Metal Halide Par question

[X-37B]

Oh the LB are like a laser beam . I remember when they first came out . I got a set of the first batch coralvue put out and swapped my lumenarchs for them . I fried so many corals . I had to rebuild my canopy to raise them up to quit cooking my corals .

Yea they are quite different from the only new option today.
What's nice is I can run different ballasts to get more par with the LB fixture.
20K
350 magnetic
450 digital

 

[StealthLabs]

Oh the LB are like a laser beam . I remember when they first came out . I got a set of the first batch coralvue put out and swapped my lumenarchs for them . I fried so many corals . I had to rebuild my canopy to raise them up to quit cooking my corals .

I heard this before and the PAR numbers reported make sense. You can even see the hotspot. That is one thing I love about the ReefBrite is the even spread. Each fixture only comfortably covers 24-30” max. Regardless. I’m just happy you guys are still rockin halides. Supplementing with LED bars gives you the best of both worlds.

 

[me & my baby]

If you really want the best reflector with even spread look for some older lumenarc . I know sunlight supply used to sell them . I am not even sure they are still around .

 

[X-37B]

If you really want the best reflector with even spread look for some older lumenarc . I know sunlight supply used to sell them . I am not even sure they are still around .

Like these 15"×15" LA's I picked up yesterday?
Par is between the RB & LB
They were designed for 250's. My 400's touch the reflector.
RB 190 par
LB 450 par
LA 320 par

 

[X-37B]

The AquaBriteSolutions 10k is a clean white without the yellow hue. That's the only difference I observed.

So is the Ushio 10K. Very white no yellow and high par. The Radium 20K is a crisp blue /white.
I have 2 Hamilton 20K's I will also test when my system arrives.
The Radium 20K looks best on a M135 ballast and are 360 par vs 450.
Ushios on the recommended M59 ballast I have not tested par yet, maybe today to get a reference on the LB.
Both magnetic ballasts run 30% less par than a digital.

 

[X-37B]

I heard this before and the PAR numbers reported make sense. You can even see the hotspot. That is one thing I love about the ReefBrite is the even spread. Each fixture only comfortably covers 24-30” max. Regardless. I’m just happy you guys are still rockin halides. Supplementing with LED bars gives you the best of both worlds.

The spread of the RB is not much different than the LB just less par over the same area.
Best spread is seen in a 24"×24" area on all 3 reflectors.
I went with the 400 because I need coverage from 1 light over a 36"×36" area.
RB
Center 190-200
Edge 90-100

LB
Center 550
Edge 250

The LB will work well over my new tanks dimensions.