My search for the perfect "look" with Halide & VHO

[ckusnierek]

I am currently switching back and fourth between 14 and 20 bulbs simply for looks. I run the 20's for a while and my corals begin to loose pigment then I go back to the 14's and the pigment comes back

I use to have XM10K and absoulty LOVED the growth but not fond of the overall color.

I have decided to go back to the XM10's for growth and Pigment.
As well as supplement with Actinic VHO for overall color.

Just to clarify when I say color I mean the overall look of the tank. When I say pigment I mean the corals actual coloration.


So to begin I have spend the last month researching bulb/ballast combos for actinic supelmentation. Let me save you the time trouble. The general consensus is that VHO actinics are considered to be the best. While you may not get the PAR from them like you would with T5HO's the overal apperence cannot be beat. It's actinic anyway who cares about PAR?

Today I orders an Icecap 660 and 2 VHO actinics.
The Icecap was a no brainer but I struggeled for a week over bulb brand and spectrum. I chose UVL (1)Super Actinic and (1)Actinic 454. The Super actinic peaks around 420nm and the 454 peaks at, yep you guessed it 454nm.

There really are not many choices when it comes to vho actinics. UVL is a very reputable company and their VHO's have been in the reefing industry for many years and are widly accepted as the "best" VHO avaliable today.

They are also the first to introduce a 454 VHO bulb.

I will play with this combo trying one of each at first and down the road trying 2 supers then 2 454's. I will also over the next 12 months try a few different manufactures and spectrums.

So here is where I'm at, I have the VHO actinic comming in tomorrow. and plan to get them wired by the weekend. I think I'll keep the 14K's in for now since they are fairly new and I don't want to spend the $$ for the XM just yet.

Tonnight I will post a few baseline pics with both the 14K and 10K bulbs.

Then more pics when I get the actinics installed.

[ckusnierek]

Oh, why am I doing this??
I'm sure I'm not the only one out there trying to find a better color for their tank.
Over the last few weeks I have read and read on forums people saying you should get these or use those. But very few pics for reference

Well in this thread I will post pics plenty of them. And If I only help one person then it was worth it.

[quader94]

im gonna tag along on this since i have vho end caps laying around with icecap ballasts
what reflectors are you using for the VHO's? if you use reflectors

im gonna guess 14k bulbs with the vhos will give the best color to growth

[ckusnierek]

The VHO's have internal reflectors...

[quader94]

even better lol

i have no idea, ive never used them

[ckusnierek]

I will also have a lil DIY prodject within this thread.

Currently I have a 3 SLS Reef Optix II reflectors. Theyhave a hammered finish. I will polish them to a mirror finish (at work in the metal finishing dept.)
I am also got to make a new light mount.

Currently I have the 3 retros mounted to a 1x6 suspended with eye bolts and hooks.

The way my tank is setup it's kinds hard to get in the tank. After I add the VHOS it will be much harder.

It's not a in wall tank but I built the canopy fron tank to ceiling. The tank is sitting 16" off the back wall. I am going to suspend the lights on a rail thay will allow me to slide them back aginst the wall to access the tank. I will use stainless kitchen drawer rollers to do this.

[benny z]

cool beans...

i just ordered two of the 454 vho bulbs myself. i am swapping my lighting all around and the end product will be 2 x 400w radiums on galaxy ballasts, plus 2 x vho super acts, plus 2 x vho 454 acts.

will post my thoughts when everything is up and running...

[ckusnierek]

Not really sure about the 454 actually.
Thinking I should have gone with 2 supers.

[benny z]

oh really? why's that?

i'm under the impression they have a similar look to the t5 ati blue plus bulb...very blue... whereas the super acts are purple... i am a long-time user of the vho super-acts, btw...

[jenglish]

Don't make me bust out the squirrel Is it too blue?

[ckusnierek]

No actually with just the actinics on it looks great and I'm ordering another Actinic white to go along with them.

My goal was great growth and color.
I do not think I can achieve both without going to a 20K bulb but then I lose growth.

So now my plan is to stay with the XM10K because they are about the brightest bulb you can buy.
Then the Actinic white, Super Actinic and 454 all together. I think that is going to give an awesome look

MY photo will go as follows.
10am VHO on
11am halides on VHO off
4pm halides off VHO on
10pm VHO off moon lights on

I cannot get a pic with just actinics. The camera does not like it.
I will take another with 20K later. And again with 10K.

Man I'm spending way too much on bulbs right now...

Here is 14K with actinics.

[jenglish]

Oh, I totally misunderstod then. I thought you were looking for the VHOs to be on the whole time and supplement color while the 10k MH were on

[benny z]

+1

lol

[ckusnierek]

That was my intent. but I do not think I can do that.

The 10K just washes out the actinics too much. Not that it does not look good but here is an example I was try to achieve.


I think the only way I can get this look is with actinics and 10K vho only. or else do to a 20K bulbs but I do not want a 20K bulb.

[benny z]

400w 20ks should give you the same growth as the 250w 10ks. if you use big reflectors you can probably get away with 2 of them over your tank... only 50w more than 3 x 250w...