Lighting: Time for a change?

[Weatherman]

Originally Posted by Graham

I wish more people would invest in their own PAR meters and really get an idea of when their bulbs start to go downhill...

I could not agree more with this.

Given how much money most of us spend on lights (the initial investment in fixtures, bulbs and ballasts, then replacement bulbs, and, of course, the electricity to run it all), a PAR meter is an absolute must-have piece of equipment.

I just placed an order for a set of replacement Ushio 10,000K 250-watt DE bulbs for my PFO Minis, along with one new PFO HQI ballast (my 2 1/2 year-old one decided to die on me, for some reason). $500+. I wouldn't even want to guess how much money I've spent on lights over the past three years.

Here's a product review of PAR meters. After I read this, I knew exactly what I wanted to buy.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/7/review/view

[Wiskey]

Originally Posted by elephen

Are you supplimenting the 10k's with any atinics or just 10k only? The XM10k's look nice on electronic ballasts?

I use 2*55W pc atinic blues to supplement.

I like the look, this pic is perty accurate, at least on my monitor.



Whiskey

[VWD]

I think, and that all That the cost of T 5's are just to high for what you get, 8 bulbs to replace is alot of money. I don't buy the fact that they say 2 years before replacement, No way. I know a fellow reefclub member that was going on the 2 years and did'nt under stand why his tank was not reall doing all that great, He started changing the bulbs and thing started to turn back around for him.