Halide Q & A - Page 39

sirreal63 · 06/08/2015, 07:16 PM

Jeremy, go with the M81, and paired with the Ushio 10K it is a smoking hot combination. Be prepared to acclimate the corals to the light.

jdraider75 · 06/08/2015, 08:13 PM

Thanks Jack. I will raise the light a few inches and drop an hour from photo period.

james30ct · 06/21/2015, 03:21 PM

Couple questions. Someone local is selling 3 400w halide electronic blueline ballasts, and reflectors for a decent price.

Is 3 400w overkill for a 180g I aslo have 2 80w t5's and the halides would be replacing rb value fixtures?

Can radiums be run on those ballasts?

Can I run them for 5-6 hrs a day vs the 10 I run leds?

Thanks for any help.

DavidinGA · 06/21/2015, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by james30ct

Couple questions. Someone local is selling 3 400w halide electronic blueline ballasts, and reflectors for a decent price.

Is 3 400w overkill for a 180g I aslo have 2 80w t5's and the halides would be replacing rb value fixtures?

Can radiums be run on those ballasts?

Can I run them for 5-6 hrs a day vs the 10 I run leds?

Thanks for any help.

3x400w over a 180g is not overkill for an sps tank but imo you can get by with 3x250w if you have a good ballast/bulb combo and is the way I would go for heat/electricity savings over the 400's

glaukos · 06/26/2015, 05:32 AM

Hi guys

I really need your exp with mh.Used them before but not diy.
In a tank 95x95x80 cm(37x37x31 inch,if i'm not mistaken

) would a 250w bulb do the job or a 400w is necessary?
I have a liteco ballast(250w) and a nice big reflector.
Tank will be full of sps but only above the middle.

Thank you in advance and your help is much appreciated

Bootlegger · 07/02/2015, 02:03 PM

Back in the day of single-ended bulbs only, 3x400 watt MH bulbs is not unheard of. In fact, a LFS has a 10-year old 200 gallon display with 4x 400 bulbs and 4x VHO URI actinics. They are getting some serious growth and color with no signs of bleaching. However, with DE lamps on the market, I'd go with 250-watt DE on a M80 pulse ballast (Radium) or Ushio/Iwasaki version which requires an M58 ballasts. The 250-watt DE allegedly producen nearly as much PAR as a 400 watt bulb.

Note: there are few electronic ballast that drive DE lamps. Icecap offered one in the 250 watt range but it is discontinued. There are some hydroponic 250-watt ballasts that should be able to drive a DE ballast but I'm not sure. Most folks are going back non-electronic as they are more reliable. 15 years ago I ran Blue-line 400-wattt electronic ballasts. They lasted 5-years before dying on me.

glaukos · 07/03/2015, 05:46 AM

Thanks boot for your trouble

I'll try the 250 and if it's not enough i'll go with the 400 bulb and ballast.
At least,i hope,the reflector will be perfect for my dimensions and won't have to change that too.

Thanks again!

hanas · 07/08/2015, 12:20 PM

Question for anyone....I've been running T5's for the past 8 years on my SPS tank with good success. I'm setting up a new tank that is 140G (48" x 28" x 24") and really want to use halides. What retrofit setup would you recommend, everything from the reflector to bulb to ballast? And where online can I purchase it?

I'm building a canopy so I can custom size the height to accommodate. I've been looking at the online reef vendors but their MH options are limited now with LEDs entering the market.

I love the look (color) of the 14k Phoenix bulbs and also the 20k radium.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

TylerHaworth · 07/12/2015, 03:18 PM

Before I pull the trigger... Here's what I'm looking at picking up for a Standard 180:

Giesemann Infiniti DE Fixture - 3x250 + 4x80w T5
3x Hamilton Technology magnetic HQI Ballast
3x Phoenix 14k bulb
2x ATI Blue Plus bulb
2x ATI True Actinic bulb

Anything you would talk me out of/into, or have I come to the proper conclusion?

stancfii · 07/13/2015, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TylerHaworth

Before I pull the trigger... Here's what I'm looking at picking up for a Standard 180:

Giesemann Infiniti DE Fixture - 3x250 + 4x80w T5
3x Hamilton Technology magnetic HQI Ballast
3x Phoenix 14k bulb
2x ATI Blue Plus bulb
2x ATI True Actinic bulb

Anything you would talk me out of/into, or have I come to the proper conclusion?

I'd consider 3 blue+ and 1 purple+ instead of the actinics, but you can't go wrong with your combo either.

TylerHaworth · 07/14/2015, 11:57 AM

Thanks for the input Stanc!

undeadmoto · 07/17/2015, 11:42 PM

I am going to be running 2 250w MH with 4 54w T5's. These will be over a 75g tank and I am wondering what kind of acclimation i will need to do with the corals to get the used to the MH's?

JakeK · 08/06/2015, 10:42 PM

I just posted a question on what size ATI Sunpower to look at for my tank that I am receiving for free, and I am also considering a DIY Radium set up.

The tank dimensions are 36 x 30 x 20 or thereabouts. I don't actually have the tank in my possession yet. It's a 93 gallon tank that is definitely 36" long.

I have a budget of $800 and that is already a stretch for me.

Here are my questions. Could I run a 250W radium using a Lumen Bright Mini Pendant reflector over the center point of the tank, or would I need 2?

Secondly, I don't really see MH ballasts for sale much anymore, certainly not the M80 HQI that is supposed to be the most ideal at driving the Radium. Could I use an e-ballast and if so, where can I buy one that will work with the Radium and get it as close the color I could get with the M80?

Thank you for the help!

Scubareefman · 08/06/2015, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JakeK

I just posted a question on what size ATI Sunpower to look at for my tank that I am receiving for free, and I am also considering a DIY Radium set up.

The tank dimensions are 36 x 30 x 20 or thereabouts. I don't actually have the tank in my possession yet. It's a 93 gallon tank that is definitely 36" long.

I have a budget of $800 and that is already a stretch for me.

Here are my questions. Could I run a 250W radium using a Lumen Bright Mini Pendant reflector over the center point of the tank, or would I need 2?

Secondly, I don't really see MH ballasts for sale much anymore, certainly not the M80 HQI that is supposed to be the most ideal at driving the Radium. Could I use an e-ballast and if so, where can I buy one that will work with the Radium and get it as close the color I could get with the M80?

Thank you for the help!

two would be perfect 1 would be good with a bit of t5. Depending on the reflector 1 might be great. The reflector/ballest combos come up on the used equipment forum a lot and tend to not be very pricy. I got my 250 pendent and ballest for 100 bucks plus shipping. I have seen a few that were great deals for two lights.

I run a 250w radium with a kessiel 150 for sunrise sunset on my DT that's 36 inches deep and it does wonderfully.
But I'm not a great expert, I bet someone else might have more info.
Tom

JakeK · 08/07/2015, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scubareefman

two would be perfect 1 would be good with a bit of t5. Depending on the reflector 1 might be great. The reflector/ballest combos come up on the used equipment forum a lot and tend to not be very pricy. I got my 250 pendent and ballest for 100 bucks plus shipping. I have seen a few that were great deals for two lights.

I run a 250w radium with a kessiel 150 for sunrise sunset on my DT that's 36 inches deep and it does wonderfully.
But I'm not a great expert, I bet someone else might have more info.
Tom

Thank you very much!

aeddins89 · 08/30/2015, 10:25 PM

I'm just starting out I was given a 55g tank that I have now had set up for about a month now its cycling and starting to come along. Now I'm just wondering if the lights will be enough for the reef I want to create. I bought a maristar 4ft light with 2 54w t5s one pure actinic the other actinic ➕as well as 2 250de mh 12k and two custom LEDS for moon lighting. My tank is 21 in deep. Is it enough light?

sirreal63 · 08/31/2015, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aeddins89

I'm just starting out I was given a 55g tank that I have now had set up for about a month now its cycling and starting to come along. Now I'm just wondering if the lights will be enough for the reef I want to create. I bought a maristar 4ft light with 2 54w t5s one pure actinic the other actinic ➕as well as 2 250de mh 12k and two custom LEDS for moon lighting. My tank is 21 in deep. Is it enough light?

It is more than enough light. It would be enough for a 4' 120 gallon tank.

GroktheCube · 08/31/2015, 01:13 PM

I could use some help troubleshooting a strange issue I'm having.

I'm in the middle of setting up a new tank (48"x30"x15") in a new apartment. I moved over the 48" 2x250 radium/4x54w t5 Hamilton Cebu sun from my 120. The first time I started it over the tank, the breaker tripped after about half an hour of running. The light was drawing ~7 amps, with maybe another 2 from other equipment, well under the 15 the circuit is rated for.

I haven't had the problem recur since then, but the fixture is only drawing ~6.2 amps now instead of the 7 it has been since I first got it. What the heck could be causing that? I'm stumped.

Spar · 09/02/2015, 03:57 PM

I currently have 4 of the 250W Radium bulbs on a HQI/magnetic ballast. My tank is 96x36x30". I got great growth when my SPS was mid-to-high in the tank, but never did test it much where SPS was on the base. I am reconfiguring my rock layout to have my rock much lower in the water (SPS between 6-15" at base, instead of 15-20" before).

I wish I had measured the PAR before I drained my tank, but I am wondering if anyone thinks I will have even better PAR if I upgraded to 400W Radiums or other bulbs that give off a cooler kelvin.

Thoughts? Are there any good resources on bulb comparisons at different depths? Sanjay's seems to be offline these days.

sirreal63 · 09/02/2015, 09:02 PM

Cliff, it should be fine as is. The little extra par is not worth the extra heat and electrical usage unless you greatly over drive the bulbs, then you will get a lot more par but at the expense of bulb life. As long as the reflectors are decent you should have no issues.

E Rosewater · 09/08/2015, 02:40 PM

Just a quick question regarding ballasts. I ordered a Cebu Sun 2 x 250w running the M81 ballasts. Can I put the ballasts in my stand or will heat generation be an issue? There would be nothing else creating heat with them in the stand.

sirreal63 · 09/08/2015, 02:57 PM

M81 is for 150 watt, M80 is for 250. I keep mine in the stand.

jdraider75 · 09/09/2015, 08:02 AM

I just picked up a dual 250 watt Bluewave 7 ballast. I currently run 2 galaxy select a watt ballasts. My concern is I control these with my apex. Am I gonna have any trouble running a dual ballast on one plug? Anyone know the amps these pull at startup?

Jeremy B. · 09/09/2015, 01:06 PM

The original BW7's had two plugs, and then the later years they started coming in with a single plug. Is yours definitely the one with a single plug first off? Second - different lamps will have the ballast spike at a different amperage during startup. Assuming you're running Radiums (since that the most popular MH these days) figure spiking around 3.5A per ballast, so a total of about 7A during startup.

jdraider75 · 09/09/2015, 06:14 PM

Yes just the single cord. And running radiums in a giesemann spectra. Thanks.

06/08/2015, 07:16 PM	#951
sirreal63 Go Spurs Go!!! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Meadowlakes Texas Posts: 13,357	Jeremy, go with the M81, and paired with the Ushio 10K it is a smoking hot combination. Be prepared to acclimate the corals to the light. __________________ Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon.

06/26/2015, 05:32 AM	#955
glaukos Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 2,106	Hi guys I really need your exp with mh.Used them before but not diy. In a tank 95x95x80 cm(37x37x31 inch,if i'm not mistaken ) would a 250w bulb do the job or a 400w is necessary? I have a liteco ballast(250w) and a nice big reflector. Tank will be full of sps but only above the middle. Thank you in advance and your help is much appreciated __________________ Mike Just doing my hobby and having great fun with it....no room/need for drama:) the only way to win with a toxic person, is not to play

07/03/2015, 05:46 AM	#957
glaukos Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 2,106	Thanks boot for your trouble I'll try the 250 and if it's not enough i'll go with the 400 bulb and ballast. At least,i hope,the reflector will be perfect for my dimensions and won't have to change that too. Thanks again! __________________ Mike Just doing my hobby and having great fun with it....no room/need for drama:) the only way to win with a toxic person, is not to play

07/12/2015, 03:18 PM	#959
TylerHaworth Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Barboursville, WV Posts: 628	Before I pull the trigger... Here's what I'm looking at picking up for a Standard 180: Giesemann Infiniti DE Fixture - 3x250 + 4x80w T5 3x Hamilton Technology magnetic HQI Ballast 3x Phoenix 14k bulb 2x ATI Blue Plus bulb 2x ATI True Actinic bulb Anything you would talk me out of/into, or have I come to the proper conclusion? __________________ 180 Gallon Rimless. Halides. MP40's. Other Goodies.

07/14/2015, 11:57 AM	#961
TylerHaworth Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Barboursville, WV Posts: 628	Thanks for the input Stanc! __________________ 180 Gallon Rimless. Halides. MP40's. Other Goodies.

06/08/2015, 08:13 PM	#952
jdraider75 Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Davenport, Iowa Posts: 546	Thanks Jack. I will raise the light a few inches and drop an hour from photo period.

06/21/2015, 03:21 PM	#953
james30ct Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Groton, Ct Posts: 1,218	Couple questions. Someone local is selling 3 400w halide electronic blueline ballasts, and reflectors for a decent price. Is 3 400w overkill for a 180g I aslo have 2 80w t5's and the halides would be replacing rb value fixtures? Can radiums be run on those ballasts? Can I run them for 5-6 hrs a day vs the 10 I run leds? Thanks for any help.

07/02/2015, 02:03 PM	#956
Bootlegger Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ventura County Posts: 71	Back in the day of single-ended bulbs only, 3x400 watt MH bulbs is not unheard of. In fact, a LFS has a 10-year old 200 gallon display with 4x 400 bulbs and 4x VHO URI actinics. They are getting some serious growth and color with no signs of bleaching. However, with DE lamps on the market, I'd go with 250-watt DE on a M80 pulse ballast (Radium) or Ushio/Iwasaki version which requires an M58 ballasts. The 250-watt DE allegedly producen nearly as much PAR as a 400 watt bulb. Note: there are few electronic ballast that drive DE lamps. Icecap offered one in the 250 watt range but it is discontinued. There are some hydroponic 250-watt ballasts that should be able to drive a DE ballast but I'm not sure. Most folks are going back non-electronic as they are more reliable. 15 years ago I ran Blue-line 400-wattt electronic ballasts. They lasted 5-years before dying on me.

07/08/2015, 12:20 PM	#958
hanas Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Fairfield, CT Posts: 795	Question for anyone....I've been running T5's for the past 8 years on my SPS tank with good success. I'm setting up a new tank that is 140G (48" x 28" x 24") and really want to use halides. What retrofit setup would you recommend, everything from the reflector to bulb to ballast? And where online can I purchase it? I'm building a canopy so I can custom size the height to accommodate. I've been looking at the online reef vendors but their MH options are limited now with LEDs entering the market. I love the look (color) of the 14k Phoenix bulbs and also the 20k radium. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

07/17/2015, 11:42 PM	#962
undeadmoto Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: idaho Posts: 109	I am going to be running 2 250w MH with 4 54w T5's. These will be over a 75g tank and I am wondering what kind of acclimation i will need to do with the corals to get the used to the MH's? __________________ 90G mixed reef 50B sump eshopps PSK 150 in sump skimmer and chinese black box leds Current Tank Info: 90g mixed reef

08/06/2015, 10:42 PM	#963
JakeK Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 131	DIY Radium Set Up I just posted a question on what size ATI Sunpower to look at for my tank that I am receiving for free, and I am also considering a DIY Radium set up. The tank dimensions are 36 x 30 x 20 or thereabouts. I don't actually have the tank in my possession yet. It's a 93 gallon tank that is definitely 36" long. I have a budget of $800 and that is already a stretch for me. Here are my questions. Could I run a 250W radium using a Lumen Bright Mini Pendant reflector over the center point of the tank, or would I need 2? Secondly, I don't really see MH ballasts for sale much anymore, certainly not the M80 HQI that is supposed to be the most ideal at driving the Radium. Could I use an e-ballast and if so, where can I buy one that will work with the Radium and get it as close the color I could get with the M80? Thank you for the help!

08/30/2015, 10:25 PM	#966
aeddins89 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: rhode island Posts: 16	my set up I'm just starting out I was given a 55g tank that I have now had set up for about a month now its cycling and starting to come along. Now I'm just wondering if the lights will be enough for the reef I want to create. I bought a maristar 4ft light with 2 54w t5s one pure actinic the other actinic ➕as well as 2 250de mh 12k and two custom LEDS for moon lighting. My tank is 21 in deep. Is it enough light?

08/31/2015, 01:13 PM	#968
GroktheCube Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 2,063	I could use some help troubleshooting a strange issue I'm having. I'm in the middle of setting up a new tank (48"x30"x15") in a new apartment. I moved over the 48" 2x250 radium/4x54w t5 Hamilton Cebu sun from my 120. The first time I started it over the tank, the breaker tripped after about half an hour of running. The light was drawing ~7 amps, with maybe another 2 from other equipment, well under the 15 the circuit is rated for. I haven't had the problem recur since then, but the fixture is only drawing ~6.2 amps now instead of the 7 it has been since I first got it. What the heck could be causing that? I'm stumped.

09/02/2015, 03:57 PM	#969
Spar Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 2,517	I currently have 4 of the 250W Radium bulbs on a HQI/magnetic ballast. My tank is 96x36x30". I got great growth when my SPS was mid-to-high in the tank, but never did test it much where SPS was on the base. I am reconfiguring my rock layout to have my rock much lower in the water (SPS between 6-15" at base, instead of 15-20" before). I wish I had measured the PAR before I drained my tank, but I am wondering if anyone thinks I will have even better PAR if I upgraded to 400W Radiums or other bulbs that give off a cooler kelvin. Thoughts? Are there any good resources on bulb comparisons at different depths? Sanjay's seems to be offline these days. __________________ 450g Mixed SPS/LPS Reef (MH/T5/VHO)

09/02/2015, 09:02 PM	#970
sirreal63 Go Spurs Go!!! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Meadowlakes Texas Posts: 13,357	Cliff, it should be fine as is. The little extra par is not worth the extra heat and electrical usage unless you greatly over drive the bulbs, then you will get a lot more par but at the expense of bulb life. As long as the reflectors are decent you should have no issues. __________________ Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon.

09/08/2015, 02:40 PM	#971
E Rosewater Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 846	Just a quick question regarding ballasts. I ordered a Cebu Sun 2 x 250w running the M81 ballasts. Can I put the ballasts in my stand or will heat generation be an issue? There would be nothing else creating heat with them in the stand.

09/08/2015, 02:57 PM	#972
sirreal63 Go Spurs Go!!! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Meadowlakes Texas Posts: 13,357	M81 is for 150 watt, M80 is for 250. I keep mine in the stand. __________________ Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon.

09/09/2015, 08:02 AM	#973
jdraider75 Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Davenport, Iowa Posts: 546	I just picked up a dual 250 watt Bluewave 7 ballast. I currently run 2 galaxy select a watt ballasts. My concern is I control these with my apex. Am I gonna have any trouble running a dual ballast on one plug? Anyone know the amps these pull at startup?

09/09/2015, 01:06 PM	#974
Jeremy B. Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Indianapolis, IN / Muncie, IN Posts: 8,219	The original BW7's had two plugs, and then the later years they started coming in with a single plug. Is yours definitely the one with a single plug first off? Second - different lamps will have the ballast spike at a different amperage during startup. Assuming you're running Radiums (since that the most popular MH these days) figure spiking around 3.5A per ballast, so a total of about 7A during startup.

09/09/2015, 06:14 PM	#975
jdraider75 Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Davenport, Iowa Posts: 546	Yes just the single cord. And running radiums in a giesemann spectra. Thanks.