Best Metal Halide Talk

Nice link Boomer.
I have the 150W 50000K Iwasaki Aqua on that page.
I love it.

(For that and other great links, check out the 3reef links page. )

 

Boomer thanks for the link. I don't think they do enough testing as for bulb and different ballasts. Xm 10,000 and 20,000 are great bulbs and a lot cheaper then most covered in both tests.

 

I don't know what you mean by testing, if you mean growth, K has llittle influence, ask Eric. The XM-10K is a nice bulb but I wouldn't give a nickle for a XM-20. Remember what the lights are for, the CORALS, and not appearence

 

Naut, just for you bud

http://advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2004/feature2.htm

 

Boomer Pro builder uses the 20k and I asked him about his coral groth on those and he was saying the 20 k does great.

 

Well, I'm not saying they own't grow, but Kelvin is not a function of growth, intensity is. You would get more growth out of the 10K, as they have a much higher PPFD, give more light/ watt and produce more light in the 400 nm range. In short the 20K bulb is inefifcient, across the board. IMHO a waste of money

If you want a 20K MH buy a Hamilton, they also have a 14K MH, they have much better plosts

 

Ok so what you are saying is that the XM 20000K in not good at all? or that the growth of the corals will be little slower? :'(

 

szogun I know people that use the 20k and say the corals grow just fine.
Talk with probuilder he has some. he also has the 10k

 

Playa, aka, Luis, and Robz both have lots of SPS corals under 250 watt 6,500K lighting and have really excellent growth.  I've never had 6,500K lights so not sure how they stack up blue, white, or yellow.  The photos of their tanks are not yellow at all though.

 

I have what might be considered a stupid question but here it goes. Why metal Halides? I understand they are needed to grow some forms of Acropora and Porites etc. Is there another reason to own them? I'm just curious..