I'm getting ready to build out my new tank and have been all over the place w/ lighting. Years ago I ran 2x250 SE XM/Mag ballast MH w/ VHOs and loved the color. I kind of want to get back that. Sadly XM is gone. I've done the LED thing(radions and then illumagics) and I just don't think the Kessil Ap9x and t5s or OR3s will give me what I'm looking for. I've got a 36x24x20 Reef Savvy(euro braced), I will be running a canopy. Do the reefbrite fixtures run any cooler than say the hamilton caymans? I'm thinking 2x250DE HQI or does anyone think I could get away w/ 150/175s? I do plan on keeping SPS mostly in the upper 1/3 of the tank. Any opinions or advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
Looking to go back to MH... Advice/opinions?
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Never had mh, but fear heat removal in summer, vs leds.
What about the new kessil mh killer?
What about the new kessil mh killer?
Kessil A500X LED Spotlight is the First Metal Halide Killer | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog
The Kessil A500X is a brand new LED spotlight that packs an astounding amount of power into the company’s trademark Dense Matrix Array LED. This 185 watt aquarium light is a powerhouse of illumination…
reefbuilders.com
Bpb
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The reef brite pendants have an air gap between the reflector and the metal
Housing which keeps the exterior cooler. The bulb will still direct heat downward. My old lumen brights were built the same way. Cool to the touch on the top when the bulbs were running but warmth below was present just the same.
Respectfully disagree on the kessil comment. That unit is no different than the a360x. It’s just more watts. It doesn’t solve the shading problem with branching sps by throwing more watts at it. Misleading advertisement. Even with those units, you’d need two to rival what one decent reflector can do, and also benefit from supplement strips. It’s a fine product I’m sure, but you just have to be realistic with expectations. A pencil eraser source won’t replace a serving platter sized light source
Housing which keeps the exterior cooler. The bulb will still direct heat downward. My old lumen brights were built the same way. Cool to the touch on the top when the bulbs were running but warmth below was present just the same.
Respectfully disagree on the kessil comment. That unit is no different than the a360x. It’s just more watts. It doesn’t solve the shading problem with branching sps by throwing more watts at it. Misleading advertisement. Even with those units, you’d need two to rival what one decent reflector can do, and also benefit from supplement strips. It’s a fine product I’m sure, but you just have to be realistic with expectations. A pencil eraser source won’t replace a serving platter sized light source
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bobnicaragua
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dhnguyen
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A. grandis
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Technically, and practically, the ReefBrites should be cooler than the Caymans. You need to weight your priorities in that regard though. The ReefBrite ballasts use less energy from the wall, but is still supposed to deliver the PAR similar to a "regular ballast", and will still be running cooler. I should mention that I've never tried ReefBrite halides, and what I know is from Tullio and other users.
I would do the Cayman 2 X 250W mogul halides (13.25" X 13.25" X 5") for 6 hours a day, and some ATI Blue Plus T5s for supplementation for about 9-10 hours a day to start with. I just prefer mogul and a bit wider reflectors.
You could also choose the 175W and leave the halides for a bit longer, if you want. But that won't give you the punch the 250s have to reach the bottom IMO. Even a couple of 150W on HQI ballast would work for some people, depending on coral species/placements and photoperiod. My personal choice would be the 250W with 4 Blue Plus bulbs! That is what I actually have over my 75gal zoa system using a Gisemann Spectra at the moment.
You could make a frame for the fixtures and have an open top, with the wood going only around the front and sides, leaving the top and back of the "canopy" open so the system can breath. I'm not a fan of enclosed canopies at all. When I really, really, really needed to have canopies I still left the back open and placed a fan to help the gas exange.
If you get the DE Caymans with the M80s (250W) you will be offering real sunshine to the system!!! Your corals will show their glory as they would in places like Fiji, Australia or Indo!!! LOL!
I'm so happy for you! Let me know when you are ready to have some Acros and I'll give you a list with the species that I like the most so you can choose one of them and grow for me, would you? LOL! Cheers!
A. grandis
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LOL! I've heard that comparison so many times before in my life! They know metal halides are the best and want to use it as a comparison to be able to sell the new LED, as always. Their strategy is getting too old! They would be better off comparing their own old Kessils with the new one. Using the new "reflectors" can change the distribution between their Kessil models, but won't deliver what the halides can. Good try. I'm happy for the Kessil users though.Never had mh, but fear heat removal in summer, vs leds.
What about the new kessil mh killer?
Kessil A500X LED Spotlight is the First Metal Halide Killer | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog
The Kessil A500X is a brand new LED spotlight that packs an astounding amount of power into the company’s trademark Dense Matrix Array LED. This 185 watt aquarium light is a powerhouse of illumination…reefbuilders.com
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TerraFerma
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I run a Cayman and have no complaints. I didn’t believe the claims about the Reedbrite running so much cooler. But my buddy just got a RB to play around with and wouldn’t you know it does run a lot color than traditional halide setups. Can’t go wrong either way. Cayman is probably a better reflector useful spread wise.
biecacka
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Switch to MH and smile. No need to worry about heat from them for most of us. I never had issues, in the summer I ran the air as normal and in the winter- no heater needed. Haha.
corey
corey
Appreciate the flushed out response.
A lot to consider. The canopy would be just enough to keep light spill to a minimum. Is your 75 gallon a 3ft or 4? I do worry about not so much as too much light but not being efficient w/ it. Which is my only concern w/ the caymans @ 250 over a 3ft especially only needing to punch through maybe 15-16in at the absolute bottom of the tank(after sand and considering the top of the water maybe ~18.5). I've been considering 2 t5 blue plus and 2 orphek or3s or vitamini strips for the little bit of extra pop, particularly at dawn/dusk. Thanks again for response.
I've considered this too but have concerns about heat in the summer. There's just something about the look of MH that I love. You put a MH/T5 tank next to a Kessil/T5 tank and it's very obvious which one is the MH. Kessil's are close though.
As an aside, I was at my local salvage place this past weekend and saw a couple of cases of MH bulbs for $12 each and thought I hit the jackpot until I looked up the temp and found that they would be unsuitable for a reef tank.
As an aside, I was at my local salvage place this past weekend and saw a couple of cases of MH bulbs for $12 each and thought I hit the jackpot until I looked up the temp and found that they would be unsuitable for a reef tank.
dhnguyen
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With that depth you can probably do 175w
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