Reef Brite MH Fan Club

[A. grandis]

Okay, I have a new M80 ballast that I've wired into one side of my RB fixture. I will test PAR after a couple days of burn in. Both bulbs are the same age (6 months) and the only difference would be the M80 ballast and the RB electronic one. This will be interesting as I have no way of testing the spectrum, but can measure PAR. Looking forward to seeing if there is a noticeable difference with the naked eye. Also curious to see if the temp remains the same in the tank and if the magnetic ballast gets hot. I'm leaning towards relocating the ballasts out in the garage anyway, so tank temp is all I'm really concerned with. JP

Please keep us posted!
Grandis.

 

[jporter17]

Well I can certainly see a difference as well as my wife. I called her in and asked her if one side looked different than the other. She had no idea I had made any change, but said the left side is brighter. That's the M80 ballast. I checked my profilux controller and the M80 ballast is pulling 2.8amps vs. the RB at 2.3amps. The M80 ballast is almost twice the size of the electronic Reef Brite ballast, but the RB ballast is cooler to the touch. No par readings yet as I would like to give the M80 ballast a few days to burn in. Tank inhabitants are happy on both sides of the tank. I will post more as the days go by. JP

 

[Syntax1235]

Well I can certainly see a difference as well as my wife. I called her in and asked her if one side looked different than the other. She had no idea I had made any change, but said the left side is brighter. That's the M80 ballast. I checked my profilux controller and the M80 ballast is pulling 2.8amps vs. the RB at 2.3amps. The M80 ballast is almost twice the size of the electronic Reef Brite ballast, but the RB ballast is cooler to the touch. No par readings yet as I would like to give the M80 ballast a few days to burn in. Tank inhabitants are happy on both sides of the tank. I will post more as the days go by. JP

No surprise there as the m80 is drawing over 75 watts more.

What side do you prefer and why? Any pictures?

 

[jporter17]

Not sure you'd see any difference with a photo from my iPhone, I will snap some tomorrow. I really have no preference as it's not a night and day difference between the two sides. I will watch the start up of the bulbs tomorrow and see if there is any difference as they brighten up and shift colors. It would be a neat experiment long term to see if the corals grew any better under the M80 side. To be honest I was considering switching to a lower K bulb since I have all the T5 and LED lighting. I only run the MH's 4 hours a day and was thinking about a 14K bulb. Not sure if there would be any advantage ballast wise. I like the RB ballast as I could dim them if I wanted to, and they are a lot smaller. JP

 

[A. grandis]

Well I can certainly see a difference as well as my wife. I called her in and asked her if one side looked different than the other. She had no idea I had made any change, but said the left side is brighter. That's the M80 ballast. I checked my profilux controller and the M80 ballast is pulling 2.8amps vs. the RB at 2.3amps. The M80 ballast is almost twice the size of the electronic Reef Brite ballast, but the RB ballast is cooler to the touch. No par readings yet as I would like to give the M80 ballast a few days to burn in. Tank inhabitants are happy on both sides of the tank. I will post more as the days go by. JP

That is so great! Pics please!
Grandis.

 

[A. grandis]

Not sure you'd see any difference with a photo from my iPhone, I will snap some tomorrow. I really have no preference as it's not a night and day difference between the two sides. I will watch the start up of the bulbs tomorrow and see if there is any difference as they brighten up and shift colors. It would be a neat experiment long term to see if the corals grew any better under the M80 side. To be honest I was considering switching to a lower K bulb since I have all the T5 and LED lighting. I only run the MH's 4 hours a day and was thinking about a 14K bulb. Not sure if there would be any advantage ballast wise. I like the RB ballast as I could dim them if I wanted to, and they are a lot smaller. JP

What about the heat on the 2 fixtures? You're using ReefBrite fixture on both sides, right?
Grandis.

 

[jporter17]

What about the heat on the 2 fixtures? You're using ReefBrite fixture on both sides, right?
Grandis.

It’s one fixture. If you look on their website it’s a 36” hybrid with 2 MHs and the XHOs. There is a separate cord for each MH and the left bulb is connected to the M80 ballast. There is very little heat from the fixtures. You feel the most heat with you hand right under the bulbs as you’d expect. I need to find my PAR meter to get some actual readings on brightness.

 

[A. grandis]

It’s one fixture. If you look on their website it’s a 36” hybrid with 2 MHs and the XHOs. There is a separate cord for each MH and the left bulb is connected to the M80 ballast. There is very little heat from the fixtures. You feel the most heat with you hand right under the bulbs as you’d expect. I need to find my PAR meter to get some actual readings on brightness.

Great, thanks!
If you can please post pictures of the tank and the ballasts and tell us how you connected them.
Grandis.

 

[jporter17]

Great, thanks!
If you can please post pictures of the tank and the ballasts and tell us how you connected them.
Grandis.

The previous page has a picture of the fixture hanging over my tank a couple days ago. I connected the M80 ballast with an IEC connector I bought on amazon. Just plugged right into the left MH cord. I will add more over the next few days. JP

 

[A. grandis]

The previous page has a picture of the fixture hanging over my tank a couple days ago. I connected the M80 ballast with an IEC connector I bought on amazon. Just plugged right into the left MH cord. I will add more over the next few days. JP

Oh ok.. So you've got the halides, the 2 retro T5s and some LEDs.
Can you please post a link for the IEC connector you bought?
That connector will help lots of people!
How is that multiple fan and where did you get that? Link please?
Nice! Thanks!
Grandis.

 

[Gwitness]

Just curious, I run 3 of the 250 watt units with 14k Phoenix bulbs and LOVE them so far!!! My sps seem happy and are colored up but I’m just curious if this is enough to keep my sps colored up and growing!!??

I have a 210 that is 6 feet long, 2 feet wide and 29 inches tall and im just curious if ThIs these lights will give enough par to grow sps from middle of my tank and top of my tank right?

 

[Syntax1235]

So I Installed everything today. I tried to make it as clean as possible but there are a lot of cables to manage.

First impression: sooooooo bright!!

The 14k twin arcs look way too green for my taste. Even with the led's on there is a significant green tint. I'm regretting not going with the 20k bulbs.

Will the bulbs turn more blue as they burn in? How long will it take if so?

 

[Syntax1235]

Just curious, I run 3 of the 250 watt units with 14k Phoenix bulbs and LOVE them so far!!! My sps seem happy and are colored up but I’m just curious if this is enough to keep my sps colored up and growing!!??

I have a 210 that is 6 feet long, 2 feet wide and 29 inches tall and im just curious if ThIs these lights will give enough par to grow sps from middle of my tank and top of my tank right?

I would think with 250 watt halides you can grow anything anywhere in that tank.

Can you post pictures of your tank.... my twin-arc 14k bulbs look very green to me.

 

[Gwitness]

I would think with 250 watt halides you can grow anything anywhere in that tank.

Can you post pictures of your tank.... my twin-arc 14k bulbs look very green to me.

Okay awesome!! I thought I was good also but I just wanted to make sure....I will send some pictures once I get home....my iPhone takes bad ones but I love the look what the heck the phoenix14k bulbs

 

[Syntax1235]

Okay awesome!! I thought I was good also but I just wanted to make sure....I will send some pictures once I get home....my iPhone takes bad ones but I love the look what the heck the phoenix14k bulbs

Just to be clear, I'm no expert and have no experience with halides except for what I've read and seen on forums for the past twenty years.

 

[Gwitness]

 

[Gwitness]

Can’t get a good color pic but mine is not a green tint with the Phoenix bulbs

 

[Syntax1235]

Ok so I have been running my Halides for one week... about 6 hours a day and I'm noticing the arc tubes looks burned.... Is this normal?

 

[A. grandis]

Ok so I have been running my Halides for one week... about 6 hours a day and I'm noticing the arc tubes looks burned.... Is this normal?

Yes.
Grandis.

 

[Syntax1235]

Quick update: Alk consumption has doubled in three weeks with the halides. Growth has been amazing and colors are getting very intense. I'm using Triton, if this keeps up I'm going to have to find another system as this will get too expensive.