My first impression of Hybrid MH/T5

Kfactor

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were did you find that ballest?
 

oreo54

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What type of ballast can operate that type off bulb ?

Ceramic Metal Halide Grow Light Ballasts are low-frequency, square wave ballasts specifically designed to run CMH and LEC Lamps at peak performance
Quartz glass is often the material used to make the arc tube, which can erode over time diminishing the output of light. This can diminish the overall lifetime of the lamp and will require re-lamping sooner than with other types of HID lamps. This design can make MH lamps more unstable in terms of maintenance, longevity and spectrum output than other types of HID lighting, including CMH lamps.
 

RedoubtReef

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how many t5 you think would provide 'main' if I'm runnin 3 or3 48" bars, two in front one behind fixture.

If I were to start over I would have just bought an 8 light T5 fixture and called it a day but I already spent the $$ on the LED's so I'll be danged if I don't use them lol
Sell them and get the T5 you want.
 

X-37B

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Sell them and get the T5 you want.
Or3 light bars are equal to 2 t5's. I prefer them over t5. I have a real nice giesemann 6 bulb 36" t5 unit in the closet. I have many bulbs too and will just hang onto it as its a nice proven fixture.
 

d2mini

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I'm kinda old school. Done it and seen it all with reef lighting.
Here's the main things that come to mind from my own experiences.
Others may disagree or have other items to add but this is just me...

LED Advantages compared to MH/T5 combo:
- Long term cost savings if you stick with the same fixture or if the same fixtures lasts long enough.
- Much smaller footprint in terms of fixture size and (lack of) ballasts.
- Much more/easier control over color and intensity
- No excess heat added to the tank. No chiller needed, which leads to more cost savings in both initial equipment and cost to run.
- Crazy fluorescent colors if you want them
- control via electronic devices is handy

MH/T5 Advantages compared to LED:
- Initial purchase can be cheaper. But there are also some very fancy and expensive fixtures
- More of a set it and forget it solution. If you're coral isn't growing, light is most likely not your problem.
- This is personal opinion, but still nothing beats the daytime colors and shimmer of MH. Closest thing to the sun.
- No shadowing. SPS growth patterns tend to be better and SPS have better color and polyp growth all around the branches

LED Disadvantages
- Too much control with too little knowledge leads to problems
- Initial purchase can be crazy expensive especially for large tanks
- More to go wrong/break
- Shadowing. LED still doesn't have the spread that M5 reflector and T5 create.
- Disco effect. Getting better and depends on the particular fixture

MH/T5 Disadvantages:
- Heat
- Annual bulb replacements and bulb degradation
- Finding the perfect color requires experimentation with bulbs, causing extra expense until figured out
- Less control (but not always a bad thing)
- Ongoing electrical expense

Now that said, having used both, as things stand today, I can not say that one is definitively better than the other based on the above. It's going to depend on what you need, what you want, what you expect, what you are willing to deal with, etc. I've seen amazing tanks with amazing coral grown with both systems from scratch. I've had pretty equal success with both, although there has definitely been a learning curve with LED not only on my part but on the design/manufacturer side too.

If I was going to choose based on nothing but my heart, ignoring everything like cost, size, maintenance, control, etc, I'd choose MH/T5 in a heartbeat, no question. ESPECIALLY on a large tank, anything over say a 120g.
But being that I do have to be concerned with all aspects, I have a much harder time deciding these days. I know I can have a successful tank with either. So it comes down to all the little things. In the end I know I'll be pretty happy with either. Both have advantages and disadvantages so it's never going to be 100% roses with either choice. But there will be an advantage for each individual situation.

I am thrilled that MH and T5 still exist. Just like I'm thrilled that combustion engine cars still exist. I hope that both will remain available, even if in limited choices, for quite some time, and even if I don't personally own them.
 

oreo54

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Best to look forward to mh/led.
No doubt if the " specialty product" shield will help but it may be an exception.
Thing is with the " real" market gone will what remains be enough?
And which "flavor"

It will be interesting to see how this impacts the US market.

 
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X-37B

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Brother I get your passion for halides. Nothing wrong with that. But you are missing the point, imo.
Saying that leds basicaly cant hold a candle to leds is pure BS. And constantly putting them down with your "zero" world experience running them is so old and very dissapointing from a vetran reefers point of view.

Thier are plenty of reefers running all the available light systems with outstanding results.

Any thread that has a halide/led point of view has become a, you know what, kind of contest.

I have said enough on the subject.
I am going to go help a couple fellow reefers here online with thier systems.
 

IKD

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Brother I get your passion for halides. Nothing wrong with that. But you are missing the point, imo.
Saying that leds basicaly cant hold a candle to leds is pure BS. And constantly putting them down with your "zero" world experience running them is so old and very dissapointing from a vetran reefers point of view.

Thier are plenty of reefers running all the available light systems with outstanding results.

Any thread that has a halide/led point of view has become a, you know what, kind of contest.

I have said enough on the subject.
I am going to go help a couple fellow reefers here online with thier systems.
I totally agree with you. I have been on this forum long enough to see many threads from a selection of users that wish to prop up MH at the expense of LEDs. Both are successful methods with years of results and I wish people could just leave it at that. Quit telling me your religion is better than mine when mine serves me just fine (even though you say it’s all marketing). People will switch when they have don’t have success, not because someone told them to.
 

spsick

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BRS has some, Premium Aquatics is my go to for halides. They can order anything Reef Brite makes. Hamilton has great stuff still.

Right on thank you. I checked Hamilton and everything says out of stock or discontinued.
 

A. grandis

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Brother I get your passion for halides. Nothing wrong with that. But you are missing the point, imo.
Saying that leds basicaly cant hold a candle to leds is pure BS. And constantly putting them down with your "zero" world experience running them is so old and very dissapointing from a vetran reefers point of view.

Thier are plenty of reefers running all the available light systems with outstanding results.

Any thread that has a halide/led point of view has become a, you know what, kind of contest.

I have said enough on the subject.
I am going to go help a couple fellow reefers here online with thier systems.
90's reefers: LEDs can hold the candles, yes. It's not the same though. BUT there are many who prefers LEDs, and that's fine. The problem is that each side decided to defend their own preferences. The LED propaganda started this strategy since the beginning with their brain washing! People need to understand that LED copanies wouldn't compare to halides unless it would be the best option available, like Tullio said couple times. The comparison will never be fair for any halide user/lover simply because they love the results from halides and know the results from LEDs.
LED users come and post on halide threads trying to diminish halides. The passionate halide users see the results with their own eyes and know what's best for them. That is not going to change, my friend. Time for the LED companies to stop brain washing this new generation with propaganda! Do you agree with that part?
 

A. grandis

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BRS has some, Premium Aquatics is my go to for halides. They can order anything Reef Brite makes. Hamilton has great stuff still.
BUT... BRS is strongly preaching halides "will be banned" and is a "dead technology". Their excuse not to keep the normal inventory is that they "don't have shelf space" (BRS told me over the phone when I called them!) to have them in stock and "people are not buying", while the reality is that at the same time Hamilton and ReefBrite were selling lots (Hamilton and Reef Brite also told me over the phone at the same time!) and they could just display the pics on BRS website and ship from the manufacturer.
I think BRS is a great place to buy our stuff, but I'm certainly disappointed with that decision. Sad!
 

A. grandis

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Right on thank you. I checked Hamilton and everything says out of stock or discontinued.
Hamilton reduced their stock after selling a ton. I'm not sure if they will ever produce some of the best halide gear they had. The market is pretty dominated by LEDs and there is too much risk in investing on new stock today. I hope they won't retire! One of the best fixtures they ever made, the Cebu, is retired. But everything is possible!
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X-37B

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90's reefers: LEDs can hold the candles, yes. It's not the same though. BUT there are many who prefers LEDs, and that's fine. The problem is that each side decided to defend their own preferences. The LED propaganda started this strategy since the beginning with their brain washing! People need to understand that LED copanies wouldn't compare to halides unless it would be the best option available, like Tullio said couple times. The comparison will never be fair for any halide user/lover simply because they love the results from halides and know the results from LEDs.
LED users come and post on halide threads trying to diminish halides. The passionate halide users see the results with their own eyes and know what's best for them. That is not going to change, my friend. Time for the LED companies to stop brain washing this new generation with propaganda! Do you agree with that part?
No not at all. More BS. If you can be "brainwashed by a company then you dont need to be in the hobby, lol. Its pretty simple.
Your comments prove you have never ran leds, maybe not even halides, on a acro system.
This is you:
"The comparison will never be fair for any halide user/lover simply because they love the results from halides and know the results from LEDs". Again your bashing leds with no real world experience except what others spew.
I am the one in the above quote you referenced and I know the results you get from leds because I have ran both. I prefer leds now and I know what halides can do.

Its ok to be pro whatever but constantly putting down a proven lighting system, all included, is counter productive, imo.
 

HomebroodExotics

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Hamilton reduced their stock after selling a ton. I'm not sure if they will ever produce some of the best halide gear they had. The market is pretty dominated by LEDs and there is too much risk in investing on new stock today. I hope they won't retire! One of the best fixtures they ever made, the Cebu, is retired. But everything is possible!
1663441338627.png
You just said they were easily available though and selling like crazy with plenty of stock (BRS is lying)?
 

A. grandis

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No not at all. More BS. If you can be "brainwashed by a company then you dont need to be in the hobby, lol. Its pretty simple.
Your comments prove you have never ran leds, maybe not even halides, on a acro system.
This is you:
"The comparison will never be fair for any halide user/lover simply because they love the results from halides and know the results from LEDs". Again your bashing leds with no real world experience except what others spew.
I am the one in the above quote you referenced and I know the results you get from leds because I have ran both. I prefer leds now and I know what halides can do.

Its ok to be pro whatever but constantly putting down a proven lighting system, all included, is counter productive, imo.
I certainly don't want to go further and ruin this thread.
 
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