Are quality Metal Halide fixtures and bulbs still available?

[BigKid4788]

It is actually the reflector material that makes a HUGE difference. Good reflectors use high quality dimpled aluminum that is actually made in Germany. And the geiseman has such material in it.

The reflector material is soo important that commercial green houses typically throw the reflective material out and replace it every year instead of trying to get it clean.

Why ATI t5 reflectors put out soo much light... the reflector material. Anyways... nice fixture man!

Which reflector would you recommend for a SE 400W bulb? Are the ones on most sites (BRS, Premium Aquatics, etc) all the same or is one better than the other?

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

How big of a tank? And what do you want to grow?

 

[BigKid4788]

90x30deepx24high. Sps mainly

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

I would not go the 400 route for that sized tank. Three 250 will provide you MUCH better coverage at that length. A 400 watt would be better suited for a 30" tall aquarium or more. A 400w will throw a usable 4x4 spread but a lot of it will be spillage out the front or back.

Make sense?

 

[BigKid4788]

Not really. How does wattage effect spread? Would reflectors determine that? I know certain size reflectors work with certain watt bulbs. My plan is To go with a 20x20 reflectors? Will that have too much spillage?

 

[xshmoox]

It is actually the reflector material that makes a HUGE difference. Good reflectors use high quality dimpled aluminum that is actually made in Germany. And the geiseman has such material in it.

The reflector material is soo important that commercial green houses typically throw the reflective material out and replace it every year instead of trying to get it clean.

Why ATI t5 reflectors put out soo much light... the reflector material. Anyways... nice fixture man!

Yeah definitely reflects a lot of light. Gonna pick up some 20k Hamilton bulbs this week. Any kind of consensus on how high to run a fixture off the tank? I was thinking 9-10”

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

Not really. How does wattage effect spread? Would reflectors determine that? I know certain size reflectors work with certain watt bulbs. My plan is To go with a 20x20 reflectors? Will that have too much spillage?

The reflector determines the spread.. 100%. Nothing else determines the spread. Reflector and height. Now, how much light is thrown (parr) is obviously a function of the bulb wattage.

Given normal mounting heights...8 to 10" a 250 watt bulb (which everyone runs at 300 watts BTW) is going to cast a solid swath of light in roughly a 2.0' x 3.0' shape. That is what the geiseman throw. The reflector is quite narrow and short so it tends to throw wider front to back than side to side.

My 6 x 3x 24" tank had 3 250 watt halides and 4 t5ho bulbs. It is the perfect amount of light. About 10" deep I had this wonderful blanket of 400 parr.

A wider reflector.. say 20x20 will likely throw a similar light pattern to the geiseman. Typically... but not always, the larger a reflector is, the steeper the angle of the reflector, thus it throws more light directly down.

Either way, for your tank I would absolutely go three 250. Or two 400's. A single 400 will not be enough.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

BTW.. if you want 20k.. the radium bulbs are the gold standard.

There is a reason that ecotech calls their LED lights "radions".

 

[xshmoox]

BTW.. if you want 20k.. the radium bulbs are the gold standard.

There is a reason that ecotech calls their LED lights "radions".

The Giesemann infinity is double ended not single ended bulbs. And I’m only paying $40 a bulb from someone local so I’m not complaining. Meh ive heard mix things about bulbs I think it’s just more of preference. If he didn’t have these bulbs I’d either be getting the Phoenix or the Giesemann 21k bulbs.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

Cool and the gang! Let me know how they work out!

 

[xshmoox]

Got the Hamilton 20k bulbs in tonight. I’d say the setup with these bulbs is very close to having a t5 with all blue plus and coral plus bulbs. Which I just came from. The t5s I have in this fixture now which came with it are 2-blue plus, 1-actinic, and 1-purple plus I like the look of the t5s but not sure may change it up. Curious to what everyone else runs for the t5s on the hybrid fixtures?

 

[TX_Punisher]

Burn the Hamilton’s in and then let us know how they look.

 

[fishguy242]

I expect them to be around for a while. I am running Hamilton 10K right now in their fixture.
8 feet of them. 1400 watts 4 x 250 and 8 T-5
T-5s only

All of them on with 10k bulbs

20K MH and T-5

I run these fixtures on 5 timers under the tank. 4 for lights and 1 for fans
T-5 comes on and off 1 hour before and after MH. They are on from 7am - 9pm The 10 K bulbs are much brighter and I have to run the lights higher with them. They make a lot of heat but so far I haven't had to do anything special to deal with it. I get get about a 1 degree rise in temp on some days.
My system stays around 79 and 80.2 is the highest I have seen it. It helps in the winter. I am running 800 watts of heaters. The fans do make a bit of noise. It doesn't bother me though

I am very happy with them .

 

[fishguy242]

hi nice tanks,beautiful dog!

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

I ran all blue + with my 20k radium bulbs. I had oem actinic in there but got q bonus at work and installed some reef bright xhos.

 

[xshmoox]

I ran all blue + with my 20k radium bulbs. I had oem actinic in there but got q bonus at work and installed some reef bright xhos.

Yeah I was thinking of possibly adding a reefbrite if I wanted more pop. Don’t know if I can justify dropping almost $500 on 1 72” lol. A local guy has 2 60” ones I could grab for real cheap maybe I could just go that route would have to think how to mount them though so it looks clean

 

[xshmoox]

On another note, since they don’t make the Infiniti anymore does anyone know what current Giesemann hanging kit would work with the the original studs from the original kit that are bolted Through the fixture just need to know what cable adjuster from them that would thread onto it?

 

[leepink23]

Yeah I was thinking of possibly adding a reefbrite if I wanted more pop. Don’t know if I can justify dropping almost $500 on 1 72” lol. A local guy has 2 60” ones I could grab for real cheap maybe I could just go that route would have to think how to mount them though so it looks clean

Also look at the Orphek bars if you want a 72 inch, I have 2 48 Orphek mounted to my infiniti, gives great pop.

 

[Lostreefin]

I run the 5ft Cebu from Hamilton, 3-250w 20k and 4 t-5's. I think I have my fixture a little close to the water, but it keeps the light in the tank. I love the shimmer and am from the old school.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

The reef brites are indeed really nice but man, they are painfully expensive. I know someone else makes a nice blue led strip but I cant remember for the life of me who it is.

They made a difference with the halides but when the halides and t5 shut off... WOW it looks really sweet.