400 W metal halide

[vanillaprice]

Does anyone know anything about PFO LIGHTING COMPANY. I have found a deal with the balast, two bulbs, and reflector. They are two 4300K bulbs. Would these work for a 75 gallon tank? They also have 175W package or a 250W package with the same 4300K bulbs. I am new to lighting and I am trying to get some more light for my tank. I have also been looking at power compacts but I do not know which are better

 

[nuff40]

the 4300K bulbs, will not be strong enough to keep most corals, clams, macro-algae, and other light loving critters.

Now for the quialifier on the above statement. I used a 4300K Metal Arc MH bulb, standard tar ballast, 400w, and had great success with light loving corals, and a mertensii carpet anemone. Intensity can be just as important, if not more so, than kelvin rating.

Best piece of advice I can offer is to determine if you wish to keep intense light loving animals or high light loving animals, and go from there. There are no hard fast rules in reefing. Just keep in mind that it may not work.


David

[ December 10, 2001: Message edited by: nuff40 ]</p>

 

[esmithiii]

How much more for the 6500K bulbs? Thats what I use and on a 75G you could keep just about anything with that setup.

E

 

[aesop]

I'm running a single 400w PFO on my 65g right now. There is a 6500k isawaki? bulb on it. with this (minus my mishap with water params) everything from mushrooms to SPS are doing great.

Note: 2x30w 6500k Flourescent and 2x30w Actinics are on to smooth out the lighting a little.

 

[b.crabby]

First and foremost figure out what you want to keep in your tank. The depth of you tank is also big consideration. I made the mistake of buying a dual 400w, 6500k PFO set up and realized that this system was too intense for the softies i wanted to keep, and the mushrooms i already had. But my sps love the intensity.

[ December 12, 2001: Message edited by: b.crabby ]</p>