Anyone miss MH lighting?

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GeoSquid

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I think the hydroponics field still uses MH. My last MH setup I made from 400w highbay ballasts. Got them for about $20 each and rewired them to run remote with reflectors. Might have to do something like that again.
 

X-37B

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I've been looking around for metal halide fixtures and there definitely isn't as many options around as there used to be. One of my main issues, probably, is that when I switched over to led I bought the cheap black box versions. The light is brite and the corals grow well but it just seems flat compared to the halide shimmer. And then there are the disco colors on the sand I see with most led's.
My photons can be as bright as I want. They also have the halide shimmer as long as you have surface agitation. I will try to get a video to show you.
Zero disco effect also.
Quality leds vs black box leds is not even close.
My radions have the same shimmer too.
 
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X-37B

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What color are your metal halides in that video?
250 watt Phoenix 14K double ended in lumen bright fixtures.
20200909_190709.jpg
 

Michael71

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I definitely like the look from MH, but also supplemented with blue T5 and my old MH had LED moonlights..Will be going LED on new tank but will still habe my shimmer;)
 

Michael71

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I have not really researched the photons, but the kessil i have seen have a very natural looking shimmer. Its the closest i have seen to MH.. i will be using the Kessil A500x most likely
 

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I have not really researched the photons, but the kessil i have seen have a very natural looking shimmer. Its the closest i have seen to MH.. i will be using the Kessil A500x most likely
Did you see my previous videos. I'm curious as to what you think of the photon shimmer vs my old halides.
 

Michael71

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Did you see my previous videos. I'm curious as to what you think of the photon shimmer vs my old halides.
I did, i just have not had a chance to pull stats and do more research... been on the rad since Monday. Lol they are on my list to check out though.
 

areefer01

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Why does everyone say Kessils I'm curious?
I get shimmer with Radions and Photons

It is how Kessil designed their optics and their dense matrix LED array. It does not mean that other LED kits do not have it but typically it isn't on the same level. For example my Neptune SKY's have shimmer but there is a noticeable difference when I had the Kessil a360x's over the display. Very noticeable.

Of course we all see these things differently so this is just my experience between the two and shimmer. I've read enough posts around the web that most say shimmer is one of Kessil's strengths. Of course your mileage may vary.
 

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It is how Kessil designed their optics and their dense matrix LED array. It does not mean that other LED kits do not have it but typically it isn't on the same level. For example my Neptune SKY's have shimmer but there is a noticeable difference when I had the Kessil a360x's over the display. Very noticeable.

Of course we all see these things differently so this is just my experience between the two and shimmer. I've read enough posts around the web that most say shimmer is one of Kessil's strengths. Of course your mileage may vary.
Thanks!
 

Michael71

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Not the best video but.
Video 1 my Photon 50's shimmer
Video 2 my old 120 halide shimmer.
Turn the video to landscape for best view.


So the specs on the photons look tremendous. But one thing i notice and bear in mind blue spectrum wacks out videos badly and they may be different in person...but the led vid appears to have color separation in areas, this could be due to the amount of surface agitation or the spacing of the leds in the fixture. The MH is a nice clean ripple...and by the way that 250 phoenix 14k was an incredible bulb...its what i ran in my current sunpod with t5 actinics for supplement...

I would need 2 photon 24 v2 pros to get the coverage for the tank build i am planning and it is appearing i can pull off what i want to do with a single kessil A500x.
 

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So the specs on the photons look tremendous. But one thing i notice and bear in mind blue spectrum wacks out videos badly and they may be different in person...but the led vid appears to have color separation in areas, this could be due to the amount of surface agitation or the spacing of the leds in the fixture. The MH is a nice clean ripple...and by the way that 250 phoenix 14k was an incredible bulb...its what i ran in my current sunpod with t5 actinics for supplement...

I would need 2 photon 24 v2 pros to get the coverage for the tank build i am planning and it is appearing i can pull off what i want to do with a single kessil A500x.
Yea I run my whites at 30%. I turned them up to 100% for the other pic.
No separation visible with the naked eye. The blue throws it off like you mentioned.
There are a few of the 24's left. If I was in your position I would look at the Meridians that just came out from Reef Breeders. One would be all you need, imo.
 

areefer01

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You are welcome. It dawned on me that I may have an older video of my display with Kessil's over it and I did. Nothing exciting but maybe it will give you an idea of that Kessil shimmer.

Hope your day is well.

 

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You are welcome. It dawned on me that I may have an older video of my display with Kessil's over it and I did. Nothing exciting but maybe it will give you an idea of that Kessil shimmer.

Hope your day is well.


Yea that's more shimmer than I care for. Also more than any halide I have run in the past 30.
I guess If you like heavy shimmer the Kessils are the way to go.
 

rtparty

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Yea that's more shimmer than I care for. Also more than any halide I have run in the past 30.
I guess If you like heavy shimmer the Kessils are the way to go.

Halide shimmer and Kessil shimmer are not the same. Anyone that’s run both should know this. With a Kessil, you have to almost kill the surface agitation to get a good shimmer. Or even better is to pair it with a nice flat LED bar or T5s. Kessil shimmer is so overpowering it makes me sick to look at it and I LOVE halide shimmer.

My own opinion after running most LEDs is Kessils are the most overrated LED out there. Not because they are bad in any way. They work and have some great pros. I run three of the Tuna Sun over my vivarium. Looks very natural IMO with lots of contrast, shadows, hot spots, etc…in a reef tank I find most of that to be a negative though.
 

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