[Zoous]

Rich,

The tank is a 20 gal. high. Hopefully plan to keep some SPS's and a couple of fishes.

	SPS Small Polyped Scleractinians - Sometimes known as Small Polyped Stony corals. These are hard corals that have extremely small polyps. They are typically on the difficult side and require Metal Halide lighting or dense Power Compact or T5 arrays. These corals are prized for their rareness and ability to be easily fragged into multiple colonies.

[jackson6745]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...postid=6693222

[Tonyscoots84]

i dont no what bulbs to go with either.. im gettin the retrofit kits from hello lights for a good price 2 250 watts SE's... i want something blue with a really brite white.. what to get... rich told me to go with the hammys 14k but is there something better that will run with i think the ballast is aro..

[jackson6745]

Zoous, in the 250w DE the phoenix is the favorite DE but BLV makes a 14k bulb that supposed to be awesome. I have no experience with the BLV 14k but I ues the 10k and its awesome (for a 10k).
For a 20gal I would go with the 20k AB but I suggest you see them in person first before buying.

[Zoous]

Rich, looking at the pics from the link you provided. The Iwasaki bulb look really awesome.

[jackson6745]

Quote: Originally Posted by Zoous Rich, looking at the pics from the link you provided. The Iwasaki bulb look really awesome.

I don't think so. I would not run that bulb without actinics. look how it washes out the color of the coral comapred to the 14k hammy.

[Tonyscoots84]

as per the pics the iwasaki is alot whiter with hardly any blue i think.. but the hammys are nice and blue and make the color pop...

[Zoous]

Personally, just looking at the pics the Iwasaki is really bright white and just makes the pic look very clear. Yeah Rich, it does wash out the coral colors though. Definitely would need actinics if I was go with the Iwasaki.

[Tonyscoots84]

Quote: Originally Posted by Zoous Personally, just looking at the pics the Iwasaki is really bright white and just makes the pic look very clear. Yeah Rich, it does wash out the coral colors though. Definitely would need actinics if I was go with the Iwasaki.

vho superactnics would do the trick if u went with a really white bulb like that iwasaki bulb u saw... thats what i would do...

	VHO Very High Output Fluorescent Lighting - Fluorescent bulbs that run on special ballasts and have an output that is significantly higher than normal tubes. It is very possible to run an entire reef system on VHO lighting providing the proper number of bulbs and mixture of spectrums are chosen. For most hobbyists, these tubes are used in conjunction with Metal Halide lighting for simulating dawn and dusk. They often provide the "bluer" end of the light spectrum and thus a more aesthetically appealing display.

[DRZL]

14K hammies have a soft blue color to them, they dont have as much PAR or the crispness of the P14K, and in all fairness AB20K has the lowest PAR of any of the options, not to mention that it is BLUE w/ a capital B. You really have to see the bulb to know if you'll like it, as it has no tint of white or anything just straight BLUE.

Another thing about the P14k's is that their nanometer peaks right where VHO Superactinics do, thus producing a true fluourescing effect not just blue light.

I use P14K's and i am now finally overdriving them on an HQI ballast, and lately things have been looking better even though the bulb is more than a yr old now. So until I find something that doesnt require 10000000W of act supplement Im sticking w/ P14K's. IMO they have a really pleasing color, and have the highest PAR of the blue bulbs, works for me.

BTW
Visual brightness doesnt equal better light, its the lux/lumens that matters not to mention there is also PUR (photosynthetic USABLE radiation) vs PAR (Photosynthetically AVAILABLE radiation), which blue is thought of to be the most penetrating in a natural reef environment.(water filters out all others after a number of meters, hence the blue color of the ocean)

	VHO Very High Output Fluorescent Lighting - Fluorescent bulbs that run on special ballasts and have an output that is significantly higher than normal tubes. It is very possible to run an entire reef system on VHO lighting providing the proper number of bulbs and mixture of spectrums are chosen. For most hobbyists, these tubes are used in conjunction with Metal Halide lighting for simulating dawn and dusk. They often provide the "bluer" end of the light spectrum and thus a more aesthetically appealing display.