MH Ballast Preference

I have the Galaxy ballasts.... I like em. I have no experience with others.

But from the article ZachB posted they arent too shabby.

 

yeah i was at a local LFS and they had a few. i asked em to turn one on next to one of their other non-named reflector and it was night and day by comparison, and we're talking the same ballast/bulb. the 'footprint', as ill call it, of light was more directed and seemingly more intense. the other nonname reflector (looks like the kind that is just straight aluminum that you'd have to screw to a piece of wood to mount over the tank) seemed when this was in use it just threw light everywhere over a 4ftx4ft square on the floor. as i said the lumenmax elite was more directed and makes me feel like ill be able to put whatever coral i want on the SAND BED and it'll thrive.

 

That's the same link you sent me a while back ;D

 

I just started using the Lumatek 400w version of the dimmable ballasts. So far I can say that I am very happy. Seems like a nice soft start, full power in under a minute, and to me they run relatively cool. If the sale you are refering to is Marine Depot, they just went back to 139.00 on the 250's. I also like the warranty. 2 full and 3 pro-rated.

 

$124.95 each at AquaCave.
http://www.aquacave.com/lumatek-250w--metal-brhalide--electronic-ballast-2746.html

If you are a ReefCentral member you can get a 5% discount on top of that.

 

Nice Find!!!!

Edit: That is not the same ballast I was looking at...The one I was looking at is the dimmable w/HQI
http://www.marinedepot.com/Lumatek_..._Ballasts-Lumatek-LK1221-FILTACBAMHTF-vi.html

 

Thats even better! I guess I will have to join RC. I like 3reef more though....

 

Me too, sent you a PM.

 

I just bought the Lumatek dimmable ballast to replace my Hamilton 250W mogul base MH. 250W is way too much for my little 20g tank, so being able to drop down to 175 will be nice. I'll have to rewire them, but that's ok.

 

When I frag I put my frags on the sandbed to heal... They still have the same exact growth rates as the mother colonies.
This is at 30in from a 250w with lumenmax reflectors