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

Status
Not open for further replies.

naterealbig

pea brain
View Badges
Joined
Sep 1, 2018
Messages
1,965
Reaction score
2,584
Location
Winter Garden
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Uh....You don't need that.. a few Alantik V4 G2 should be more than adequate.

Sure, that's an option - just like the 3000 others out there.......... Why wouldn't I use the 320/960's at literally half the price of what it would take to light with V4's? And what about the halide shimmer I mentioned?
 
Last edited:

Sdot

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 17, 2017
Messages
1,652
Reaction score
2,518
Location
Houston
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
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.
I used to live in Kona!
 
OP
OP
A. grandis

A. grandis

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 15, 2012
Messages
4,654
Reaction score
3,370
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Originally Posted by Hamilton Tech View Post

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.

I do have halide 400W TAR ballasts.
 
OP
OP
A. grandis

A. grandis

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 15, 2012
Messages
4,654
Reaction score
3,370
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
They're the least expensive of ballasts available (that I'm aware of.) Downside - they get hot.
Yes, really hot!
I'm not sure about compatibility with bulbs and things like that. Would they be labeled as general in that regard? Should I use TAR with any type of bulb (probe or pulse)?
 

Bpb

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 27, 2014
Messages
4,516
Reaction score
6,344
Location
College Station
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
BFCC3740-706D-4E92-A5A2-055E653D5E5B.jpeg


Still no AC guy. We will just have to call today a cloudy day on the reef. Looks like today will go the full day without MH. Tech won’t be here till about 7pm he said. Less worried about tank temps and more concerned with the lights adding to the heat inside the house
 
OP
OP
A. grandis

A. grandis

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 15, 2012
Messages
4,654
Reaction score
3,370
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
BFCC3740-706D-4E92-A5A2-055E653D5E5B.jpeg


Still no AC guy. We will just have to call today a cloudy day on the reef. Looks like today will go the full day without MH. Tech won’t be here till about 7pm he said. Less worried about tank temps and more concerned with the lights adding to the heat inside the house
No worries... Mike paletta would love to see that picture. Hehe... I'm sure LED lovers will feel more at home when they visit this thread now. We have treat for everyone. God bless that AC guy and your family as well. Corals are going to be fine, my friend. Thanks for the picture.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bpb

Bpb

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 27, 2014
Messages
4,516
Reaction score
6,344
Location
College Station
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
No worries... Mike paletta would love to see that picture. Hehe... I'm sure LED lovers will feel more at home when they visit this thread now. We have treat for everyone. God bless that AC guy and your family as well. Corals are going to be fine, my friend. Thanks for the picture.

Days like this I wonder do the corals actually get any benefit metabolically from just the 420/450nm lights at around 75-100 par. Jason fox would be proud ha ha
 

Dana Riddle

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 10, 2011
Messages
3,162
Reaction score
7,606
Location
Dallas, Georgia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I used to live in Kona!
Me too. Had a beach house on Alii Drive. I miss the great weather, but not the cost of living or the impact of sea spray on the house. This time, at 1,100 feet elevation where it's nice and cool(er).
 

Dana Riddle

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 10, 2011
Messages
3,162
Reaction score
7,606
Location
Dallas, Georgia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Days like this I wonder do the corals actually get any benefit metabolically from just the 420/450nm lights at around 75-100 par. Jason fox would be proud ha ha
I can't mention names, but some of the larger coral farms grow corals at 25 PAR under LEDs. I wouldn't recommend it to just anyone though.
 
OP
OP
A. grandis

A. grandis

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 15, 2012
Messages
4,654
Reaction score
3,370
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Days like this I wonder do the corals actually get any benefit metabolically from just the 420/450nm lights at around 75-100 par. Jason fox would be proud ha ha
I forgot about Jason... you're right, he is another "blues" guy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bpb

Dana Riddle

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 10, 2011
Messages
3,162
Reaction score
7,606
Location
Dallas, Georgia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
BFCC3740-706D-4E92-A5A2-055E653D5E5B.jpeg


Still no AC guy. We will just have to call today a cloudy day on the reef. Looks like today will go the full day without MH. Tech won’t be here till about 7pm he said. Less worried about tank temps and more concerned with the lights adding to the heat inside the house
Nice tank!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bpb

Sdot

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 17, 2017
Messages
1,652
Reaction score
2,518
Location
Houston
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Me too. Had a beach house on Alii Drive. I miss the great weather, but not the cost of living or the impact of sea spray on the house. This time, at 1,100 feet elevation where it's nice and cool(er).
Ah man, good ole Alii drive!! I used to frequent Huggo's on the rocks and there was a restaurant club right across the street from...i cant remember it.
 

Dana Riddle

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 10, 2011
Messages
3,162
Reaction score
7,606
Location
Dallas, Georgia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Ah man, good ole Alii drive!! I used to frequent Huggo's on the rocks and there was a restaurant club right across the street from...i cant remember it.
Hard Rock was there when I left 3 years ago. Right by the volleyball sandpit. Huggo's has great food, but I like Sam Choy's in Keauhou better. Jackies Rey's at Pottery Terrace had good food but is loud and be be hot when the trades aren't blowing.
 
OP
OP
A. grandis

A. grandis

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 15, 2012
Messages
4,654
Reaction score
3,370
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
And talking about "blues"...
Halides and T5s for the essentials + LEDs for extra "blues".
Screen Shot 2020-03-24 at 10.10.30 PM.png


 
Last edited:
OP
OP
A. grandis

A. grandis

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 15, 2012
Messages
4,654
Reaction score
3,370
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Still on the subject of the thread, comparing the types of lights and showing what most would call it as the "best of the best" today in US, using what I would call a fair comparison from one source: WWC!

WWC back in the day when the "sun could reach this system" (halides)...
Screen Shot 2020-03-24 at 11.03.11 PM.png





... and "while the sun was covered by clouds" (T5s)...
Screen Shot 2020-03-24 at 11.11.09 PM.png





...now this is a 5 year old "extension of the 300 gal. tank" on Feb 2020 with G4 LEDs with "happy corals". Also a 7 month old SPS system "doing great" with "all the sticks growing" and the 500 gal. they have there is "running out of space". Can't you see?!? Hummm...
This is the "very impressive coral for some reason" from that 5 year old system...
Screen Shot 2020-03-24 at 11.25.38 PM.png





I'm not sure why they published this video. Those corals are barely surviving in my opinion...



This is their "500 gal. show tank" published on 2019:



And the 293 gal. reef:



We all see things differently and have our own personal preferences.
This is not to judge WWC in any way, but to compare results, simply.
Love you guys at WWC! All the best!
 
Last edited:

Graffiti Spot

Cat and coral maker
View Badges
Joined
Oct 8, 2012
Messages
4,320
Reaction score
3,676
Location
Florida’s west side
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So besides the radiums what is everyone’s favorite bulbs out right now? I am tempted to go back to the ushio 14k or something because the radium on the selectable ballast isn’t as white as I like it. I keep seeing lots of megachrome bulbs but every picture I have seen they look too purple and dim. Man I miss my xm 10ks soooo bad...
 

Bpb

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 27, 2014
Messages
4,516
Reaction score
6,344
Location
College Station
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So besides the radiums what is everyone’s favorite bulbs out right now? I am tempted to go back to the ushio 14k or something because the radium on the selectable ballast isn’t as white as I like it. I keep seeing lots of megachrome bulbs but every picture I have seen they look too purple and dim. Man I miss my xm 10ks soooo bad...

Probably the Hamilton 14k
 

naterealbig

pea brain
View Badges
Joined
Sep 1, 2018
Messages
1,965
Reaction score
2,584
Location
Winter Garden
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
BFCC3740-706D-4E92-A5A2-055E653D5E5B.jpeg


Still no AC guy. We will just have to call today a cloudy day on the reef. Looks like today will go the full day without MH. Tech won’t be here till about 7pm he said. Less worried about tank temps and more concerned with the lights adding to the heat inside the house

Hey @Bpb - beautiful. What are you using for supplementation?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

  • Ball valves.

    Votes: 71 53.0%
  • Gate valves.

    Votes: 68 50.7%
  • Check valves.

    Votes: 34 25.4%
  • None.

    Votes: 30 22.4%
  • Other.

    Votes: 9 6.7%

New Posts

Back
Top