Metal Halides are the bomb

MabuyaQ

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All I know is that not all corals are the same and not all corals like the same light. There is study by Mass et al. on spectral quality that shows that even a shallow water coral of species A shows improved growth and less stress under full spectrum light than deep water corals of the same species whilst deeper water corals of species A show improved growth and less stress under blue shifted spectral lighting than shallow water corals of the same species. You can expect the same when comparing shallow water species A with deep(er) water species B. It is why I always had little to no success growing deep water species like A. echinata or A. granulosa under halides when I tried but can grow something like a A. humilis or A.microclados like a weed under halides (and make them look better IMHO than under LED). So I stick to the 'right' species for my type of lighting (halides).

It is basically like putting a forest plant right into full sunlight in your garden, it can suvive and grow but not how it would grow if you had put in in shaded area of the garden similar like in a forest. I really don't think corals are that different from plants, the real problem is that aquariums are totaly different from oceans and you don't always know under what conditions frags/corals were grown/cultured, so your shallow water species might still be a deep(er) water coral that doesn't match your lighting.
 

LadyTang2

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SE Cayman sun (12 x 12)
VS
SE Cozumel sun (20 x 20)
Why would anyone choose the smaller one? I will get more spread with the 20x20 but will the light be stronger with the 12x12s smaller coverage area? Is that the difference - larger area covered vs more powerful light?
 

A. grandis

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SE Cayman sun (12 x 12)
VS
SE Cozumel sun (20 x 20)
Why would anyone choose the smaller one? I will get more spread with the 20x20 but will the light be stronger with the 12x12s smaller coverage area? Is that the difference - larger area covered vs more powerful light?
The 2 fixtures are used to cover different areas. One cover small and the other a bigger area. Smaller wattage with the small fixture and greater wattage with bigger fixture. Correct application is very important to get efficiency with halides.
 

A. grandis

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Important to know that the depth also plays with intensity, independent of the spread.
 

Waynerock

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I have told this story before, but I valued a grow facility near me a year or two ago, so I had a big interview with them and about 10 of their peers. All of them used HPS, MV and MH and a few spent about $20k on LEDs that were in a corner collecting dust. All of them said that saving a few grand in electrical cost was stupid to make $75-100k less in product. I did not get into bud quality with them, just yield. These are real facilities making real money and they would just belly laugh about the literature that you see online about the "savings."

Saw the same thing in an organic Basil facility and one that grew a certain strain of Heirloom Tomato Seeds.

The people Colorado hit the tree harder than Sonny Bono, so yield is a big thing... I imagine that this is true everywhere.

Hydro reflectors are really good over large tanks, too.
The people Colorado hit the tree harder than Sonny Bono
Had to spit take on that one! My lodge manager and I where in the lodge with his wife and kids when they brought his body down the mountain! I will never forget that and then getting stalked by the paparazzi for a few days afterwards. I have not thought about that in a minute
 

pdxmonkeyboy

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I had it over a 24x 32 frag tank. It just didnt have the even spread like other reflectors I have tried. Plus it is super cheaply built for how much it costs.. that is just my opinion though.
 

Bpb

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I had it over a 24x 32 frag tank. It just didnt have the even spread like other reflectors I have tried. Plus it is super cheaply built for how much it costs.. that is just my opinion though.

It is kind of small for covering that footprint. And I agree kind of high priced. But the cheaply built part surprises me to hear.
 

pdxmonkeyboy

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Sooo cheap. It is just a folded piece of THIN metal. No reason for it to be so thin. The reflective parts are always thin
.because that german hammered aluminum is expensive, but yeah. If I hadn't been gifted it, I would have returned it if I had purchased it.
 

RCS82

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I have a Cayman sun over my 60g cube. I really like it. Throws light everywhere. When it shuts off it's like the room goes dark lol. I haven't owned many other reflectors but I'm happy with the quality definitely. On a bigger tank I'd go with a larger reflector for sure but I'm happy.
 

RCS82

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Yes.. the fixture is not deep enough. One of the reason for all the light spillage.

I have it like 16" above the tank, yes it's making some light spill, but it's a new tank and I plan on lowering it to 12 or 10" maybe. And like I said, I really like the unit. Not sure what else I would go with on just a 60 cube.
 

Bpb

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Yes.. the fixture is not deep enough. One of the reason for all the light spillage.

That’s actually a complaint of my coralvue lumen bright minis. They are so deep they are like a focused spot light. Very hot spotty cylinder of light going straight down. 400 par on the sandbed with a 20,000k 250 watt bulb 36” away. That’s 12” air and 24” water. Outside of that roughly 18-20” cylinder it drops down to 150 or so. Sharp contrast even at 12” high off the water
 

pdxmonkeyboy

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No.. the fixture itself is fairly shallow. This causes a little more light spillage. It's a fine reflector, I was just not super impressed. Unfortunately, there are not many options for small reflectors. ;(
 

RCS82

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That’s actually a complaint of my coralvue lumen bright minis. They are so deep they are like a focused spot light. Very hot spotty cylinder of light going straight down. 400 par on the sandbed with a 20,000k 250 watt bulb 36” away. That’s 12” air and 24” water. Outside of that roughly 18-20” cylinder it drops down to 150 or so. Sharp contrast even at 12” high off the water
That's some good info about the one reflector I was thinking to try maybe on the next set up.
 

Bpb

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That's some good info about the one reflector I was thinking to try maybe on the next set up.
It’s definitely worth a look. It needs to be very high up to spread well. 15-18” ideally. It’s a par machine though. I’m getting 1000 par at the surface 12” from the reflector base using 20k Hamilton’s on regular m58 ballasts.
 

Bpb

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Bro.. you have to ditch those mag ballasts :)

Hey man. Brand new + free = I can’t afford NOT to use them

I went back to MH because this set fell into my lap free of charge. Used the sale of my t5ho fixture to back stock up a variety of bulbs. And here I am now 1.5 years later
 

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

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