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Metal Halides: SE vs DE? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter mario8402
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Raymond
Guest
I've heard se 400 watts gives out the best color on the bulb.
I went with SE because of reflector options. I wanted Lumen Brights, and I'm glad I went with them. Well, I cheated and bought the whole kit-n-kaboodle from a fellow MARSHian, but I knew what I wanted (pardon the digression). 
I agree with Raymond, too. A 400w 20K bulb looks bluer than a 250w 20K bulb. Just a personal observation, though... I don't know if it's true, or if it was a bulb-thing with the setups I've seen.
I agree with Raymond, too. A 400w 20K bulb looks bluer than a 250w 20K bulb. Just a personal observation, though... I don't know if it's true, or if it was a bulb-thing with the setups I've seen.
I have seen a 400w SE and it does look good, but it might be overkill on a 24" deep tank.
yeah I want some lumenbrights too, so I was thinking I would get 3 lumenbright minis with radium bulbs and a yet to be determined electronic ballast.
OR I see I can get a 3 pendandt DE setup for about the same price as the reflectors lol
If I went with 3x 250w SE setup, I would do lumebright reflects, radium bulb, and elec ballast
If I went with 3x 250w DE setup, I would do a DE pendandt, with 12k pheonix bulbs and an elec ballast.
anyone know which one would be best? I know fishcraze just switched from DE to SE but looked like his setup was doing fine with the DE??
yeah I want some lumenbrights too, so I was thinking I would get 3 lumenbright minis with radium bulbs and a yet to be determined electronic ballast.
OR I see I can get a 3 pendandt DE setup for about the same price as the reflectors lol
If I went with 3x 250w SE setup, I would do lumebright reflects, radium bulb, and elec ballast
If I went with 3x 250w DE setup, I would do a DE pendandt, with 12k pheonix bulbs and an elec ballast.
anyone know which one would be best? I know fishcraze just switched from DE to SE but looked like his setup was doing fine with the DE??
tas5tas
Guest
Too many shadows with the Lumenbrights. That's why I ditched mine. My corals look 1000 times better since switching to T5's. Growth and coloration of my SPS has never been better.
FTS with Lumenbrights
FTS with T5's
FTS with Lumenbrights
FTS with T5's
Well, I dunno... For a tank that size, I'd almost either got with 4 DE pendants, or 3 SE Lumen Brights... that's just me though. Lumen Brights really help spread the love.
chriskb3
Guest
I believe that for the same wattage bulb, DEs put out a little more PAR. SE bulbs do not need an additional glass shield because of the UV coating on the bulb itself, but DE does. Also, I have heard that the orientation of a SE bulb can change the color out put and life expectancy, depending on the glass "nipple". You can't change the orientation of a 250w DE bulb (I think you can on a 150w, but havent tried the other sizes).
I have been thinking about switching to Lumen Brights, but the DE version, to go with my new Reeflux 20Ks.
I have been thinking about switching to Lumen Brights, but the DE version, to go with my new Reeflux 20Ks.
AquaNerd
Guest
mario...i've got the perfect setup for you (though bulbs not very blue unless dimmed down)
3 x lumenbright 3 minis
3 x coralvue 250 dimmable ballast
3 x 250 SE reeflux 12k
3 x lumenbright 3 minis
3 x coralvue 250 dimmable ballast
3 x 250 SE reeflux 12k
<---ballin on a budget.
I thought you were selling your whole setup together?are you parting out? How much you want? I might have to pass unless its unbelieveable.. I was planning on doing this in pieces due to upfront cost
I thought you were selling your whole setup together?are you parting out? How much you want? I might have to pass unless its unbelieveable.. I was planning on doing this in pieces due to upfront cost
2dawghouse
Guest
I have 2 T5 IC setups over my 120...and I am going to sell them and go back to MH. I have choosen to go DE cause of the pendants that were available for a good deal at the time. Now DE does put out more par until you use the UV shied, which is mandatory. but an XM SE 10K is really difficult to beat on any level. Check this link from the lighting GURU himself. Very good info:
http://www.manhattanreefs.com/lighting
http://www.manhattanreefs.com/lighting
I was wondering if you were going to pipe-up, Mike.
2dawghouse
Guest
Yeah, I felt I had to say something. It really all depends on whats available at the time...price wise. You get about the same effect either way DE or SE, but for the most part SE puts out more par than DE cause of the UV shield that DE uses on the pendant as oppose to the UV shield that SE uses on the lamp.
But my new setup will be MH with T5 supplement, so I get the best of both worlds.
But my new setup will be MH with T5 supplement, so I get the best of both worlds.
fishcraze
Lifetime Member
Either SE or DE would be fine for you, depending on your application and your preferemces.
I used DE pendants (reef optix III) for the past 5 years and they worked great. Back then DE pendants were more efficient due to the reflector design and also the UV glass helps keep the reflectors clean, you only need to clean the glass. Nowadays, SE pendants also come w/ glass shield, and reflectors are better designed for more efficient lighting like the lumen brite, lumen max..
About the bulbs, some prefer SE because there are lots of diff brands/choices in SE - but that doesn't mean the best bulbs are available in SE. I preferred the DE bulbs since I already knew which bulbs were best for my application - the Phoenix 14K bulb and megachrome coral bulbs. I used these bulbs for ~18 motnhs - 24 months on my tank and some of my SPS grow like weed even with a 2yrs old bulb. By mixing these 2 bulbs, my tank got a quite bright look w/ some blue exactly the way I wanted.
I switched to the LumenBrite pendants w/ SE bulbs recently mainly because these pendants allowed me to keep them 15" above my tank giving me lot of space to work on my tank. However, I'm afraid that the SE bulbs I'm using now (radium and reflux 12k) won't last 2 yrs as my DE phoenix. So now I have to start the bulb experiments all over again to try to find the right bulbs that would last very long and gives the right color I want.. just some words from my experience
I used DE pendants (reef optix III) for the past 5 years and they worked great. Back then DE pendants were more efficient due to the reflector design and also the UV glass helps keep the reflectors clean, you only need to clean the glass. Nowadays, SE pendants also come w/ glass shield, and reflectors are better designed for more efficient lighting like the lumen brite, lumen max..
About the bulbs, some prefer SE because there are lots of diff brands/choices in SE - but that doesn't mean the best bulbs are available in SE. I preferred the DE bulbs since I already knew which bulbs were best for my application - the Phoenix 14K bulb and megachrome coral bulbs. I used these bulbs for ~18 motnhs - 24 months on my tank and some of my SPS grow like weed even with a 2yrs old bulb. By mixing these 2 bulbs, my tank got a quite bright look w/ some blue exactly the way I wanted.
I switched to the LumenBrite pendants w/ SE bulbs recently mainly because these pendants allowed me to keep them 15" above my tank giving me lot of space to work on my tank. However, I'm afraid that the SE bulbs I'm using now (radium and reflux 12k) won't last 2 yrs as my DE phoenix. So now I have to start the bulb experiments all over again to try to find the right bulbs that would last very long and gives the right color I want.. just some words from my experience
Bolo
Supporting Member
Se 250 watt Radiums all the way! I used Phoenix 14ks for over a year but saw so many nice tanks running Radiums so I made the switch to Radiums and never turning back. The colors are spectacular. After a month of the switch over, my corals colored really nicely.
I had some pieces that I had in my tank for over a year that never showed it's true colors. Now they have colored up really nicely. For those who are indecisive on what bulb to get, I can't recommend Radiums enough. City pets can get them for a really good price too.
I had some pieces that I had in my tank for over a year that never showed it's true colors. Now they have colored up really nicely. For those who are indecisive on what bulb to get, I can't recommend Radiums enough. City pets can get them for a really good price too.
2dawghouse
Guest
Yes DE lamps do last longer UNLESS you overdrive them, then they only last about 8 months...really that goes for SE as well. But normally driven DE hold their spectrum and par better over the long run.
Radiums are the sh!t, if you put them on a HQI ballast. Electrically driven radiums are to blue for my taste but still look good. Only problem with radiums and aquaconnects, and other TRUE HQI lamps you have to overdrive them to get their true color and only electronic or HQI ballast can consitently fire them. Probe, pulse, etc. ballast may fire them once or twice, but not all the time cause of firing pulse voltage.
Radiums are the sh!t, if you put them on a HQI ballast. Electrically driven radiums are to blue for my taste but still look good. Only problem with radiums and aquaconnects, and other TRUE HQI lamps you have to overdrive them to get their true color and only electronic or HQI ballast can consitently fire them. Probe, pulse, etc. ballast may fire them once or twice, but not all the time cause of firing pulse voltage.
