A while back (I think before we moved the forum), I started a thread about a 150 W 10 K HQI (double ended) pendant from Aquatic Ecosystems. They were selling the bulb, ballast, bell shaped adjustable height pendant with horizontally mounted reflector for.....$150. I thought it was a misprint, but it wasn't, and the price is still valid. I bought one for a tank at work just to see what it would do. Here's my take on it:
The color:
The bulb puts out a very nice crisp white/blue light. I would say very similar to most 10 K bulbs
The PAR (photosynthetically available radiation):
Sorry, I don't have a light meter, but I would say judging by the comparison of the 175 W 10 K Hamilton with a poor reflector sitting a few doors away, it is significantly brighter. The bulb's been running for several months now, and to my eye there does not appear to be a dramatic drop off in light levels.
Lighting spead:
Here's the downfall of this fixture. The reflector clearly creates some 'hot' spots, just observations from my looking at the strength of the light reflected off a piece of paper. If the pendent is mounted high enough, and there is some surface water movement (glitter lines) I think the spread is good enough for the average tank, it would be perfect for a 30-50 gallon cube tank. Certainly good enough for a refugium, etc.
The tank under the light:
The tank I set up for this light is doing quite well. SPS are growing, etc. I think the tank would benefit with additional actinics for coral coloration, but that's true for just about any 10 K MH bulb. When the bulb gets old maybe I'll try a replacement 20 K bulb, or one of the 50 K Iwasakis (they're still making these right?)
The color:
The bulb puts out a very nice crisp white/blue light. I would say very similar to most 10 K bulbs
The PAR (photosynthetically available radiation):
Sorry, I don't have a light meter, but I would say judging by the comparison of the 175 W 10 K Hamilton with a poor reflector sitting a few doors away, it is significantly brighter. The bulb's been running for several months now, and to my eye there does not appear to be a dramatic drop off in light levels.
Lighting spead:
Here's the downfall of this fixture. The reflector clearly creates some 'hot' spots, just observations from my looking at the strength of the light reflected off a piece of paper. If the pendent is mounted high enough, and there is some surface water movement (glitter lines) I think the spread is good enough for the average tank, it would be perfect for a 30-50 gallon cube tank. Certainly good enough for a refugium, etc.
The tank under the light:
The tank I set up for this light is doing quite well. SPS are growing, etc. I think the tank would benefit with additional actinics for coral coloration, but that's true for just about any 10 K MH bulb. When the bulb gets old maybe I'll try a replacement 20 K bulb, or one of the 50 K Iwasakis (they're still making these right?)
