Metal Halide and T5 Grow Corals Better Than LED and Cost Less

[Kfactor]

I want to try a mh now over my frag tank . I think am going to try the 175w one with 14k de bulb with electronic ballast

 

[Dana Riddle]

There are so many things I wish you should experiment/publish, like your experiences in labs here with local corals... I wish you were still in the islands! I just hope you are very happy there with family and friends and having the tank of your dreams. I truly appreciate how unpretentious you are.

LOL. I have 3 log books and it has taken me over 20 years to get around to compiling info (such as the article I've almost completed listing corals and PAR measurements in aquaria across the country.) And that's just the first log book. But what I should really work on is how chlorophyll content in zoox can change rapidly to response to light intensity modulations.
As for Hawaii, my girlfriend just bought a house in Kailua-Kona. But we can't fly in due to the quarantine Ige put in place.

 

[A. grandis]

LOL. I have 3 log books and it has taken me over 20 years to get around to compiling info (such as the article I've almost completed listing corals and PAR measurements in aquaria across the country.) And that's just the first log book. But what I should really work on is how chlorophyll content in zoox can change rapidly to response to light intensity modulations.
As for Hawaii, my girlfriend just bought a house in Kailua-Kona. But we can't fly in due to the quarantine Ige put in place.

Nah, you don't want to fly in right now. Take your time... I'm glad you're still connected here though. I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away too long. Hehe.

So you get all the old bulbs/ wattage, probably? Oh... So nice!

 

[Dana Riddle]

Oh man. You've got probably all the brands'. What year was that, please?

I collected metal halide lamps, burned them in for 100 hours, tested, and archived them. Not sure how many I moved when getting back to Georgia. I know I brought the ballasts. As for particulars on the lamps, I'll have to find the proper log book, but late 90's is a best guess.
I was testing lamps for companies then. I have (or had) lamps from Coralife, Iwasaki, XM, Radium, 'German', Osram, CoralVue, Sunlight Supply, no-name lamps from China, and others.
The issue I have now is the UVP radiometer has died and, as far as I can tell, they are no longer in business. I have a UV meter from another company, but it reports UV-A plus UV-B in microMol/m2/sec.

 

[A. grandis]

I want to try a mh now over my frag tank . I think am going to try the 175w one with 14k de bulb with electronic ballast

Unless your frag tank is truly small you'll be able to use a 175W, just to test.
Normally it's 250W +. If you get a selectable ballast you'll be able to change wattage in the future as you need (upgrade to larger system). Frag tanks need lot's of room after a while. They get packed really fast. Need surface area.

 

[A. grandis]

I collected metal halide lamps, burned them in for 100 hours, tested, and archived them. Not sure how many I moved when getting back to Georgia. I know I brought the ballasts. As for particulars on the lamps, I'll have to find the proper log book, but late 90's is a best guess.
I was testing lamps for companies then. I have (or had) lamps from Coralife, Iwasaki, XM, Radium, 'German', Osram, CoralVue, Sunlight Supply, no-name lamps from China, and others.
The issue I have now is the UVP radiometer has died and, as far as I can tell, they are no longer in business. I have a UV meter from another company, but it reports UV-A plus UV-B in microMol/m2/sec.

That is great! Eh, enough for me... All those bulbs are of my interest to know of any specifics. Specially UV-A/B. Do you have the graphics ready? Would you publish here in this thread say a bulb per day (or as you wish and remember) with their different UV=A/B graphics for each wattage (175W, 250W, 400W, 1000 - if applicable)? It doesn't matter when or how. Maybe you could open a thread to publish that, but that way would be another commitment... Here you can do when you want in the long run. Please don't take too long ! ;Wideyed LOL!
This is just a suggestion, of course. Thanks again for already sharing that particular one.
Bulbs that I would suggest to start with are (would be great if you could remember the ballasts you used for the measurements, if possible) :
Radium
XM
Ushio
Iwasaki
Coralife
BLV
Edit: I thought you collected only PAR meters. Please put a picture of part your halide collection to illustrate this thread, if you can!

 

[Kfactor]

Unless your frag tank is truly small you'll be able to use a 175W, just to test.
Normally it's 250W +. If you get a selectable ballast you'll be able to change wattage in the future as you need (upgrade to larger system). Frag tanks need lot's of room after a while. They get packed really fast. Need surface area.

I just have a small system and it’s just over a year old and got no frags off of yet . I just built the little frag tank and got it plumbed in and running Saturday

 

[Dana Riddle]

That is great! Eh, enough for me... All those bulbs are of my interest to know of any specifics. Specially UV-A/B. Do you have the graphics ready? Would you publish here in this thread say a bulb per day (or as you wish and remember) with their different UV=A/B graphics for each wattage (175W, 250W, 400W, 1000 - if applicable)? It doesn't matter when or how. Maybe you could open a thread to publish that, but that way would be another commitment... Here you can do when you want in the long run. Please don't take too long ! ;Wideyed LOL!
This is just a suggestion, of course. Thanks again for already sharing that particular one.
Bulbs that I would suggest to start with are (would be great if you could remember the ballasts you used for the measurements, if possible) :
Radium
XM
Ushio
Iwasaki
Coralife
BLV
Edit: I thought you collected only PAR meters. Please put a picture of part your halide collection to illustrate this thread, if you can!

I found these in a box. I know I had at least 2-3x that when I was in Hawaii. Don't know if the rest are hiding somewhere in the lab or if I threw them away. Simply don't remember. Happens to the elderly. LOL.

 

[Dana Riddle]

I found these in a box. I know I had at least 2-3x that when I was in Hawaii. Don't know if the rest are hiding somewhere in the lab or if I threw them away. Simply don't remember. Happens to the elderly. LOL.

When Charles Delbeek was at the Waikiki Aquarium, he sent me a boat load of used metal halide lamps to test and compare to new ones. He probably sent a dozen or two. I'll keep looking.

 

[Dana Riddle]

That is great! Eh, enough for me... All those bulbs are of my interest to know of any specifics. Specially UV-A/B. Do you have the graphics ready? Would you publish here in this thread say a bulb per day (or as you wish and remember) with their different UV=A/B graphics for each wattage (175W, 250W, 400W, 1000 - if applicable)? It doesn't matter when or how. Maybe you could open a thread to publish that, but that way would be another commitment... Here you can do when you want in the long run. Please don't take too long ! ;Wideyed LOL!
This is just a suggestion, of course. Thanks again for already sharing that particular one.
Bulbs that I would suggest to start with are (would be great if you could remember the ballasts you used for the measurements, if possible) :
Radium
XM
Ushio
Iwasaki
Coralife
BLV
Edit: I thought you collected only PAR meters. Please put a picture of part your halide collection to illustrate this thread, if you can!

The ballasts are from Coralife. Omer Dersom sent them to me before he sold the company. They're standard tar ballasts. I have a 175w, 250w, and 400w. There are a couple of electronic ballasts there from others. Hope they're marked.

 

[A. grandis]

I just have a small system and it’s just over a year old and got no frags off of yet . I just built the little frag tank and got it plumbed in and running Saturday

Oh, I see.. yeah, try... hamilton 1000K Hamilton is a great bulb and you can get an electronic selectable ballast (150W/175W/250W)... I know with time you're going to need more wattage. You'll probably going to set up a real frag system with a 400W halide and bring the selectable (150 - 250W) ballast to be used over that display tank. LOL! Above all, have fun!

 

[A. grandis]

I found these in a box. I know I had at least 2-3x that when I was in Hawaii. Don't know if the rest are hiding somewhere in the lab or if I threw them away. Simply don't remember. Happens to the elderly. LOL.

I love it!!!!!!

 

[A. grandis]

When Charles Delbeek was at the Waikiki Aquarium, he sent me a boat load of used metal halide lamps to test and compare to new ones. He probably sent a dozen or two. I'll keep looking.

We had mostly XMs at the Aquarium. I miss Charles very much!

 

[A. grandis]

The ballasts are from Coralife. Omer Dersom sent them to me before he sold the company. They're standard tar ballasts. I have a 175w, 250w, and 400w. There are a couple of electronic ballasts there from others. Hope they're marked.

Can you please explain some about the tar ballasts. What are the benefits and why choose them instead other types? I always wondered about that!!! I have 2 X 400W tar ballasts in my collection.

 

[oreo54]

https://www.testequipmentdepot.com/general-tools/light-meters/uv-light-meters/digital-uv-ab-light-meter-uv513ab.htm?ref=gbase&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIveKznOqz6AIVCYbICh1u7gV_EAkYAiABEgJpkPD_BwE

A/B combined.

 

[oreo54]

Can you please explain some about the tar ballasts. What are the benefits and why choose them instead other types? I always wondered about that!!! I have 2 X 400W tar ballasts in my collection.

Isn't that just PCB laced potting material (note may just be the capactor that has the PCB's not sure of that one)?..

PCBs are contained within the FLB capacitors and interior potting material of old, magnetic T12 lighting fixtures. The capacitor regulates the amount of electricity flowing into the lighting fixture, and the potting material insulates the FLB and reduces the "humming" noise. Because all PCB-containing FLBs currently in use have exceeded their designated life span, they are susceptible to leaking or rupturing.

Think was just how they were made "back in the day"..

 

[A. grandis]

Isn't that just PCB laced potting material?.. Think was just how they were made "back in the day"..

There is more to it, i would think... Dana should be able to explain in technical terms.

 

[oreo54]

There is more to it, i would think... Dana should be able to explain in technical terms.

Originally Posted by Hamilton Tech

We offer both magnetic ballasts (transformer and capacitor) and electronic ballasts. Tar ballasts were used for T12 fluorescent lamps but were replaced about 12 years ago with VHO Electronic ballasts.

 

[Dana Riddle]

Can you please explain some about the tar ballasts. What are the benefits and why choose them instead other types? I always wondered about that!!! I have 2 X 400W tar ballasts in my collection.

They're the least expensive of ballasts available (that I'm aware of.) Downside - they get hot.

 

[Sdot]

Hello all! As some of you know - a MH fanboy here....

Starting a new build with 72"x48"x20" Glass Cages display.... My 48" Giesemann Spectra is not going to cut it.... Feel there is simply no MH equivalent for LED currently, perhaps with a single exception....

I'm in discussion stages with James @Orphek on the "new" Amazonas 960. Will need 2 fixtures to cover my SPS dominated display... fully controllable, fully customizable, single-point light source, UV-ish offering, with less heat added directly to the tank. Will cost about the same price as the 4x250w Halide retrofit Hamilton system + 6xOR120 bars i was planning initially.....

Would love to get everyone's thoughts on this option.....

.... or do i go with the Hamilton setup? I am building the system with sharp focus on reliability, and minimal maintenance...

For your reading pleasure....

Amazonas 320 Aquarium LED Lighting • Orphek

Orphek Amazonas 320 LED Light Fixtures are developed specifically for public aquariums and other venues displaying reef or freshwater aquariums.

orphek.com

Uh....You don't need that.. a few Alantik V4 G2 should be more than adequate.