Lighting? (my brain hurts)

[Syris]

Ok I'm looking to upgrade my lighting from 175w MH to 250w MH after only 3 months of setting up the 175w :roll:
I currently have 175w Ushio 10k. I want to go with 250w AB 10k. What is the recomended ballast for this bulb? A pulse start?
If it is a pulse start can I also run 250w Ushio 10k on it if I don't like the AB 10k?

Maybe this sounds simple to some of you but I read so so many threads on lighting today that my head is throbbing :?

TIA

 

[MarkO1]

Syrius,
do you really need more light? I have dual 175's supplemented with dual 96 pc's on my 90 gal. and my accropora is growing fast.
PS, let me know if you are interested in trading frags. My tank is very similar to yours and I live in the area.
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Honda Integra DC5

 

[Syris]

I am looking to upgrade to 250w MH because I would like to keep a crocea or maxima clam someday. I had a nice blue max but it died after 14 days (might have been a bad specimen but everyone I talked to say 250MH or higher are better for these clams). Also my SPS don't seem to be growing to fast and colors seem drab on some. And I will be upgrading to a 125g in a year or two and thought 250w would be better than 175w so why not upgrade now.
I am worried about how much more heat 250Mh are going to add.

As for frags, I have a nice capnella leather that needs a good pruning or a green slimer acropora that is ready for fraggin but the rest are still growing. Check my web site for pics.

 

[MarkO1]

I can't speak for the clams (as I understand they like to burrow in the sand), but high intensity (light) corals placed higher in the tank will probably do better than under 250's and on the bottom. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't halving the separation quadruple the intensity?
(Anyway, I've got a nice multi-species 'shroom rock, a green zoanthid frag and a purple accropora frag, not to mention various Xenia if you are interested?) Let me know.
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Mercedes 300 SLR