Replacement HQI bulb question

[Ultramarine]

I have a 20" Current Sunpod w/ 150w 14,000k Powerpaq lamp which I'll need to replace soon. My tank is a 33 gallon cube (about 24" deep). I keep mostly softies, but I also have a clam on the sand (I've tried moving it higher, but it likes to be on the sand), and a couple of easy SPS at the top of the tank. So my questions are these:

1. Do I have to get a Powerpaq bulb, or can I get another brand with the same values?

2. Can I replace it w/ a 250w bulb, or would I have to get a new fixture for that?

3. Would it be advantageous to do a 250w lamp on my tank, or not really matter? My understanding is that I should keep the kelvin rating the same because of the clam, but I could increase the wattage.

Please don't get into all sorts of technical data because my brain can't handle it right now. Maybe at the next replacement I'll do an exhaustive study of all of Sanjay's data, but for right now I need to keep it simple.

Thanks!

 

[TomD]

Lisa I am almost sure you can get a different bulb..I will check

No you cant get a 250 unless you upgrade ballasts.

Is everything growin fine with the 150?

 

[TomD]

Here is a list of bulbs from Dr.Foster but I dont see why you couldn't put any DE 150. It has shielded glass right?

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?acatid=287&aid=1368

 

[Ultramarine]

Yes, growth is good. Zoos in the lower part of the tank are reaching. Could be they want more light, or maybe just a new bulb.

 

[Ultramarine]

Ohhhhh. Good link. Now why didn't I find that when I Googled it?

The Sunpod has glass. How do I know if it's shielded? I t doesn't say in the manual.

 

[TomD]

It is shielded.

If the zoos are reaching maybe you could go with a 250 pendant. My zoos were reaching in my 90 (Same Depth) so I upgraded to 2X250's. Where the Sunpods are a few bucks you could probably sell it and break even with a pendant.

I think the general rule is 150's are good up to like "20. 24" it would probably be good to have a single 250.

 

[JohnK]

IIRC all DE bulbs of the same wattage are compatible except for a strange set up that I think Corallife makes.

To change over to 250W you actully need to change ballasts AND the pendant (of possible just swap out the socket for a 250w style if you have room).

As far as what's best for your set up, with that depth IMO you could go either way (150 or 250). If you want SPS clams exct, then definately 250W. Otherwise 150 would be fine for most softies exct..

If you think you might want to go 250W, starfish has a 250W complete pendant set up in the equipment FS fourm. You could pick that up and sell your 150 set up pretty easily

Edit;
Coralife h.o.b. Aqualight - that's the one with the funny bulb I mentioned.