Metal Halides are the bomb

[leepink23]

I have a 48" Infiniti and a 48" Spectra. It really depends on how deep you tank is. My display is 38" from front to back, and i originally installed the Infiniti above it. The Infiniti lit the tank well, but left the edges a little dim. The Spectra i have over it now provides a blanket of light over every square inch, from top to bottom.

I moved the Infiniti over my 24" deep growout. Up to 30" inches front to back the Infiniti will cover very well. And anything less than that, the Spectra will not make it look better. For tanks deeper than this, the Spectra is best.

Does this answer your question?

Yes! Thank you. My tank is 48x24x24. I use the t5 as well and get great growth. Currently running 4 ati actinic but thinking of adding blue plus when it’s time to change again. I also have blue plus Orphek or bars on them but only run them at morning and night.

 

[naterealbig]

Yes! Thank you. My tank is 48x24x24. I use the t5 as well and get great growth. Currently running 4 ati actinic but thinking of adding blue plus when it’s time to change again. I also have blue plus Orphek or bars on them but only run them at morning and night.

Awesome setup. I definitely wouldn't change the Infiniti out. I was floored how much of my display the Infiniti actually covered when i first installed it.

Coincidentally, i am also getting ready to purchase some OR2 bars for both fixtures. I will add 4 Blue Plus To the Spectra, and 2 to the Infinity. I can't wait to see them up in action.

 

[leepink23]

Awesome setup. I definitely wouldn't change the Infiniti out. I was floored how much of my display the Infiniti actually covered when i first installed it.

Coincidentally, i am also getting ready to purchase some OR2 bars for both fixtures. I will add 4 Blue Plus To the Spectra, and 2 to the Infinity. I can't wait to see them up in action.

You will like them, wish they didn’t have the green diodes on the blue plus but the tank definitely pops.

 

[Bpb]

Thing about the heavy cyan color of the Orphek blue+ bars is that helps bring out a lot of red and Orange fluorescence you simply don’t get from 450nm royals. It makes the overall hue look kind of an uglier teal color (much like an actual blue+ bulb), but the coral colors you get will be a lot better than you’d get from just royal blues.

 

[naterealbig]

Thing about the heavy cyan color of the Orphek blue+ bars is that helps bring out a lot of red and Orange fluorescence you simply don’t get from 450nm royals. It makes the overall hue look kind of an uglier teal color (much like an actual blue+ bulb), but the coral colors you get will be a lot better than you’d get from just royal blues.

Thank you for the input. I'm not LED savvy - if you could make a custom Orphek bar to supplement Radium, which diodes would you choose, and which ratios?

Would you consider 2x UV bars and 2 x blue plus bars?

 

[Bpb]

Thank you for the input. I'm not LED savvy - if you could make a custom Orphek bar to supplement Radium, which diodes would you choose, and which ratios?

Would you consider 2x UV bars and 2 x blue plus bars?

I’d have to really think that one over. But I imagine your proposed combo would be visually pleasing. You’d have basically the entirety from 400-500 nanometers covered which isn’t ever a bad thing. What is the par like on those bars? I haven’t used them, just seen them and know the specs. I know with my Hamilton 20k bulbs I’m in the 200-600 range anywhere on the rocks and radiums pump out even more juice so you definitely don’t want to OVER do it. You may even be able to have them turned off when the radiums are running. Depending on par readings.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I am running two lumenbrite minis on my 100 gallon Rubbermaid tub with 250w radiums on selectable ballasts. I am using four or2 bars with them three blue plus and one uv. I don’t particularly care for the uv that much But I am considering getting one more along with another blue plus. Overkill probably but I think this is my favorite light setup I have had so far and I am curious if two more bars will help color some things further.
Most wouldn’t have this much light but I want to be able to grow corals at every space in the tank and keep them growing as long as possible.

 

[naterealbig]

I’d have to really think that one over. But I imagine your proposed combo would be visually pleasing. You’d have basically the entirety from 400-500 nanometers covered which isn’t ever a bad thing. What is the par like on those bars? I haven’t used them, just seen them and know the specs. I know with my Hamilton 20k bulbs I’m in the 200-600 range anywhere on the rocks and radiums pump out even more juice so you definitely don’t want to OVER do it. You may even be able to have them turned off when the radiums are running. Depending on par readings.

Thank you for this input @Bpb . It looks like each bar will increase PAR by about 50-75 ~ 12" under water (based on the illustration below). I'm guessing roughly, that's good for about a 12" width directly below the bar.....

Good point in not overpowering the display...

Buy Today! THE NEW Orphek OR 120/ 90 /60 - Bars LED Lights

Hi There @Orphek - I am running 2 x 250 watt Radium Metal Halides with no supplementation. What would be better for coral pop/color? 1. 2 x UV + 2 x Blue Plus -or- 2. 4 x Blue Plus

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Backreefing]

A little bit of a update. Since I upgraded to metal halides things have changed besides just lighting. Now I’m experiencing unstable alkalinity. One day it’s 9 ( my target ) the next day it’s 8 or even 7 . Calcium has remained high but also has dropped to. It started at 500+ but it’s lowered to 460 . I have been correcting DKH with superbuffer DKH . My trouble is keeping DKH stable I am still trying to predict usage.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

Well what may be happening is that things are actually growing and using up cal and alk. How are you dosing?

 

[Backreefing]

Kent Superbuffer DKH to correct DKH . And lately started dripping kalk. I started correcting DKH because it was dropping from 9-7 in just a day or two calcium was high from the tank upgrade but has dropped to normal 460 . Then I’m dripping kalk . Just a couple days now .

 

[Backreefing]

But it’s hard to predict , example one day I see it’s 8 . I want 9 so I mix Kent DKH 1/2 teaspoon in a kalk jug with plain water drip it in and tomorrow it’s 7 so I mix 1 full teaspoon , drip it in next day it’s 10 . Day after its 9 then on like this . It’s usually 8 these days. My birdsnest isn’t likening it it’s getting dead tips .

 

[naterealbig]

But it’s hard to predict , example one day I see it’s 8 . I want 9 so I mix Kent DKH 1/2 teaspoon in a kalk jug with plain water drip it in and tomorrow it’s 7 so I mix 1 full teaspoon , drip it in next day it’s 10 . Day after its 9 then on like this . It’s usually 8 these days. My birdsnest isn’t likening it it’s getting dead tips .

are you testing at the same time every day? Which alkalinity test kit are you using?

 

[Backreefing]

Same time every day , API ( yeh yeh ),
And I have been adding duration to the metal halides. They are at 8 hours of on time now . Probably increasing demand for DKH and calcium while I’m figuring it out. I will see when I get home.

 

[Backreefing]

Got home and it’s 8dkh dispite it being 9 last night .I’m going to continue kalk dripping and see if it keeps up with demand.

Well what may be happening is that things are actually growing and using up cal and alk. How are you dosing?

And I agree with you on that . Through the whole tank/lights upgrade , all my thoughts were about avoiding a cycle. I was very successful in that . But unstable DKH got me by surprise .
thanks for all the replies on my thread .

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

I would not go over 8 hours of halides. Diminishing returns, photo saturation..etc etc

 

[bpseal]

I am halide fan as well- halide LED combo

What fixture are you running. I just bought 2 36'' Reef Brite LED/MH combo fixtures for an 8 foot tank.

 

[jporter17]

What fixture are you running. I just bought 2 36'' Reef Brite LED/MH combo fixtures for an 8 foot tank.

I run that same 36" fixture. Removed one of the XHO's on each side and replaced them with Blue+ T5's. Wonderful fixture.

 

[i_declare_bankruptcy]

Interesting thread. I have to say I by far prefer the MH look out of anything else -- the colors look epic and much more natural than T5 or LED. Out of curiosity I looked at the total wattage of the lights I own (2x Prime, 1x 4-bulb 36" ATI T5) and would place on a 48x36x20h tank vs. 2x 250W SE halides w/ some big 20" reflectors (Cozumel).

Existing setup would be like ~300W (2x Primes 100% = ~90W and T5 fixture = ~216W) and the halides would be ~500W right? BUT the lights I have now would definitely be inferior for lighting the tank. So either way I'm looking at investing a significant amount of cash into lighting my next tank but MH appears to be more affordable.

I don't know anything about electronics/lights so maybe my logic is flawed.

I'm interested in mainly LPS and softies with some SPS and Acros towards the top of the 20"h tank. I live in an area that gets a decent sea breeze so heat isn't too much of an issue.

What would you recommend for running MH on this tank? Cozumel reflector and 250W? I'm worried about having too much par on the lower half of the tank for LPS ... but 150W probably wouldn't be enough power spread over that 4' area between 2 fixtures.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

If you prefer the look of the halides then for sure go with halides. You would not need the bigger reflectors because you will raise them up in your shallow tank and they light will spread out more. Also, you would be shocked at how little the primes put out.