Metal halide SPS growth rate

[Rocks reef]

Metal halides have the best representation of natural sunlight over reef tanks and is the best light, gathering the optimal qualities of a very rich complete spectrum, light distribution, powerful constant intensity, and photon delivery. They are the technology that best represents the full spectrum. Full spectrum is basically what the sun emits, from UV-B to infra red and in between, in that specific color temperature. Because of the variations in spectrum composition from bulb to bulb, with the Kelvin numbers for each halide brand, we are starting to say that metal halides have a "complete spectrum". The closest representation of the full spectrum (the sun) is a 6500K metal halide lamp.
T5s are the second best technology for reefs, but it's major limitation is depth, best used over systems up to 24" deep. The very best results, not only for SPS corals, but for any organism in a reef tank, is to use the metal halides with T5s for the health of the system and the aesthetics IMO, when pursuing a natural visual scenario, and to achieve the results those organisms show in nature, as far as I observed so far. The more is the natural approach, the best for the organisms.
In the majority of cases, LEDs have a very artificial look, constant strobe action, lack in spectrum, unidirectional limited emission, and in many cases will deform colonies in respect to their coloration (protein production is responsive to spectrum far from the natural original colors) and colony structure. That's why many times their growth is weird, comparing to what we find in the ocean, or under halides/T5s. To achieve similar results we can achieve with halides/ T5s, we need to spend much more money with fixtures and often more electricity for proper coverage. It will still be different!
Many people are starting to understand those points and realize how much this hobby is loosing with LEDs. How much more money and efforts is needed to get what in the 90's was the normal under the best lights? LED propaganda has strategies to make you feel good buying their products. They will come with the green ideas and the bans for halides and T5s as the fastest way to exclude. All to sell their products. Metal halides and T5s are under the category of specialized lighting and will not be banned. Plastic is the worse product for the environment, if you think. Online stores will indeed make videos to make you feel good and boost your confirmation bias to the roof about the LEDs they sold to you. They are in fact preparing the soil of your heart to the next LED model. When you get a halide or T5 system you just need to buy the bubs. The fixtures will last longer than you in this world! They also removed halides from their inventory and published rumors on videos about the ban of halides and T5s, saying they don't have shelf room, etc. Since more than a decade they are still trying.. Another strategy was to sell the tiny frags under blue lights for the profits. LEDs were the best to do that. They are selling those pictures/colors, not a coral.
There is a new American company, Aqua Bright Solutions, that sells all metal halide bulbs. ReefBrite also sells brand new fixtures, bulbs and ballasts. Giesemann, in Germany, will send you their amazing SE halide/ T5 Spectra fixture, lamps and ballasts. Radium 20K bulbs, both 250W and 400W, had once stopped their production, but came back full power due to the high demand that is growing! Radium is one of the best German metal halide bulbs ever made!!! Aqua Brite Solutions, Premium Aquatics, Champion Lighting and Supply, and Aquarium Specialty sells the 20000K lamp. We used to have a great variety of metal halide gear, but after the big companies decided to take them out of their inventory and publish those videos hoping to finish with them forever and favor LEDs, they became harder to find.
The demand for metal halides is growing every day, though. It's not impossible for new companies to imerge with new halide technology and new gear.
Generally speaking, halides will grow your corals faster and healthier than any LED. They will provide the right rich spectrum for their functions in the long run. They are powerful but at the same time gentle on the corals. They have a constant emission and uniform distribution with the right reflector and wattage. There is absolutely no other light in this world better to grow corals in all aspects than metal halides. If you can add T5s, you will get the optimal results.
The halides represent the sunlight and the T5s represent the sky light.

Giant clams also LOVE metal halide!!!!!!!

All above is just my opinion and personal experience for more than 30 years.
Serious lights for serious hobbyists! Halide POWER!
I do not work nor am sponsored by any company. I'm just a hobbyist!

If you don't believe me... watch this:

Very nice writeup! Thank you!

 

[Rocks reef]

Ok halide users. How long are you running your halides per day?
Also, I'm setting up a 48x24x20 glasscages tank. How high should I mount the halides?
I have hamilton reflectors, M80 ballasts and 250w Radiums.

 

[X-37B]

Long time halide user here who switched to leds 5+ years ago.
Current systems, ext 170, ext 50, rs 170, IM 15.
I am going to be setting up an ext 112, 36"×36" 19" as a growout system. It will fit the room well.
I have to run a 20 amp outlet and order the system.

This system is going.to be powered by a 400 watt 10k Ushio running on a dimmable ballast in a reef brite fixture.
Have 3 ballasts, fixture, and 9 bulbs on hand.

Still up in the air as to what leds run.
Halide will be on 4 only 5 hours.

Leds I'm looking at are:
24" Orphek bars ×4, 24" meridian × 2, or the Giesemann Iridium hybrid.
The Reef brite will fit between the Giesemann without any additional mounting and the fixture look nice.

What leds would you run?

Not much info found on the Iridium but it runs the same leds as the Aurora.

 

[X-37B]

Ok halide users. How long are you running your halides per day?
Also, I'm setting up a 48x24x20 glasscages tank. How high should I mount the halides?
I have hamilton reflectors, M80 ballasts and 250w Radiums.

12" is what I ran my 250 14k's at on my old 120.

 

[Rocks reef]

Long time halide user here who switched to leds 5+ years ago.
Current systems, ext 170, ext 50, rs 170, IM 15.
I am going to be setting up an ext 112, 36"×36" 19" as a growout system. It will fit the room well.
I have to run a 20 amp outlet and order the system.

This system is going.to be powered by a 400 watt 10k Ushio running on a dimmable ballast in a reef brite fixture.
Have 3 ballasts, fixture, and 9 bulbs on hand.

Still up in the air as to what leds run.
Halide will be on 4 only 5 hours.

Leds I'm looking at are:
24" Orphek bars ×4, 24" meridian × 2, or the Giesemann Iridium hybrid.
The Reef brite will fit between the Giesemann without any additional mounting and the fixture look nice.

What leds would you run?

Not much info found on the Iridium but it runs the same leds as the Aurora.

That sounds epic sir! I'd run the reef brite XHO since you won't have to modify

 

[Rocks reef]

12" is what I ran my 250 14k's at on my old 120.

You know the PAR levels by chance?

 

[bobnicaragua]

Ok halide users. How long are you running your halides per day?
Also, I'm setting up a 48x24x20 glasscages tank. How high should I mount the halides?
I have hamilton reflectors, M80 ballasts and 250w Radiums.

Radium’s on a M80 ballast in a 20” deep tank. You should have plenty of par for SPS. If you’re not supplementing with LEDs or T5, I would run the halides 8 hours.

If supplementing, I would run 4 to 6 hours. Initially start even lower and slowly up the time. Watch your alkalinity consumption. If alk is dropping, your corals are happy and consuming more alk.

I’m running a ton of blue LEDs and 175 watt 20K halides for 6 hours a day. My focus with this setup is on color, but I’m getting pretty good growth too. I run 275 par on the sand and around 600 par on top of the rock work.

 

[X-37B]

You know the PAR levels by chance?

No never measured them. Only started when I got leds since they are adjustable it made sense.

 

[X-37B]

That sounds epic sir! I'd run the reef brite XHO since you won't have to modify

Yea I an not a fan of the wing look.
The Meridians would need a modified 8020 mount, and I like my photons, so?
This is what I'm considering as the middle is adjustable and 10" wide.
I can drop my reef brite right on the adjustable cross bars and not have to hang it.

 

[Rocks reef]

Radium’s on a M80 ballast in a 20” deep tank. You should have plenty of par for SPS. If you’re not supplementing with LEDs or T5, I would run the halides 8 hours.

If supplementing, I would run 4 to 6 hours. Initially start even lower and slowly up the time. Watch your alkalinity consumption. If alk is dropping, your corals are happy and consuming more alk.

I’m running a ton of blue LEDs and 175 watt 20K halides for 6 hours a day. My focus with this setup is on color, but I’m getting pretty good growth too. I run 275 par on the sand and around 600 par on top of the rock work.

This will be a mixed reef, mostly euphyllia with a few select SPS and other corals.

 

[Troylee]

Ok halide users. How long are you running your halides per day?
Also, I'm setting up a 48x24x20 glasscages tank. How high should I mount the halides?
I have hamilton reflectors, M80 ballasts and 250w Radiums.

I was running them 8 hours a day and my led bars for 12

 

[Rocks reef]

I do have a 36" reef brite fixture with reef brite ballasts. I could use that so the PAR is lower...??

 

[Troylee]

I do have a 36" reef brite fixture with reef brite ballasts. I could use that so the PAR is lower...??

This was my halides and xho bars.

 

[Rocks reef]

This was my halides and xho bars.

What reflectors were you using sir?
How high were they hung?

 

[56longroof]

I started using Halides in November, I also doubled my LED fixtured count too and I also use T5s. I started with 10K (My favorite) but one of my Ushio's popped and I haven't been able to find replacement Ushio 10Ks. But I got turned on to Radiums, these are pretty sweet. Yeah, growth was crazy different. I did a mutli tank consolidation into my new system. So it was crazy to watch coral that grew "x" amount under LED/T5 vs. now, for me it was like (exponetial x exponetial) = where I am at today. As I acclimated up I watched my nutrients come down. I am starting to worry where I should be nutrient wise. What have your nutrients been doing? For example - my No3 went from 35 to 6(now) Coral look fine, but could they be better? I have even more intense flow (basically an SPS tank). I've increased my feedings to my fish too, still my nutrients continue to come down. I've started dosing ammonia about 45 days ago, seems to be working well. Again, I haven't increase my dosing amount and feel like I should, but I also don't want to muck it up. What are your nutrients like?

Ushios are still avaliable. I have a case of them i bought recently.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Ushios are still avaliable. I have a case of them i bought recently.

250w SE 10K? Can you send me a link? I struck out again this week. I thought I found a bunch.

I also need 4-10 HQI 250 ballasts if anyone knows :)

 

[56longroof]

250w SE 10K? Can you send me a link? I struck out again this week. I thought I found a bunch.

I also need 4-10 HQI 250 ballasts if anyone knows :)

Yeah, I spoke too soon. Everyone is out of 250W. I emailed them to see if they are going to restock.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Yeah, I spoke too soon. Everyone is out of 250W. I emailed them to see if they are going to restock.

That bulb is now disc sadly.

 

[56longroof]

That bulb is now disc sadly.

They are discontinuing the whole line. Just heard from them.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

This lamp showed so much love to its friends below