Ext 112 ushio 400 wat MH System.

[Nor'easter Reefer]

Any metal halide fixture will work.
Fixtures like lunembright and lumenmax that I have put down more par than grow lights due to their angled reflectors.
The Reef Brite is the only new one in the US marketed for reef tanks.
Only way to tell is try them.
You won't be disappointed either way.

You went with 400w is that considered a big, medium or small fixture for your tank? I cant remember what he said he had. Definitely not 250w thats for sure haha

 

[X-37B]

You went with 400w is that considered a big, medium or small fixture for your tank? I cant remember what he said he had. Definitely not 250w thats for sure haha

It is a 16" mini. They made a 20" but I just got lucky, a lfs just gave it to me.
I was also given 2 Lumen max fixtures which are 15" fixtures.
I could have bought all 10+ but waited and they were gone.
The Reef Brite fixture is the smallest andputs out the lowest par compared to the Lumen Max and Lumen Brite, but it is a nice unit.
These are the Lumen max.

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

It is a 16" mini. They made a 20" but I just got lucky, a lfs just gave it to me.
I was also given 2 Lumen max fixtures which are 15" fixtures.
I could have bought all 10+ but waited and they were gone.
The Reef Brite fixture is the smallest andputs out the lowest par compared to the Lumen Max and Lumen Brite, but it is a nice unit.
These are the Lumen max.

Yea I cant remember what size his MH but i'm sure they arent as nice as that! There's also a chance they're way too powerful he offered me a few last year, I just shot him a message asking if he had any and what wattabe they were

 

[X-37B]

Yea I cant remember what size his MH but i'm sure they arent as nice as that! There's also a chance they're way too powerful he offered me a few last year, I just shot him a message asking if he had any and what wattabe they were

Forward any info of anyone who has any fixtures for sale if you dont buy them. I will buy any Lumen Brite, Lumen arc, or Lumen max fixture.

The 20" lumenbrite fixture is for 36"+ wide systems.

The fixtures will run 250 or 400 watt. I chose the 400 for 40% more power. I will only run them for 4-5 hours.

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

Forward any info of anyone who has any fixtures for sale if you dont buy them. I will buy any Lumen Brite, Lumen arc, or Lumen max fixture.

The 20" lumenbrite fixture is for 36"+ wide systems.

The fixtures will run 250 or 400 watt. I chose the 400 for 40% more power. I will only run them for 4-5 hours.

600w and 1000w. Probably not ideal

 

[X-37B]

600w and 1000w. Probably not ideal

Depends on the fixture.
Any 600-1000 watt fixture will run a 400. On the hg reflector I tested I needed a socket extender to properly position the bulb.
This is an old Hamilton 20" running a 600 watt 7K over a 36×24×12 frag system

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

Depends on the fixture.
Any 600-1000 watt fixture will run a 400. On the hg reflector I tested I needed a socket extender to properly position the bulb.
This is an old Hamilton 20" running a 600 watt 7K over a 36×24×12 frag system

I have no clue what fixtures they are, but they are free. I can get a couple if i so want. Apparently they are in the shed and he'll have to shovel them out but he'll get me more info when he gets to them. I've never seen the look of MH in person but I really like the look of the pictures I see on here. The good news is also, that I can put them as high as needed and its in a dedicated basement fish area so I dont care about light soill much.

I may have to pick your brain again once he gets to them if you dont mind sir!

 

[X-37B]

Here are all the reflectors I have.for size reference.
Anyone selling reflectors dm me.
Reefbrite is the smallest of the lot.

ReefBright and OG vertical grow fixture

Grow hood and OG

Lumen Brite

150 watt coral vue

Lumen max

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

Here are all the reflectors I have.for size reference.
Anyone selling reflectors dm me.
Reefbrite is the smallest of the lot.

ReefBright and OG vertical grow fixture

Grow hood and OG

Lumen Brite

150 watt coral vue

Lumen max

Its wild how much of an unknown niche of the hobby this is for the newer reefers now, but was super common knowledge not long ago..

 

[X-37B]

Its wild how much of an unknown niche of the hobby this is for the newer reefers now, but was super common knowledge not long ago..

The biggest issue with halides today is fixtures.
The ReefBrite is compact but still only an old school grow fixture.
Plenty of bulbs and ballasts just no one promoting them.
New reefers are all told leds are the way.

I only switched from halides after a few people at a lfs were putting down prime 16hds as the worst led available and they can't grow coral.
I setup a 18" cube and showed them pics and they had no response to this 10 month old system.

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

The biggest issue with halides today is fixtures.
The ReefBrite is compact but still only an old school grow fixture.
Plenty of bulbs and ballasts just no one promoting them.
New reefers are all told leds are the way.

I only switched from halides after a few people at a lfs were putting down prime 16hds as the worst led available and they can't grow coral.
I setup a 18" cube and showed them pics and they had no response to this 10 month old system.

You definitely know how to grow some sticks! I'll be interested to see what fixtures he has. I dont think they are reef brides. They looked more like your grow hood pictures if I remember. He brought it up like a year ago. My basements unheated so my heaters run a lot. If I can heat my tank with a MH, and grow frags, and use my heaters a touch less, I wont complain!

 

[X-37B]

You definitely know how to grow some sticks! I'll be interested to see what fixtures he has. I dont think they are reef brides. They looked more like your grow hood pictures if I remember. He brought it up like a year ago. My basements unheated so my heaters run a lot. If I can heat my tank with a MH, and grow frags, and use my heaters a touch less, I wont complain!

Halides will help in the winter for sure.
Coral are easy to grow if you keep it simple.
I'm going to put the 10K Ushio in today and take some par readings. Stay tuned, lol

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

I just read through your entire 600w 7k thread haha. Definitely interested in too much growth and I got a couple black box leds I can supplement blue with

 

[X-37B]

I just read through your entire 600w 7k thread haha. Definitely interested in too much growth and I got a couple black box leds I can supplement blue with

10K Ushio, digital ballast.
More power with the 10K
It will be interesting to see actual underwater par levels when its wet.
10K

With 2 14K edge

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

10K Ushio, digital ballast.
More power with the 10K
It will be interesting to see actual underwater par levels when its wet.
10K

With 2 14K edge

I was hoping he had some 400w but beggers cant be choosers. I'm probably going to do my frag tank budget style and use a stock tank or something. There's a 120g one on tractor supplies website thats a really good size and should accommodate the light being higher without a terrible amount of light splash

 

[X-37B]

M59 ballast Ushio 10K
Not much difference between the 2 with the M59 giving a little more.
M59

M59 with 2 14K edge

 

[X-37B]

Radium 20K is visually much brighter than this M135 and the 135 is bluer
Radium 20K
M135

M135 WITH 2 14k edge

 

[X-37B]

So...... I had the halide running for a couple hours yesterday while working on the light fixture.
I noticed that the heat is quite a bit more with no glass as compared to running my old de 250's in the same hood. Never really considered this. I may look at getting a glass cover to see if it helps.
Holding my hand under the light at 15.5" from the surface was painful.
I do not want to run a chiller so I may rethink the lights for this system.
I don't think a fan is going to be enough to keep the temp below 80 with 150° plus pounding the surface even for only 5hr's a day.
I can move it up 3" but the light leakage is quite severe.

I may just get a Meridian 24 and test both. If the heat is to much I can switch to the Meridian and use the 2 14K edge I already have along side of it. Looking at the 24".

My last house had 20' vaulted ceilings and this house is the standard 8'. Already running my 50 & 170 in the same room.

So.... what to do?

 

[X-37B]

Today I am going to test the ReefBrite fixture again.
With the glass the heat was no different than my old 250's I think, lol.
The issue with the Lumen Brite reflector is two fold.
The 16" is designed for up to a 250. The 20" RB would suit a 400 better. Also the RB fixture focuses the light, kind of like the sun through a magnifying glass creating quite a bit more directed heat from the reflector.
Anyway if the temp looks good I will start with the RB. There is a glass company I can walk to from my house so I will talk to them next week and see if I can get a tempered Glass plate made to cover the LB.
If that does not work I will take a look at a 250.
I whould have the tank in place next week.

 

[X-37B]

So with the RB fixture at 14", air only, Im getting 141 par at the bottom with Radium 20k and digital ballast. Par rises quite fast moving the wand off the bottom.
I turn on the 2 edge 14k @ 75% and im getting 316 middle and 150-180 around the edge.
Edge bars pack some punch.
This will be my starting point with the 400 and the RB fixture.
Heat from the RB fixture is over 50% less and similar to my old 250's. I will try the LB when I get a piece of glass.
I will try the 10k Ushio later to compare.
Now I need to get the tank in place.