Anyone miss MH lighting?

[Acroguy]

Awesome, i have been pondering the geisemann spectra for a new 100gl cube build so appreciate the pic. Have been wanting to see them in action.

You wont be disapointed they are really powerfull, quality built fixtures. Only downside is they give out a freaking amount of heat. But I mean the sun burns hot aswell :)

 

[Michael71]

You wont be disapointed they are really powerfull, quality built fixtures. Only downside is they give out a freaking amount of heat. But I mean the sun burns hot aswell :)

My sunpod did as well 250w over a 30 gallon cube. I mounted it 10" to 12" above surface. Made a custom canopy for it then mounted a tunze aquawind to cool the tank through evaporative cooling. Worked great only had a half degree temp swing during a 12 hour light cycle.

 

[rxx2]

I wanted to go Giesemann 400 watt with 4 T5s in a 24 inch fixture but just couldn't stomach the $1K+ to get one shipped from Germany. Also the price increased from 755 euros at the end of November to 899 euros at the end of December.
Found a Lumatek 400 ballast and Lumen max Elite on eBay. Had TAP cut some 3/8 acrylic and pieced together my own with Radium bulb for less than $350.

 

[rxx2]

First time I fired them up, wasn't paying attention. Tank temp got up to 84. Stays 78-79 with some cheap Amazon fans that attach to the rim of the tank.

 

[randalli]

I loved MH back then. Energy prices in Germany made those impossible though. I have used T5s as a "compromise" for many years. But even that got kinda pricey. I now have fully switched to LED and I currently run a Straton Pro G2 with half the energy consumption of my T5s but higher overall par.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

Yes. I used both in the past and I got equal, if not better growth from an ATI 6 bulb t5 fixture than a halide. Plus I was able to customize the colors.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

I loved MH back then. Energy prices in Germany made those impossible though. I have used T5s as a "compromise" for many years. But even that got kinda pricey. I now have fully switched to LED and I currently run a Straton Pro G2 with half the energy consumption of my T5s but higher overall par.

half? really? Those strattons look pretty cool but they are so expensive up front.

I can buy a 3 bar quanta setup for about 450-500 or a 6 bulb ati sunpower for same price. The sunpower only adds 80 watts of usage (about 310ish watts).

 

[bobnicaragua]

Yes. I used both in the past and I got equal, if not better growth from an ATI 6 bulb t5 fixture than a halide. Plus I was able to customize the color

I’m using 250 watt 20K halides with supplemental T5 & LED. I can get a little faster growth with T5 LED. I keep the halides for the deeper colors, hardier corals, and the halide shimmer and overall look.

If I switched to 10K or 6500K bulbs, I could get faster growth, but this is a display. I don’t want yellow light and brown looking acros.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

I’m using 250 watt 20K halides with supplemental T5 & LED. I can get a little faster growth with T5 LED. I keep the halides for the deeper colors, hardier corals, and the halide shimmer and overall look.

If I switched to 10K or 6500K bulbs, I could get faster growth, but this is a display. I don’t want yellow light and brown looking acros.

Wow- your par must be near 700 at the top?!

 

[bobnicaragua]

Wow- your par must be near 700 at the top?!

Yeah you’re right on. I’m around 300 on the sand, and 600-700 at the top of the highest acros.

 

[randalli]

half? really? Those strattons look pretty cool but they are so expensive up front.

I can buy a 3 bar quanta setup for about 450-500 or a 6 bulb ati sunpower for same price. The sunpower only adds 80 watts of usage (about 310ish watts).

I had a 6x24W t5 ( 4xblue plus, 1 actinic, 1 6500k) and acros placed at around middle hight have been so-so. I have a G2 Pro 102 now currently running at 70% with a similar color config and it:s running at 70-ish watts. I have to report energy consumption every month and the first year the electricity company asked me every month to check my meter again because we used way less than they expected from the years prior, lol. We got around 300€ back at the end of the year, too.
I started with the recommended percentages and in the beginning it just used around 30-40W.
I was kinda skeptical because I am used to wattages being roughly equal between T5 and LED which was the reason I switched back to T5 at some point after a Giessemann Futura and an Ecotech Radion. But I own this one for around a year now and corals like it. Also with the other LEDs I hat to get into DIY fairly fast to replace the fans with something living room compatible. The G2 is a huge block of aluminum and does not need a fan.

 

[SpSDrew]

Who else saw that AB is making 6500k bulbs?

 

[PPBlimpy]

figure this would be a good thread to ask this.

Anyone using or have used Reefbright 15" MH SE 250w hybrid fixtures with Led bars?

I have been looking for lighting for my 300, was going to go black box but stumbled across 4 of these fixtures for cheap. i miss MH and these may sway me. Waiting to see what ballasts are included. probably find some 12k or 14k bulbs

what kind of spread can i get out of these? would be mounted 10" or so above the tank.

my tank is 96x30 and 24 deep.

 

[bobnicaragua]

I use 3 reefbrite halide fixtures on a 72”x18”x 26” tank. With orphek bars supplementing, I get over 300 par on the sand.

I can’t speak to how they would do in a 30” wide tank.

 

[PPBlimpy]

I use them on an 18” wide tank that’s 26” deep. With orphek supplementing, I get over 300 par on the sand.

I can’t speak to how they would do in a 30” wide tank.

I am hoping for at least a solid 24x24 spread. Would have them mounted off center toward the back of the tank a bit.

i am still designing up the canopy and can raise them higher if i feel i need to. Would probably run them and figure a good height before the canopy is done anyways and build around it. canopys are always last.

 

[Jonreefer]

i dont miss the heat, power usage and having to replace a bulb every 9months or so. plus also no more accidentally burning yourself if you bump the fixture. Shimmer is the only thing it had going for it over LED now

 

[bobnicaragua]

i dont miss the heat, power usage and having to replace a bulb every 9months or so. plus also no more accidentally burning yourself if you bump the fixture. Shimmer is the only thing it had going for it over LED now

The reefbrite fixtures run cooler, you can put your hand on them. I run my bulbs 6 hours a day for 18 -24 months.

Not sure why changing a light bulb is something to call out compared to the labor of running a large SPS tank.

 

[MnFish1]

I miss the look of metal halide. Anyone revert back to them after LEDs? If so, what do you think or why not?

No - I didn't see as much of a difference as others did, and the lack of fixtures and potential future lack of bulbs would lead me to keep LED's - however if someone likes/wants them all good.

 

[MnFish1]

First pic is my 150 how I run it with whites at 30%.
I just turned the whites to 100% and BOOM halide like, lol.

This...

 

[PPBlimpy]

The reefbrite fixtures run cooler, you can put your hand on them. I run my bulbs 6 hours a day for 18 -24 months.

Not sure why changing a light bulb is something to call out compared to the labor of running a large SPS tank.

i have heard the reef brights run cool. i am not worried about changing bulbs every 12-18 months.

i am looking at spending $100 for each reef bright setups plus a 4 new aquabright 14k bulbs at $65 each.

so all in, call it $200 per fixture with shipping. I have 3 g4 xr30 pros to sell, so that offsets the initial purchase. i would have to ad at least 1 if not 2 more g4 xr30s i would think. cost for 2 used g4s will run me bulbs for 2-3 years.

my house is old and drafty, originally built in 1759. extra heat in the winter is no big deal, and summer fans to keep the tank temp down and a big ATO. The added electricity bill will suck but i am going from a 125 to a 300. The bill will go up, that's inevitable.

would like to find more info on these reefbright fixtures and people using them.