Metal Halide Par question

[jackson6745]

I don’t get a ton of par from my halides. Depending on The bulb I use, I can squeeze some out. But in my opinion running Hybrid T5/LED/Halide is the stuff dreams are made of. I’m about 16” off the water, I have the high intensity lenses on the XR30s. The T5s are 7-9” off the water. My rocks go about 1/3rd up the water column and I have 900 par at the top of my rocks and 550-600 on the sand. I’m waiting on some M80’s so I can run some Radium’s. I’m surprised the XR30s are staying glued together. I’m now at 100% all channels and schedule in full spectrum, and that is for 9.5 hours out of the 14 hours they are on. The fans are on 9 of those hours. While I hate these LEDs because of Mobius and their price tag when new, I will say as I knock on wood, I have been beating the hell out of them and they haven’t spilled their beer yet.

Radions and Radiums are one heck of a combo! One of the TOTM tanks “Sam’s Reef”’is local to me. He ran this combo and had amazing growth and coloration on all of his acro colonies. Polo reef ended up buying his colonies so you don’t see pics of this tank anymore.

 

[djf91]

That does seem low. Im getting almost 1000 par at the water surface with 250W XM 10k on Reefbrite ballasts.

Ah the old XM 10k. What dreams are made of.

 

[Rocks reef]

Thanks. That’s a giesemann spectra fixture with reefbrites, and AI blades in place of the T5’s. I’m running 250w radiums, 2 of them driven by Hamilton m80’s, and one is run by lumatek adjustable ballast. Both ballasts overdrive the bulb to 330w. FWIW I used i-power ballasts from Amazon with 400w and they run a radium bulb overdriven as well.

Guess I'm confused by this. The Spectra with reefbrites? Meaning you have a Spectra and a Reef Brite fixture? And you took the T5's out of the Spectra and replaced them with the AI blades?

 

[jackson6745]

Guess I'm confused by this. The Spectra with reefbrites? Meaning you have a Spectra and a Reef Brite fixture? And you took the T5's out of the Spectra and replaced them with the AI blades?

The reefbrites are add-ons to the fixture. They fit perfectly mounted to the outer screw socket of the Spectra. The t5 end mounts are still in the fixture. When you remove the bulbs, blades fit into the grove perfectly.

 

[Rocks reef]

The reefbrites are add-ons to the fixture. They fit perfectly mounted to the outer screw socket of the Spectra. The t5 end mounts are still in the fixture. When you remove the bulbs, blades fit into the grove perfectly.

Thank you for clarifying that.

 

[56longroof]

Ah the old XM 10k. What dreams are made of.

I love them. I have 3 or 4 years worth left. I need to start looking for a suitable replacement soon.

 

[X-37B]

I love them. I have 3 or 4 years worth left. I need to start looking for a suitable replacement soon.

Thanks. That’s a giesemann spectra fixture with reefbrites, and AI blades in place of the T5’s. I’m running 250w radiums, 2 of them driven by Hamilton m80’s, and one is run by lumatek adjustable ballast. Both ballasts overdrive the bulb to 330w. FWIW I used i-power ballasts from Amazon with 400w and they run a radium bulb overdriven as well.

This is why I chose the 400 over the 250. I can run the radium 20K and ushio 10K on the same ballast.

 

[X-37B]

I love them. I have 3 or 4 years worth left. I need to start looking for a suitable replacement soon.

Ushio makes a 250 10K. Anyone try one?

 

[X-37B]

Is this still available?
Store https://share.google/2mnADD796rrMrJCoU

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Ushio makes a 250 10K. Anyone try one?

That’s my favorite bulb going. I have some. Can’t find anymore. Are you using a 400w ballast to drive the 250w radium?

 

[Rocks reef]

Should I run 14k Hamilton or 20k Radiums? I have both electronic ballasts and several M80 ballasts.

 

[Rocks reef]

That’s my favorite bulb going. I have some. Can’t find anymore. Are you using a 400w ballast to drive the 250w radium?

You can. It will be a little over powered, but man that color!

 

[Rocks reef]

They do have a 315w CMH ballast that looks promising. But, I have several M80s so I am set.

 

[X-37B]

That’s my favorite bulb going. I have some. Can’t find anymore. Are you using a 400w ballast to drive the 250w radium?

No I'm going to run 400 watt bulbs. 40% more power than a 250.
Here are the 250 mogal Ushio 10k
10,000K Ushio 250W - Metal Halide Bulb – LIBERTY LIGHTING https://share.google/AFSo0sqrDt0vaedRq

 

[reef’r]

Hey guys got my fixture today. I have two Hamilton 20k and two aquabrite solutions 20k, 250w. What’s the word with the reefbrite 14ks? Worth the $120 to pick some up?? Driven with reefbrite ballast

 

[reef’r]

Correction, $200 to pick up some 14k

 

[djf91]

I love them. I have 3 or 4 years worth left. I need to start looking for a suitable replacement soon.

Lucky you! You might be the last one running them.

I fell in love with the look of them after seeing Nando’s reefs:

 

[jackson6745]

Lucky you! You might be the last one running them.

I fell in love with the look of them after seeing Nando’s reefs:

I look at videos like that and feel like the hobby has gone backwards with all these tenuis glow tanks.

 

[56longroof]

I look at videos like that and feel like the hobby has gone backwards with all these tenuis glow tanks.

I think it has.

 

[56longroof]

Ushio makes a 250 10K. Anyone try one?

I have a case of those too. I bought them up when everyone was discounting them to get rid of them. I have enough halides to run 10 years easily. I haven't tried any of the others yet.