Pfo dual mag ballast or @ blueline Eballast?

Discussion in 'Reef Lighting' started by darkliteseeker, Oct 22, 2006.

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  1. darkliteseeker

    darkliteseeker Astrea Snail

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  3. darkliteseeker

    darkliteseeker Astrea Snail

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  4. Diver_1298

    Diver_1298 Eyelash Blennie

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    The XM bulbs were made with the magnetic ballast in mind. They will work with an electronic ballast but you will get a higher Par value with the PFO hqi ballast than with the electronic one. About 182 ppfd with the pfo and around 115 ppfd with an electronic one. Check out Sanjays reef lighting page.

    Jim
     
  5. darkliteseeker

    darkliteseeker Astrea Snail

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    Diver what kind of ballast do you use ?
    do you use actinic along with the 20,000k lamps?
    have you used the 15,000 k?

    Thanks
    Ricky
     
  6. Diver_1298

    Diver_1298 Eyelash Blennie

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    Ricky,
    I am using the m58 magnetic ballast with the 20k XM bulbs. I also have a couple of VHO actinic bulbs. I turn the actinic bulbs on in the morning and then turn on the halides in the afternoon.
    My wife says it it too blue....... I say it is definitely bluer than the 10k Ushio's I used to have but I was looking for something different anyway.
    If you're looking for a high par bulb go with the 10k XM bulbs.(very white) Stay away from the 15k bulbs, they have a lower par value than the 20k's
    If you love the color blue and can live with a lower par value than the 10k bulbs go with the 20K's

    Jim