can run just about anything. The latest I've read have the new ice cap electronic and the galaxy as a higher output elec ballast. I run the 12k reeflux and coralvue ballasts. The color is pretty good but I think I also want to go 20k next time around. I don't know if the cv ballast will run the radiums or not.

 

[tas5tas]

The cv ballasts will run the radium. if it is dimmable you can even overdrive them to thier hqi specs. I don't have any pictures except the ones on my build thread that show color.....I know if I dim them they are bluer that a 20k bulb, if I run them normal they are about a 12-15k look and overdriven they are a bright crisp white like a 10k. I love my bulbs and ballasts and is probably one of the best decisions I made.

 

[slyfox]

depends if you like it whiter or bluer... galaxys run the helios bulbs very nicely for a bluer look... the cv ballasts are the best with the reeflux 12k which are a very popular bulb

the phoenix 14k de bulbs are very popular too and very nice