best eballast for 250wt mh

[TroyPham]

at the title says, i'm looking for the best 250wt mh eballast. i'm gonna run the 12k reeflux bulb everyone is raving about and heard the best light color was with an eballast. i can try it on a mag ballast that i have now, but figured if i'm gonna update the lights i should go a head and switch everything out.

what eballast do you run and how do you like it? any issues?

TIA.

[apedroza]

I love my icecap ballasts. They are running my 12k reeflux

[NaCl_H2O]

CoralVue (Maker of the reeflux bulb) also has an e-ballast. Others have had good experience with these ballasts and they have a 3 year warranty. I am buying 6 250w ballasts, should have them in the next few days.

FWIW

[alton]

I have two 175w MH Coral Vue Ballast, and four 250w MH Ballast also from Coral Vue. Twice I switched my setups from Magnetic Ballast to these and my lighting went up 25% according to my meter. Coral Vue also makes a dimming ballast if your up for testing out new products?

[caferacermike]

I love my Icecaps.

[brewercm]

I've had good luck with both the ARO from hellolights and EVC Tech from oceanencounter.
When I get ready to buy another I'm going to go with the EVC tech ballasts . I had these before and really liked them, also like the fact that they were as close to plug and play as you can get (all wiring is already there).
Haven't used the coralvue so I have no experience with them.

[TroyPham]

thanks for the info everyone.

Cliff, what is the model # for the evc tech.? plug and play is not a big issue for me. Just want a good ballast with good reliability and price.

my shopping list:
1-250wt mh eballast
1-vho ballast to run 2-75wt vho's
1-luminarc3
1-luminarc se socket
2-vho end caps
2-24" vho reflectors.

[brewercm]

You can check them out here.
I know I sometimes sound like a salesman about this place but I was very pleased with the 400 watt elect. ballasts that I had before from this company, and they are one of our sponsors now.

http://oceanencounter.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=OE&Product_Cod e=EVCMH250&Category_Code=EVCEB

[TroyPham]

thats a good price for a plug and play setup!

[SueT]

I am running my 250w 10k reeflux also on the CoralVue eballast and absolutely love them. I have 2 single ballasts and both have ran fine for me for close to a year now. Don't think I'll ever run anything else. Plus our electric bill had dropped significantly.

[hobogato]

i have all coralvue (or will when my 2 new ones come in) and they are working fine.

[BIGBIRD123]

I use the Coralvue, too. I changed from magnetic and the elec. bill dropped a cool $100 a month. Pretty sweet!

Steve

[Bill S]

I use Coralvue too - but, I've had one DOA out of the box and I just sent another one back for the second time - these were the new style red ballasts. David has told me he is replacing this one with a brand new model that has cooling fans (back) in it...

[TroyPham]

I am running my 250w 10k reeflux also on the CoralVue eballast and absolutely love them. I have 2 single ballasts and both have ran fine for me for close to a year now. Don't think I'll ever run anything else. Plus our electric bill had dropped significantly.


i still need to get by your place and see your tank sue.

[brewercm]

I don't remember but I believe the cords just go from the ballast to the light with one, and the other one just plugs into the wall. Unless they changed they didn't have a on/off switch either. I think that I remember making a quick disconnect for mine to disconnect from the bulb without having to actually unwire it.

[SueT]

Cliff, mine didn't have the on/off switch either. I have them on timers, cause I didn't care for the plugging on/off.

[BIGBIRD123]

I have mine on timers . too.

Steve

[alton]

Email David at Coralvue and ask the question, he usually answers the same day
support@coralvue.com

[Polkster13]

I use CoralVue electronic ballasts on all of my tanks. I liked them so much that I became a dealer. I am also an IceCap dealer but I still prefer the CoralVue ballasts. I really like the new verions (they are epoxy filled). The CoralVue ballasts do NOT have an on/off switch (that would just make one more failure point). I have mine on a digital timer that has a small push button that allows me to turn them on/off whenever I need to outside of the programmed on/off times. The 175 watt comes in three versions (1 bulb, 2 bulbs or 3 bulbs driven), the 250 watt comes in two versions (either 1 or 2 bulbs driven) and the 400 watt only comes in a single version (1 bulb driven). If you have any questions about any CoralVue product, please do not hesitate to call me.