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The HID ballast. I currently have 3x175 10000K AB's on a 125. Thinking of moving up to 3x250, 3x400, or 2x400.
Once again there are more then one listed on the page.  If you are asking about the "bare bones" Advance MH core and coils then alot of people use them.  What type are your 175's?

Having been there, I'd recommend going from 175 to 400's, or going to a 250 HQI setup.  Skip the standard mogal 250's, they're just are not worth it.

 

If you're going to buy a can and core setup, you would do just as well to find your nearest Branch electric and get it there.  However, again, having been there, it's far easier to buy a retro kit from PFO rather than doing a full DIY setup.  0.02.

 

-Tom

I'm current running a CSL 3x175 retro. I'm interested in moving up to a higher wattage. The CSL is in a box w/ the 3 connectors for the 2x2 superspots. I think these are can & coil type ballast. I was thinking of getting either the 3x250, or the 3x400 ballast box from cooltouch. they state that they use Advance ballast.
Guest tgallo
i would go with 250 hqi's de or 400mh

So, pez, the 250 moguls just aren't worth it, huh?  Then why did you charge me so much for them??  :p

 

With a 125, I'd go with 3 of whichever you choose.  Two just won't give you a good spread of usable light on a 6' tank.

Guest Scott324
We should probably know what your plan in terms of livestock are before recommending lights.  If you are going to SPS, then 3 400's would do well or the 250 HQI.
i would like to keep Lps,Sps, and Clams. Thanks for the advice you've given so far. Sorry to be a pest, but could someone recommend a vendor also? Thanks!

3 400watters....  there are also a lot of bulbs you can find for these- could go with ultimate growth iwaski 6500K or ultimate aesthetics with the 400W 20K radiums ( I currently have been using 10K Ushios).  You really want the penetration if you want to keep light loving corals up high and down low.  I would get them on seperate ballasts so you can stagger the time for on and off of the bulbs.  If you want to segregate the real light intensive corals to the topmost part of the rockwork then 250s would work OK...  Look for either the sunlight supply ones or the pfo's- you can get both with a wired to go ballast- though for both make sure to ask about the female connector on the boxes, as you may need a male adaptor to wire up the socket already in place (I'm assuming what you have are the standard mogul sockets)...  Grim from TRT can get the sunlight ones for you and would imagine his prices are competitive.  Ocean encounter is in Jersey and has decent prices, Champion is in PA, next closet off the top of my head is Premium in Indiana.  Try to find someone as close as possible to reduce shipping if you go that route.  These things can get heavy!

 

Oh yeah- consider how you will deal with the heat if the fixture you have already is not a pendant and you don't have fans.

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