Debating on selling these reefbreeders and going metal halid/t5/led combo

Bent · 03/20/2018, 08:08 PM

At this point I’m convinced my poor coral growth is a result of the lights I’m using.

My lights are old black box reef breeders. I’m thinking about buying a metal halide/t5/led 48” combo fixture and then selling the reefbreeders or using Them as a retrofit

This is going to be expensive, so I don’t know if it’s going to be worth it or not. Should I consider it or keep using the RB?

If I did this, I would either build my own or I’d buy a decent fixture if someone can recommend one.

What do you think?

moondoggy4 · 03/20/2018, 10:59 PM

You could always join the club, the Giesemann club. The Infinity are much cheaper than the Spectra's but of course they are worth it. The Infinity's are DE. You can two T-5's on then two more and then turn on the MH, your choice 3 plugs sunrise to sunset with a nice high noon light. The best of three worlds. I bought a Reef Breeder single lens moonlight for my Infinity model, and yes I still do not have it up and running, slowest build in the west.

Bent · 03/21/2018, 02:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moondoggy4

You could always join the club, the Giesemann club. The Infinity are much cheaper than the Spectra's but of course they are worth it. The Infinity's are DE. You can two T-5's on then two more and then turn on the MH, your choice 3 plugs sunrise to sunset with a nice high noon light. The best of three worlds. I bought a Reef Breeder single lens moonlight for my Infinity model, and yes I still do not have it up and running, slowest build in the west.

I’ve been looking at those

I just wonder if it will be worth the money.

It would be my luck I’d change lights and nothing will be any different.

homer1475 · 03/21/2018, 06:34 AM

I did the same thing. Went from cheap black boxes to a T5/reefbrite setup. My corals colored up very nicely and have actually started to grow since switching out. The couple SPS I have are colored up nicely on all sides also where as when I bought them, they had a brown side(LED shadowing effect).

While LED's worked great in my biocube(rapid LED retrofit), 2 300W black box units over an 80G did not. I'm not sure if it's the quality of LED's used or the fact that with T5's you have on and off, and LED's have so much adjustability people tend to play with them and it does not equal stability.

Bent · 03/21/2018, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homer1475

LED's have so much adjustability people tend to play with them and it does not equal stability.

GUILTY! Lol

So you do think it would be worth the money?

Tank is in my living room so I’ve been considering building a canopy with whatever I get to keep the light spillage to a minimum.

I’ve actially considered building a canopy and buying a t5 and halide retrofit kit. Then dismantling my reefbreeders and using the pucks with all of this.

Then I could use the LEDs for sunrise/sunset/moon lights. The t5s/leds for mid day and evening, and the halide/t5/led for high noon.

So my light schedule would be something like
Leds ramp up 0700-1200, ramp down from 1200 to 2000
T5s on at 0900-1700 off at 1800
Halides on from 1000-1300
Moon lights from 2000-0600

That would be sweeeet.

homer1475 · 03/21/2018, 07:22 AM

My light schedule consists of, all on at 7am, all off at 9pm. I like simple and so do my corals. Or so they seem to now that I've stopped playing with the light. Anecdotal at best, but it could just means now that things are stable, the corals are happier. The simple on and off keeps me from playing with them too.

Why complicate things with 3 different lighting?

Bent · 03/21/2018, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homer1475

My light schedule consists of, all on at 7am, all off at 9pm. I like simple and so do my corals. Or so they seem to now that I've stopped playing with the light. Anecdotal at best, but it could just means now that things are stable, the corals are happier. The simple on and off keeps me from playing with them too.

Why complicate things with 3 different lighting?

Because I like to tinker too much lol.

How is the heat off that geissman? I’ve heard they don’t have any fans or cooling and get stupid hot.

moondoggy4 · 03/21/2018, 08:53 PM

I guess it depends on your house, my A/C blows more air to the sides then what goes forward so it blast my tan and light. So if you have the MH on for 4 hours maybe it can manage the heat with a fan.

On my 120 I have i have another brand MH 4 T-5 and I do not have a heat issue. My Infinity was over my sons 33 gallon cube.

fishresponse · 03/21/2018, 10:13 PM

I’m using 250w radiums in a Hamilton unit. It has 4 T5s so I tinker with those bulbs the most since I landed on the radiums. Heat isn’t an issue but then again I have my tank in the basement so it works out.

LetsGetTanked · 03/22/2018, 08:07 AM

What type of reefbreeders? I have the 48" photon V1 on my 120 gallon tank and have amazing growth. I did supplement with 2 48" T5s (Blue+), but this was simply to hit the front and the back of the tank where the led's were missing. I don't even have them turned up all the way either. My white channel hits maybe 60% at its peak, and blue hits maybe 75%. Im guessing if your growth isn't the best, it's likely due to something else...

03/20/2018, 08:08 PM	#1
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	Debating on selling these reefbreeders and going metal halid/t5/led combo At this point I’m convinced my poor coral growth is a result of the lights I’m using. My lights are old black box reef breeders. I’m thinking about buying a metal halide/t5/led 48” combo fixture and then selling the reefbreeders or using Them as a retrofit This is going to be expensive, so I don’t know if it’s going to be worth it or not. Should I consider it or keep using the RB? If I did this, I would either build my own or I’d buy a decent fixture if someone can recommend one. What do you think? __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump

03/21/2018, 06:34 AM	#4
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	I did the same thing. Went from cheap black boxes to a T5/reefbrite setup. My corals colored up very nicely and have actually started to grow since switching out. The couple SPS I have are colored up nicely on all sides also where as when I bought them, they had a brown side(LED shadowing effect). While LED's worked great in my biocube(rapid LED retrofit), 2 300W black box units over an 80G did not. I'm not sure if it's the quality of LED's used or the fact that with T5's you have on and off, and LED's have so much adjustability people tend to play with them and it does not equal stability. __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"

03/21/2018, 07:22 AM	#6
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	My light schedule consists of, all on at 7am, all off at 9pm. I like simple and so do my corals. Or so they seem to now that I've stopped playing with the light. Anecdotal at best, but it could just means now that things are stable, the corals are happier. The simple on and off keeps me from playing with them too. Why complicate things with 3 different lighting? __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"

03/21/2018, 10:13 PM	#9
fishresponse Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 644	I’m using 250w radiums in a Hamilton unit. It has 4 T5s so I tinker with those bulbs the most since I landed on the radiums. Heat isn’t an issue but then again I have my tank in the basement so it works out. __________________ –Andy 265g w/ 20" synergy overflow box Hamilton Cebu MH/T5 fixture w/ 250w Radium bulbs SPS/LPS mix \| 30g (long) refugium with cheato \| 40g sump

03/20/2018, 10:59 PM	#2
moondoggy4 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: menifee So cal Posts: 11,042	You could always join the club, the Giesemann club. The Infinity are much cheaper than the Spectra's but of course they are worth it. The Infinity's are DE. You can two T-5's on then two more and then turn on the MH, your choice 3 plugs sunrise to sunset with a nice high noon light. The best of three worlds. I bought a Reef Breeder single lens moonlight for my Infinity model, and yes I still do not have it up and running, slowest build in the west.

03/21/2018, 08:53 PM	#8
moondoggy4 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: menifee So cal Posts: 11,042	I guess it depends on your house, my A/C blows more air to the sides then what goes forward so it blast my tan and light. So if you have the MH on for 4 hours maybe it can manage the heat with a fan. On my 120 I have i have another brand MH 4 T-5 and I do not have a heat issue. My Infinity was over my sons 33 gallon cube.

03/22/2018, 08:07 AM	#10
LetsGetTanked Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Galloway, OH Posts: 103	What type of reefbreeders? I have the 48" photon V1 on my 120 gallon tank and have amazing growth. I did supplement with 2 48" T5s (Blue+), but this was simply to hit the front and the back of the tank where the led's were missing. I don't even have them turned up all the way either. My white channel hits maybe 60% at its peak, and blue hits maybe 75%. Im guessing if your growth isn't the best, it's likely due to something else...