Going back to MH

[kevensquint]

Yup.....I have old unused phoenix 250's and 4 new ballasts I bought as back up. I've tried LED over and over throughout the past 10 years and none grow corals as fast as MH. Coral colors are better tho, but to stock my personal clients tanks the best growth rate I got from G6's over the past year was about half as fast as MH. I think most hobbyists can enjoy the slower growth with great colors that LED's provoke. But when you have clients wanting to fill in the empty spaces in their tanks.....I used to throw out acropora frags due to the ridiculously fast growth with MH. Too bad everyone dumped MH, hard to find gear for that these days...

 

[ChiCity]

yep, stock up on a bunch of bulbs
and a couple of ballasts boss…
(i did the same, also with t5’s too)

the end of the road is near for some of these things with led completely taking over

 

[FUNGI]

Ushio still makes them.....

 

[kevensquint]

Man it looks so good dresser in MH, just redid the canopy. 2x 250 hqi, 2xT5 and I kept 3 kessils to help with colors after the 5hrs MH and ensure corals stay "used to" LED

 

[minus9]

I'm a long time halide user, but switched out my two 250w Ushio's for a single Quanta Atlas and couldn't be happier. The only thing I'm missing is a little shimmer, but the Quanta bars actually have a nice subtle shimmer to them. But I understand, there's nothing like halides, which is why I still have them and will probably use them over a grow out system one day.
Btw, I'm currently on the 200w setting on the Atlas at 85% and it covers my 36x36x16.

 

[kevensquint]

They add $20/ month to my electric bill and a small fan handles the heat so I can't justify those original reasons from the time everyone dropped them for LED. For me in my situation, trying to grow nice frags quickly to stock new installations I do. I'm back to old school as of yesterday and nothing beats that bright colorful look similar to a shallow water scuba dive. My wife actually said this morning, what did you do to the tank it looks fabulous

 

[Uncle99]

Yup.....I have old unused phoenix 250's and 4 new ballasts I bought as back up. I've tried LED over and over throughout the past 10 years and none grow corals as fast as MH. Coral colors are better tho, but to stock my personal clients tanks the best growth rate I got from G6's over the past year was about half as fast as MH. I think most hobbyists can enjoy the slower growth with great colors that LED's provoke. But when you have clients wanting to fill in the empty spaces in their tanks.....I used to throw out acropora frags due to the ridiculously fast growth with MH. Too bad everyone dumped MH, hard to find gear for that these days...

I love MH as well, but being in Canada, these lights cannot be imported (or manufactured) after December 31, 2023 and may not be sold after December 31, 2026…..so for Canadians, MH lighting comes it looks like, to an end, not a ban, a phase out in lieu of more energy efficient offerings.

Sad day for reefers, good day for the environment.

 

[kevensquint]

I'm in Canada. And no one is at my door asking to see my lights ;)

 

[PlumberDude]

I’m getting ready to switch back to 4- 250 radiums next week. Got new bulbs, e- ballasts, reflectors and RB xho blue led bars for actinic light. I’m excited to see the difference in growth as well. I know when I ran them in the past corals grew like weeds. With the LEDs it seems like they are just surviving… idk I couldn't ever get leds to grow anything.

 

[kevensquint]

Personally I find some hobbyists really have the LED touch and get very good results. From my experience the LEDs at best results give slower growth than MH but keep nice deep coral color. In comparison with MH I've had 3/4" white growth tips on SPS and good coral color, but not as deep and rich as with LED s. For now, I need growth more than fluorescence.

 

[oreo54]

I love MH as well, but being in Canada, these lights cannot be imported (or manufactured) after December 31, 2023 and may not be sold after December 31, 2026…..so for Canadians, MH lighting comes it looks like, to an end, not a ban, a phase out in lieu of more energy efficient offerings.

Sad day for reefers, good day for the environment.

The new regulations will prohibit the manufacture and import of several types of fluorescent lamps widely used for general lighting. These include screw-base and pin-base compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and various straight fluorescent lamps. Additional lamp types, such as high-pressure sodium vapor lamps and metal halide lamps, will be phased out by the end of 2028.

Canada's Fluorescent Light Bulb Ban to Start in 2026

Multi-phase plan to ban flourescent lightbulbs in Canada: Screw-based CFL ban begins in 2026; ban on most fluorescent and HID lamps by 2030

inside.lighting

Exceptions:​

Spectrum-Specific Lamps: Certain lamps designed to emit specific wavelengths of light, such as those used in aquarium lighting or plant growth, are exempt. These lamps are essential for applications that require specific light spectra for the health and growth of plants or aquatic life.`

 

[56longroof]

Welcome back to the dark side,or should I say light? There are plenty of manufacturers still making them. Ushio,Reefbrite has two different lines, Radiums, and Aqua Bright. I currently have enough to last the next 10 years. I try to pick up some once in a while when on sale.

 

[braaap]

Personally I prefer T5. Just as good growth compared to MH but with better control. But good to see someone going back to MH.

 

[Yanir34]

I’m getting ready to switch back to 4- 250 radiums next week. Got new bulbs, e- ballasts, reflectors and RB xho blue led bars for actinic light. I’m excited to see the difference in growth as well. I know when I ran them in the past corals grew like weeds. With the LEDs it seems like they are just surviving… idk I couldn't ever get leds to grow anything.

What type of reflectors and electronic ballasts did you bought..?
Where from ?

 

[Jackal799]

I love MH as well, but being in Canada, these lights cannot be imported (or manufactured) after December 31, 2023 and may not be sold after December 31, 2026…..so for Canadians, MH lighting comes it looks like, to an end, not a ban, a phase out in lieu of more energy efficient offerings.

Sad day for reefers, good day for the environment.

I’m sure some reefers here in the US would be willing to ship you some. Reject acro tyranny!

 

[PlumberDude]

I bought 250 watt MH/HPS e ballasts and High yield quadray relectors from HTG supply. I have not received the reflectors yet but they look really close to the lumenmax elite style.
Im sure they will be just fine.

 

[X-37B]

Very long time halide user.
I am now 100% leds on 3 systems.
I run Photo 50's on my current 150.
I get excellent growth and color.
I run the whites at 30%.
I can get a very halide look with the whites turned to 100% and very high par.
Pic one is my 8 month old system.
Pic 2 is with the whites at 100%.
Very halide look if you want it.

 

[Tahoe61]

If only we could. I have a fixture, bulbs are getting harder and harder to find.

 

[X-37B]

If only we could. I have a fixture, bulbs are getting harder and harder to find.

I ran my first pendant, a 175 watt halide, in 1989. Leds will only get better as time goes by. I would not go back even if they were available everywhere.
I proved to myself that they grow and color coral so well that I switched my 3 systems to leds and never looked back.

 

[Faurek]

Honestly going from 0 to mh at this point is a steep investment for probably short time, eventually there will be only LED's, they could be better then they are, but people just seem to like neon Windex blue and companies don't want to spend money on a good product.