400 watt S51 ballast...

[Bob 1000]

I just purchased my 1st mh ballast on the road to super reefhood...My new word for a reef tanks that looks brighter,acros that have bright color, and you can grow anything on the bottom of tank...Does anyone know about this ballast and what bulb would be good for me... 180 gallons...no sand...I want to grow acros on the bottom... Right now I'm using pc's and t5's I only have frags their color is good, they are growing enough for me to notice growth after a week...But I'm ready for big time reefhood..After 10+ years in the game...I have heard that 6400 is the best for coral growth... Please elaborate??????:Hydrogen::Hydrogen::Hydrogen:

 

[House of Laughter]

Bob, kelvin rating is said to do something for coral growth, but in fact, water quality and temperature/stability are larger factors to coral growth. I read somewhere about how corals photosynthesize better at 65k, but truth be told 65k is closest to natural sunlight, however, it's a bulb, not the sun.

Much of what the bulb does is dependant on the ballast that drives it - I have nevr herd of the ballast you outlined, and you may find yourself "trying" many different bulbs to get the color/growth/look you want - however, again, water qualit and stability are better for monitoring coral growth.

IMO

house

 

[Bob 1000]

My water quality has been stable for some time now. I have recently taken 2 show size Vlamingiis, 1 show size brevorostris, 1 5.5 in blueface,1 4.5 in emperor, 1 4 in swallowtail, 1 3.5 in regal, 1 5in Chrysyrus,1 3.5 in Blueface out of my system.. Leaving a 3 in chevron, 3in powder brown, 2 2.5 in dussimer tangs,a midas blenny, watchman goby, 4 pj's 1 in.,1 scissortail goby, 1.5 in, 6 2in cleaner shrimp, 1 6.5 in mex rock lobster in my 280 system. So I can imagine their might be some change in system...

The guy that sold it to me said it was a plant ballast that could be used with hps or mh...brand new in box...

 

[House of Laughter]

Awesome - good luck with it.

House

 

[Bob 1000]

He said I could probably go with 6500 to 10k.. Is this good for a 400 watt bulb..Can you recommend a bulb that looks more blu than white..

 

[Eznet2u]

IMO, 6500k or even 10000k will look like someone peed in your tank.
This hobby is to be enjoyed...I don't think I would look at my tank
very much if it had been peed in...:scratchch

JMHO

 

[Bob 1000]

I went with the ReefLux 12k... It gave me the perfect look I aws looking for ...I'm picking up 2 lumerac reflectors tuesday... I hope this adds to the nice look and doesn't just heat up the tank more... I've been lucky no chiller needed yet... I add the 2nd 400watt wednesday... I didn't want to shock my acros with too much light.. Is this enough time spread to change from pc's to metal halid 400's?????

 

[Bob 1000]

Hello can anyone here me????

 

[reefman]

no :funnypost

 

[Bob 1000]

How long, Something weird is going on with my acros ,,,They are changing colors... My blue tort colony now has blue purple and green ,is this good...

 

[reefman]

any pics?

 

[Bob 1000]

Don't have a cam good enough to catch the colors...

 

[jhale]

going from T5's & pc's to 400W MH there is a chance you will shock the coral and it may bleach out, better to lower the photo period to a few hours a day for the first week. some people use window screen to block the light and gradually take the screens away to acclimate the coral to the new light.

 

[Bob 1000]

I started of with 4 hrs 4days ago and moved the frags to the bottom of my 180.. Now they are going to be under 6 hrs today... Is that enough???

 

[jhale]

that sounds ok.
a six hour MH photo period is about all you want. any more and your just wasting electric imo.

 

[Bob 1000]

Good to know.. But Why do people keep on for 12 then??? Isn't that more natural???

 

[cali_reef]

400 watt S51 ballast

Where did you get this from? what brand is it packaged as? I don't think it is a ballast for aquarium application.

http://www.venturelighting.com/VLPS/BallastDataSheets/HPS/V90D1912.pdf

 

[reefman]

i think thats for commercial lighting use

 

[Bob 1000]

I got it from someone on mr that said it could be used on reef tank.It's a plant bulb and ballast.. I have been using it for a week and a half now no problems with a reeflux 12k bulb.. It is for hps or mh...

 

[cali_reef]

Looks like it is for HPS bulbs, I have read people blowing bulbs running the incorrect ballast. You should get a M80 or M59, those are the proper ballast.