A little help with SE and DE MH bulbs

whiteshark · 06/28/2006, 02:53 PM

I'm looking for a list of the pros and cons of each kind of bulb. Even if you only know a couple, feel free to post em. Thanx!

Travis L. Stevens · 06/28/2006, 03:01 PM

SE: Easy to get. Comes in more colors. Limiting wattages. Comes in a wide variety of color. Runs pretty darn hot. Lot's of reflector options. Very large

DE: Harder to find. Harder to find "odd" colors. Wide variety of wattages (IE 70w). Runs relatively cool compared to the SE (still runs hot though). Must have a UV Shield or risk burning your eyes, skin, and/or corals. Few reflector options. Many options of "casing" in pendant styles. Small and compact.

whiteshark · 06/28/2006, 03:14 PM

Thanks Travis!

Well, harder to find is definitly true about DE. Trying to get 150W 14k Phoenix in any LFS around here is impossible.

Are the bulbs realitively the same PAR as eachother? I.E. , does a 150 W DE and a 150W SE bulb (same brand and K temp) produce the same PAR? (being run on ballasts as similar to eachother as possible? Sorry if that makes little sense, but i'm an idiot when it comes to lighting.

reefdiva · 07/06/2006, 01:22 PM

Don't know how they do differ in PAR,etc. But I can tell you that you can order the 150wt Phoenix DE HQI at Marine Depot (14k) for $59.95. Still like to know of the best DE to use myself,,as I am finally going to move on to some easy stoney's once I figure out what lights to use. Any suggestions..email me..lol..thanks.

RichConley · 07/06/2006, 01:34 PM

DE are about 5% more par. The problem is, you lose it because you have to run the glass shield, so they end up at about 15-20% LESS par.

That being said, all the best reflectors are SE, so SEs take the cake IMO.

I have DEs

six.line · 07/06/2006, 02:04 PM

I second what Rich said.

I also like working with them in a DIY project, specifically not worrying about leaking UV light and literally cooking my tank.

whiteshark · 07/06/2006, 02:25 PM

As long as the glass covering a DE bulb is UV shielded, you really shouldn't have a problem, right?

EDIT- Why don't DE bulbs have UV protection in the glass they are made from like the SE bulbs?

RichConley · 07/06/2006, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by whiteshark
As long as the glass covering a DE bulb is UV shielded, you really shouldn't have a problem, right? Does the UV shielded glass that is under a DE reduce PAR as much as much as the SE UV shield?

SEs have UV resistant glass on their outer envelope. Its like 1/128" thick. So you lose almost no par. DE bulbs have to use an external glass sheild, which is usually 1/8" glass, so you lose like 20-30% par.

Overall SEs have a lot more par.

whiteshark · 07/06/2006, 02:40 PM

^ Sorry bout that, I missread your other post... Chack my edit

jman77 · 07/06/2006, 02:53 PM

yea i had 175w SE's before and went to DE's because of all the hype.... if i had to do over , i would have stayed with SE's in a good reflector.

reefdiva · 07/10/2006, 07:03 PM

Well I thankyou all for the info about the difference between the two..cause I have been looking at them both,tring to decide..anymore info would be helpful.too. So if I go with SE how do you go about putting Actinic's on your tank without blockin the light from the SE Pendant ( I assume)?

whiteshark · 07/10/2006, 07:39 PM

You can get SE MH fixtures with supplemental VHO or T5 just like DE MH.

whiteshark · 07/10/2006, 07:43 PM

Something like this (please excuse the crude drawing)

reefdiva · 07/10/2006, 08:14 PM

so your talking about a hood type lighting versus a pendant light.. makes sense,,but I would take it ,they too would/could suspend from the ceiling instead sitting on the tank itself..any special brand and K needed,,remember just starting with a couple easy EASY stoney,,still have alot of Softies..Thanks for quick reply by the way and you can always email it to me personally too. .Thanks.

whiteshark · 07/10/2006, 08:23 PM

I feel the hood is just easier to do if you want supplementation to the MH. It can suspend from the cieling. I have no experience with single ended hoods, but I have a DE hood with PC supplementation hanging from my ceiling. My advice to you (if you want to keep any SPS) is to go for a 2x250W MH with T5 or VHO supplementation.

reefdiva · 07/11/2006, 03:24 PM

Okay,so your saying that with two 250wt MH,is that the SE or DE? cause I have seen both in the Sit on tank type Hood and the hang from the ceiling type hood.,both with external Ballest and supplemented with T5's and VHO's even with PC. Just having a hard time finding any in 60" : only found 48 (Which would work,right?) or 72". Cause my tank is only 60"..thanks again..

whiteshark · 07/11/2006, 05:47 PM

You could go with a 48 in but the outer edges of the tank won't be lit real well.

http://www.hamiltontechnology.com/sh...h+Fluorescents

Here is one I found in 60 in. It seems the conclusion we came to is that SE bulbs would be the way to go. I like the 3x250W MH setup with the two 60 in VHO. With that kind of lighting you could pretty much keep anything you want anywhere you want in the tank. Hope that helps!

reefdiva · 07/12/2006, 02:17 PM

Thanks for the info..lol...and believe it or not I have narrowed it down to the Hamilton line, but also thinking about Aqua-Medic's line too...I like that fact that instead of the VHO's their's have the HO-T5's..My electric Bill was already $466.00 this month..lol.. I Believe Hamilton has something simaliar also..? And still can't get my Chili Cactus coral to open...lol...Thanks again

06/28/2006, 02:53 PM	#1
whiteshark Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bethlehem, PA Posts: 3,024	A little help with SE and DE MH bulbs I'm looking for a list of the pros and cons of each kind of bulb. Even if you only know a couple, feel free to post em. Thanx! __________________ Deep Blue 60 gallon cube: Setup in progress.

06/28/2006, 03:01 PM	#2
Travis L. Stevens Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Perry, OK Posts: 13,946	SE: Easy to get. Comes in more colors. Limiting wattages. Comes in a wide variety of color. Runs pretty darn hot. Lot's of reflector options. Very large DE: Harder to find. Harder to find "odd" colors. Wide variety of wattages (IE 70w). Runs relatively cool compared to the SE (still runs hot though). Must have a UV Shield or risk burning your eyes, skin, and/or corals. Few reflector options. Many options of "casing" in pendant styles. Small and compact. __________________ Travis Stevens Current Tank Info: Restarting 28g Bowfront

06/28/2006, 03:14 PM	#3
whiteshark Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bethlehem, PA Posts: 3,024	Thanks Travis! Well, harder to find is definitly true about DE. Trying to get 150W 14k Phoenix in any LFS around here is impossible. Are the bulbs realitively the same PAR as eachother? I.E. , does a 150 W DE and a 150W SE bulb (same brand and K temp) produce the same PAR? (being run on ballasts as similar to eachother as possible? Sorry if that makes little sense, but i'm an idiot when it comes to lighting. __________________ Deep Blue 60 gallon cube: Setup in progress.

07/06/2006, 01:34 PM	#5
RichConley Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bostonian in Chicago going to DC Posts: 9,908	DE are about 5% more par. The problem is, you lose it because you have to run the glass shield, so they end up at about 15-20% LESS par. That being said, all the best reflectors are SE, so SEs take the cake IMO. I have DEs __________________ NO TANKS!!!

07/06/2006, 02:04 PM	#6
six.line Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Logan, UT Posts: 775	I second what Rich said. I also like working with them in a DIY project, specifically not worrying about leaking UV light and literally cooking my tank. __________________ This post approved by Mrs. Sixline. assign <= six.line(#FFFFFF && string("nerdy")) Current Tank Info: 30 gallon with 10 gallon sump

07/06/2006, 01:22 PM	#4
reefdiva Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Temple,TX Posts: 100	Don't know how they do differ in PAR,etc. But I can tell you that you can order the 150wt Phoenix DE HQI at Marine Depot (14k) for $59.95. Still like to know of the best DE to use myself,,as I am finally going to move on to some easy stoney's once I figure out what lights to use. Any suggestions..email me..lol..thanks.

07/06/2006, 02:25 PM	#7
whiteshark Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bethlehem, PA Posts: 3,024	As long as the glass covering a DE bulb is UV shielded, you really shouldn't have a problem, right? EDIT- Why don't DE bulbs have UV protection in the glass they are made from like the SE bulbs? __________________ Deep Blue 60 gallon cube: Setup in progress.

07/06/2006, 02:40 PM	#9
whiteshark Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bethlehem, PA Posts: 3,024	^ Sorry bout that, I missread your other post... Chack my edit __________________ Deep Blue 60 gallon cube: Setup in progress.

07/06/2006, 02:53 PM	#10
jman77 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: West Palm Beach, Florida Posts: 2,391	yea i had 175w SE's before and went to DE's because of all the hype.... if i had to do over , i would have stayed with SE's in a good reflector.

07/10/2006, 07:03 PM	#11
reefdiva Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Temple,TX Posts: 100	Well I thankyou all for the info about the difference between the two..cause I have been looking at them both,tring to decide..anymore info would be helpful.too. So if I go with SE how do you go about putting Actinic's on your tank without blockin the light from the SE Pendant ( I assume)?

07/10/2006, 07:39 PM	#12
whiteshark Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bethlehem, PA Posts: 3,024	You can get SE MH fixtures with supplemental VHO or T5 just like DE MH. __________________ Deep Blue 60 gallon cube: Setup in progress.

07/10/2006, 07:43 PM	#13
whiteshark Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bethlehem, PA Posts: 3,024	Something like this (please excuse the crude drawing) __________________ Deep Blue 60 gallon cube: Setup in progress.

07/10/2006, 08:14 PM	#14
reefdiva Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Temple,TX Posts: 100	so your talking about a hood type lighting versus a pendant light.. makes sense,,but I would take it ,they too would/could suspend from the ceiling instead sitting on the tank itself..any special brand and K needed,,remember just starting with a couple easy EASY stoney,,still have alot of Softies..Thanks for quick reply by the way and you can always email it to me personally too. .Thanks.

07/10/2006, 08:23 PM	#15
whiteshark Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bethlehem, PA Posts: 3,024	I feel the hood is just easier to do if you want supplementation to the MH. It can suspend from the cieling. I have no experience with single ended hoods, but I have a DE hood with PC supplementation hanging from my ceiling. My advice to you (if you want to keep any SPS) is to go for a 2x250W MH with T5 or VHO supplementation. __________________ Deep Blue 60 gallon cube: Setup in progress.

07/11/2006, 03:24 PM	#16
reefdiva Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Temple,TX Posts: 100	Okay,so your saying that with two 250wt MH,is that the SE or DE? cause I have seen both in the Sit on tank type Hood and the hang from the ceiling type hood.,both with external Ballest and supplemented with T5's and VHO's even with PC. Just having a hard time finding any in 60" : only found 48 (Which would work,right?) or 72". Cause my tank is only 60"..thanks again..

07/11/2006, 05:47 PM	#17
whiteshark Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bethlehem, PA Posts: 3,024	You could go with a 48 in but the outer edges of the tank won't be lit real well. http://www.hamiltontechnology.com/sh...h+Fluorescents Here is one I found in 60 in. It seems the conclusion we came to is that SE bulbs would be the way to go. I like the 3x250W MH setup with the two 60 in VHO. With that kind of lighting you could pretty much keep anything you want anywhere you want in the tank. Hope that helps! __________________ Deep Blue 60 gallon cube: Setup in progress.

07/12/2006, 02:17 PM	#18
reefdiva Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Temple,TX Posts: 100	Thanks for the info..lol...and believe it or not I have narrowed it down to the Hamilton line, but also thinking about Aqua-Medic's line too...I like that fact that instead of the VHO's their's have the HO-T5's..My electric Bill was already $466.00 this month..lol.. I Believe Hamilton has something simaliar also..? And still can't get my Chili Cactus coral to open...lol...Thanks again