Lighting - 250 Watt Sylvania, Metalarc

[cuttle killer]

I currently have only like 100 Watts of blue power compac lighting. (for 1yr now for a 180 gal reef/fish. though the reef seems ok, ive become aware that i need more light


I recently was given (2) Lithionia Industrial Lamps w/ 250 watt Sylvania bulbs. I plugged them in they work fine. Also says "suitable for damp locations" on the lamp. They fit very nicely under my 11" canopy, protected with a glass splash guard, and sit just next to the ice-cap exhaust fans.

The lamps are not designed for aquarium use, but for outdoor lighting. They are bright white in color.

i noticed online that this is not an expensive setup. Like 110.00 per lamp. and i think about 20.00 per bulb.

I the bulb reads: sylvania, metalarc M58 R Ms50/U

From what I've read so far, For photosynthesis to occur, aquarium lighting should duplicate the spectrum of sunlight. The 5500K, 6500K and 10000K Metal Halide bulbs are full spectrum bulbs with all the colors of sunlight. Though people like them bluer

Anyways, now that i know the Wattage of these bulbs, what is there ****k? and if they are no good will i be able to find a suitable bulb for these Lamps?

thank you,

[arts007]

You say its a 250watt, but the code says MS50, Im thinking it should read Ms250/u, MS=super metalarc 250=watts U=universal mounting position, my guess is its around 4300K, not suitable for reef applications

-Joe

[Frick-n-Frags]

or 3800K even

they try to emulate sunlight which is somewhere around there K tempwise (actually their CRI's are poor for MH lamps)

10kK lamps seem to have the highest CRI (color rendering index. natural daylight is CRI 100) so start there for your purest white bulbs.

If you drop in color temp, you red shift and get more and more of that "who whizzed in the tank" look

If you go to the higher temps, you blue shift, which is what the ocean water naturally does to the very yellow sunlight and ~7000K daylight on the surface

too much blue and all your reds and yellows turn grey.

I think you can sort of see the pointer stopping at these mid blue bulbs the 12-15kK crowd whatever, the specific number doesn't mean anything specifically other than "med blue". you get the nice aquaundersea look without losing all your CRI.

I put up with 6500K Iwasakis for a long time for growing, but I don't miss how they look at all. My Ushio 10kK DE is borderline as to having too much greenish yellow in it, but it's OK since there are also VHO actinics involved.

[cuttle killer]

Opps, yes, it does say 250.

So then if 4300K isnt good enough whats the best bulb, or highest K i can get for this lamp - TX 250M TB HSG

Specs

* Item: HID Ballast Housings
* Lamp Type: MH/PS
* Lamp Watts: 250
* Voltage: 120/208/240/277

[BurntOutReefer]

depends on what you are keeping/looking for.....
Growth? Color? etc etc........I favor growth, hence I use 6500K....

[cuttle killer]

cant seem to find it online.

[cuttle killer]

good question, well if ness. ill just ad more blue compac lights re color,

My concern or question or problem at this point is finding a bulb that will work with this lamp. I would be happy with anything 6500 or higher.
Any ideas re a compatible bulb?

[Young Frankenstein]

They make light fixtures according to wattage of the light bulb. Kelvin scale is meaningless to a light fixture. yes you can change the type of bulbs, as long as you get 250W MH.

[BurntOutReefer]

http://hellolights.com/25mobas.html

http://www.specialty-lights.com/aqua...riumbulbs.html

and lots of other web sites.....

[cuttle killer]

thanks, for your help fellas, i picked up some 250 watt 10,000k "south pacific sunlight" bulbs at the local aquarium store for $85 a piece

not sure how good they are but being that i wanted light right away, they'll do.