Halide Q & A

[Departed]

I'm currently looking to replace my BoostLED gooseneck fixture on my Oceanic 30g cube due to them burning out. The dimensions for the tank are: L 20.5 x W 21 x H 18.5.

I had considered going the T5 route as I really enjoy the ATI fixtures, but I don't like the look of the overhang based on them only coming in even foot lengths.

I am currently looking into the Lumen Bright 3 Mini Wide, Hamilton Cayman Sun Mogul, or Hamilton Cozumel. Any opinions on those or recommendations on others I should considered would be great.

[bwrag]

I bought large lumenbright reflectors. But they have no splash guard is it necessary. If so does anybody have a link to a good diy of guard. Also need a idea on hanging them. Thanks

[jestronix]

My cheap adventure into shop fitter halides for my 90G.

Ive been running DIY led for 5 years now, and decided to take the plunge into halides. So I looked at getting two 250 lumenbrights, and some lumatek balllast etc etc, the price went up the more i looked at it. Considering only the back portion of my 36"x24"x24" tank is SPS i thought id go cheap on this one.

I picked up 4 x 150 shopfitter halides with mag ballasts all for about $100 shipped. These are common and often being removed from shops to replace with LED. So you can find some very good prices for this type of gear.

I currently run 3 of them over the tank and one spare. my two 20k and one 14k bulbs cost me about $100 all up, so I went to halide for $200. and i find that can light just the back half of the tank where my SPS soak up the rays, the spill over to the front keeps the lower light stuff happy.

I also can set all the lights individually on the timers so i can mix my 20k and 14k to get growth and looks and also push a nice midday 10k peak if i wish.

So if your thinking of going halide cheap, have a quick look at the shop fitters. the mag ballasts on the watt meter showed about 10% extra power used ontop, so 150 is about 160w , take me a long time to pay off a highend ballast in power difference. Fine with cheap bulbs etc, dont think id run radium etc.

I can also tilt the lights as they have adjusters on them, so i can aim the light in on angles etc, this may effect bulb life though?

I also run about 50w of led still, for evening and morning viewing and adds a nice color with the halides.

oh and i have to say my corals are in love with halide now, growth color and insane polyp extension all very happy.

[rock_on]

I have two 150w 14k double end metal halide lights on my 90 gal. I'm planing on replacing them both because I don't know how old the current ones are.

My question is should I replace one at a time for the sake of my coral? If so how long before I replace the other one?

[KafudaFish]

What would a good fixture be for a 20 gallon nano with sps only?

I would like it to be slick but cannot spend 1000 on something this small.

I was thinking a 150 watt radium with m 80 ballast but need reflector help.

Thanks.

[Bpb]

Originally Posted by KafudaFish

What would a good fixture be for a 20 gallon nano with sps only?

I would like it to be slick but cannot spend 1000 on something this small.

I was thinking a 150 watt radium with m 80 ballast but need reflector help.

Thanks.

I'm not positive on what the spec ballast is for the 150 watt radium, but I do know that an m80 ballast will torch it. The m80 ballast will pump between 320-330 watts through that bulb. Not safe. I'd personally just use a quality adjustable EBallast if you went with a 150 watt bulb. Like the galaxy or coralvue models. I don't know of a lot of reflectors that small though.

[overexposed]

Does anybody know anything about Aqua Medic bulbs? They seem to call their line of metal halide bulbs "Aqualine." I am wondering if these Aqualine bulbs are the same bulbs as the Aqualine Buschke bulbs tested by Sanji (ref data http://www.manhattanreefs.com/lighting).

I am thinking that the naming is perhaps coincidental... but I can find hardly any information about these Aqua Medic bulbs so I'm just grasping at straws. They are expensive bulbs so I assume they aren't junk.... but what are they?

[Voodoo Corals]

They are expensive. im sure they are built well

[sirreal63]

Yes it can but ballast and reflector also come into play on penetrating the water.

[Brando5185]

Debating picking up a used 6' Maristar 3x250w/4x39wt5 light for my 125 build. Anyone have any experience with those fixtures?

[sunny d polyp]

Hello all, I am upgrading my lighting (I think) on my 72 inch and 23 1/3 inches high sps/lps aquarium. Currently it has 1 250 watt 20k halide in the center of the tank and 2 (6 ft) 160 watt t-12 actinic running on front and back. I have all of my sps right in the center and everything else from center to the sides. Hamilton Cebu Sun Lighting System - 72 Inch 3 x 175 Watt 20,000K Metal Halide and 4 x 80 Watt T5 HO Actinics This is the light I want and would like some feed back on whether or not this light would be ok for the sps if they were positioned at the top of the tank about 6 or so inches from the top of the water and the light is mounted 6 inches from the surface. Right now with the set up I have my temp runs around 80 (night) to 82 F (day) and only have fans on my sump to cool.
Thanks for any advice I can get.

Jerry S.

[Raptor72]

I've been thinking about switching my t-5 retrofit to the Hamilton Cebu also. Following along.

[sunny d polyp]

Anyone chime in please?

Jerry S.

[sirreal63]

Originally Posted by sunny d polyp

Hello all, I am upgrading my lighting (I think) on my 72 inch and 23 1/3 inches high sps/lps aquarium. Currently it has 1 250 watt 20k halide in the center of the tank and 2 (6 ft) 160 watt t-12 actinic running on front and back. I have all of my sps right in the center and everything else from center to the sides. Hamilton Cebu Sun Lighting System - 72 Inch 3 x 175 Watt 20,000K Metal Halide and 4 x 80 Watt T5 HO Actinics This is the light I want and would like some feed back on whether or not this light would be ok for the sps if they were positioned at the top of the tank about 6 or so inches from the top of the water and the light is mounted 6 inches from the surface. Right now with the set up I have my temp runs around 80 (night) to 82 F (day) and only have fans on my sump to cool.
Thanks for any advice I can get.

Jerry S.

The light will be fine, however you may have issues finding much of a variety of 175 watt bulbs. They will be enough light with higher par bulbs and the T5's.

[sunny d polyp]

I'm partial to 20k but maybe I could make up some difference with the aqua blues or another blue T-5 bulb I hope? Thanks again for your help I appreciate it.

[sirreal63]

The T5's will help, maybe a couple of Blue+ or other higher par bulb. The 20k in 175's is a lower par bulb so you will need to make that up a little. You should still be ok with the 20k's though, there is nothing wrong with going to lower par levels as long as there is enough par and pur to keep the corals growing and colored up.

[sunny d polyp]

Thanks.

[clugo]

I've upgraded to an sps 244 gallon tank measuring 72x28x28 and an considering the 5ft Hamilton Cebu w/ 3 x 250watt MH and 4 x 80 watt T5.

What do you guys think?

Debating between 10 and 14k bulks.

What's the difference between their magnetic and electric ballasts?

I appreciate all the help.

[DavidinGA]

Originally Posted by clugo

I've upgraded to an sps 244 gallon tank measuring 72x28x28 and an considering the 5ft Hamilton Cebu w/ 3 x 250watt MH and 4 x 80 watt T5.

What do you guys think?

Debating between 10 and 14k bulks.

What's the difference between their magnetic and electric ballasts?

I appreciate all the help.

I have a very similar tank 210gal (6x2x29") and I had considered the cebu setup myself, but after a lot of research I found that since I was going for a dedicated sps tank having dedicated high quality reflectors would yield better coverage and most importantly better par than the cebu sun.

That said, I went with 3x 250w lumen bright mini reflectors, electronic ballasts and radium bulbs. It also helped sway my decision that I picked all that up used for $190 lol. I plan to add 2-4 60" T5 bulbs once I locate some super cheap used.

Back to your questions...I would ONLY run a magnetic ballasts if I was going to run radium bulbs and insisted on the particular color it provides and needed the extra par it gives you. Otherwise, definitely get electronic ballasts (even better get selectable electronic ballasts if possible).

Between 10k and 14k I would definitely go 14k to avoid the potential yellow color 10k gives you...

[clugo]

Thanks DavidinGA.

I'm strongly considering going just T5 by purchasing a 5ft ATI Sunpower 8x80 but I can help but wonder why more don't just go only T5.

-why spend the money in equipment and electricity that comes w going w MH?

-what are the benefits of MH w/T5 over going only w/T5?

I'm not trying to argue. I want to get what will be best for the corals that will going into my system so I'm wrestling with this decision.

Any insight is appreciated.

[DavidinGA]

Originally Posted by clugo

Thanks DavidinGA.

I'm strongly considering going just T5 by purchasing a 5ft ATI Sunpower 8x80 but I can help but wonder why more don't just go only T5.

-why spend the money in equipment and electricity that comes w going w MH?

-what are the benefits of MH w/T5 over going only w/T5?

I'm not trying to argue. I want to get what will be best for the corals that will going into my system so I'm wrestling with this decision.

Any insight is appreciated.

I answered you in another thread, but I would add that I went with MH over T5 for simplicity and because the MH setup I got used was dirt cheap. If a 5ft sun power setup was for sale for pennies on the dollar like my MH setup was I'd have it over my tank to try out instead...

[clugo]

Another question I have is magnetic or electronic ballast?

Theres about $150 price difference.

Any thoughts? What are you guys using?

[sirreal63]

I have used both in a couple different wattages, I prefer the proper magnetic ballast for the bulb I am running.

[clugo]

Im looking to use a 5ft hamilton cebu 2 x 250w fixture.

[sirreal63]

If you already know what bulb you will be running get the proper ballast for that bulb, if you do not know or plan on using a variety of bulbs then go electronic.