Switching back to metal halide

[A. grandis]

Thanks! But I may have to use two smaller fixtures. If I had an in-wall tank or closed canopy, then I wouldn't care as much.

What would be the best small fixtures you would use to cover the 36" X 36"? You most likely would have to add some T5s too, right? That would be great!

 

[minus9]

What would be the best small fixtures you would use to cover the 36" X 36"? You most likely would have to add some T5s too, right? That would be great!

I have 3 Orphek blue plus bars that I could use or I might use a few of my Kessil's in the corners pointed in with 55 degree lenses? I would use a LED bar instead of T5, but that's just my preference. The goal is not to add a chiller. The Orphek's on their own are too blue for me, but the way I set my Kessil's (more white) they balance out quite a bit. I'm not a fan of the deep blue look accept for ramp up/down.

 

[minus9]

So nice!!! Do you have pictures with "white" light? Close ups, please?

I think to have corals like A. humilis and A. gemmifera would be great if you plan the strategic spot you will place them since the beginning and they would have to have to be the center of the attention in terms of flow and light, so they could develop structure/colors similar to it's nature formation. The pictures we see online that shows them very compact in the ocean are the ones found in heavy wave action. They are the prime corals to me as well as some other tables. Surge device with many small pumps would be the best to reproduce the need in regards to current. Then get those Lumenarc spaceships with some 14K halides/Blue Plus tubes over them and a calcium reactor to boost it's glory!!! Oh man!!!

love all tables. I loose breath when I see some of the pictures online!!!! I also love stags to death and the echinata group. I love them all!!!!! LOL!
Thanks for sharing the pictures!!!
This is what I can share found online:

A. gemmifera:

Acropora humilis - Marine Savers

marinesavers.com

This is an example of how hard is to get the A. humilis to grow like they do in their natural habitat:

The A. humilis in the video above was probably from a mariculture facility and even though the light might be great (not sure how turbid that particular area could be), because of lack of proper current it has it's shape totally different than we would want.

A. humilis:

Acropora humilis - Marine Savers

marinesavers.com

Acropora humilis - Marine Savers

marinesavers.com

Acropora humilis - Marine Savers

marinesavers.com

Best example of A. humilis:

Acropora humilis - Marine Savers

marinesavers.com

acropora humilis - Google Search

OUCH!!!!
A. echinata:

“True” Australian Acropora echinata being imported in reasonable numbers, fair prices | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

Australian Acropora echinata has to be one of the most iconic Acro and SPS corals of all time. Every die hard small polyp stony coral junky at one time or another has caught the site of one of these…

reefbuilders.com

SPS - ORA Hawkins Echinata Acropora

Truly a classic coral that has withstood the test of time! Hardy - check! Neat growth pattern - check! Beautiful blue-green color - check! Regular sized frags will be 3/4" or larger Large frags are 1 1/2 or chunky

boomcorals.com

And this is what stops my heart!! Hope Greg still has it!

The tale of the Ultimate Efflo tabling acropora | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

Few other coral in our hobby captures the image we have about massively plating coral like Acropora efflorescens. We have seen tabling corals such as Acropora granulosa or Acropora millepora but in…

reefbuilders.com

I better stop dreaming!
Sorry, I've got carried away in my thoughts... Back to lighting!

Those are some gorgeous pieces! Unfortunately I don't have any pics with white light, they were taken with my iPhone 4 (I think), so they kinda suck. I would love to set up a very shallow big lagoon tank and only have flat pieces of live rock on the bottom with all shallow water species (and clams). 4' or 5' square and only 14" high with only 11" or 12" of water so I could crank the flow. I just need the space.

 

[A. grandis]

I have 3 Orphek blue plus bars that I could use or I might use a few of my Kessil's in the corners pointed in with 55 degree lenses? I would use a LED bar instead of T5, but that's just my preference. The goal is not to add a chiller. The Orphek's on their own are too blue for me, but the way I set my Kessil's (more white) they balance out quite a bit. I'm not a fan of the deep blue look accept for ramp up/down.

I though you wanted to go back to halides. (post #12) I was referring to small halide fixtures, if you want to go back.

 

[minus9]

I though you wanted to go back to halides. (post #12) I was referring to small halide fixtures, if you want to go back.

Yes, I do. I'm referring to supplemental led lighting. I essentially have two choices, led bars (Orphek) or some of my Kessil's. I would only use them before and after the halides are on. I kinda like the idea of kessil /halide, that way I never lose the shimmer.

 

[minus9]

Here's a crappy pic of my tank. I'm replacing the canopy with 8020 and raising it. I'll make a facade (out of matching wood from my stand panels which aren't finished) but it will be open air for maximum air flow. As long as I can hide the fixtures behind the facade, I'm good. The Reef Brite fixtures are only 4 1/2" tall and my current canopy is 4", so those would work just fine. Ideally one halide fixture would be awesome, but the reflector would probably be too big to cover that much area efficiently? The bottom of the RB fixture('s) would probably be 14" to 15" from the water surface. I can keep it real simple and just use the Orphek bars before and after halides are on and be done with it? I really have too many choices. The bigger question is, two 175w or 250w? Crap, I really opened Pandora's box on this one.

 

[A. grandis]

Here's a crappy pic of my tank. I'm replacing the canopy with 8020 and raising it. I'll make a facade (out of matching wood from my stand panels which aren't finished) but it will be open air for maximum air flow. As long as I can hide the fixtures behind the facade, I'm good. The Reef Brite fixtures are only 4 1/2" tall and my current canopy is 4", so those would work just fine. Ideally one halide fixture would be awesome, but the reflector would probably be too big to cover that much area efficiently? The bottom of the RB fixture('s) would probably be 14" to 15" from the water surface. I can keep it real simple and just use the Orphek bars before and after halides are on and be done with it? I really have too many choices. The bigger question is, two 175w or 250w? Crap, I really opened Pandora's box on this one.

A 36" Giesemann Spectra would be great for your application!

 

[minus9]

A 36" Giesemann Spectra would be great for your application!

It would cover 36x36? Or is it more 36x24? Those are great fixtures, but finding one used may be hard?

 

[infinite0180]

This is an interesting fixture. Too bad theres not two available...

BRAND NEW 150W METAL HALIDE FIXTURE GIESEMANN W/ BALLAST | eBay

150W METAL HALIDE FIXTURE GIESEMANN (NO BULB) BEST OFFER. Condition is "New". Shipped with USPS Priority Mail.

www.ebay.com

 

[Bpb]

It would cover 36x36? Or is it more 36x24? Those are great fixtures, but finding one used may be hard?

That’s a better fixture for a rectangular tank. I’d never expect a spectra to provide light loving acro growing power from front to back on a 36” tank. Reflectors arent large enough.

 

[A. grandis]

That’s a better fixture for a rectangular tank. I’d never expect a spectra to provide light loving acro growing power from front to back on a 36” tank. Reflectors arent large enough.

He wants to use his LEDs and T5s around.

 

[Bpb]

He wants to use his LEDs and T5s around.

Why limit your metal halide area of coverage though. With reef brite pendants you can cover end to end better and enjoy side to side overlap as well with this “=“ arrangement rather than “- -“ like the spectra would force him into

 

[WasatchAquaria]

i got the reef brit hybrids the only place that would order me them is bayside corals coby is awsome to deal with

Are the LEDs on a separate channel from the halides on your hybrids? I am thinking about getting these for a future acro tank and would like to run the halides 4 hours per day and the LEDs 10 hours per day.

 

[Kfactor]

Are the LEDs on a separate channel from the halides on your hybrids? I am thinking about getting these for a future acro tank and would like to run the halides 4 hours per day and the LEDs 10 hours per day.

Yes they are they have there own power supply

 

[A. grandis]

Why limit your metal halide area of coverage though. With reef brite pendants you can cover end to end better and enjoy side to side overlap as well with this “=“ arrangement rather than “- -“ like the spectra would force him into

Yes, but why use Reef Brites instead Cozumel? Can he really cover 36" wide with Reef Brites at the distance?

 

[Syntax1235]

Back to life.

im bringing this thread back to life in the hope that someone here may help with a technical question regarding the Reef Brite fixtures.

i have a custom made hanging bar with three RB pendants with xho’s currently spaced out for a 6 foot aqueon 180. I would like to modify it to fit a new tank I’m setting up, Red Sea 425 XL. I’m going to cut the bar to four feet and use two fixtures. I’m wondering how far apart the two fixtures should be from the center. I was thinking 6 inch gap in the middle. This would leave 6 inches on each side as well. Thoughts on spacing?

the tank is four feet long.

 

[MartinM]

If you want even PAR through the tank, just take measurements and that’ll answer your questions. Or, if you have particular aqua scraping/stocking ideas, base it around that. For example, I have two Spectra fixtures suspended at different heights due to aquascape height / PAR levels.

 

[oreo54]

Back to life.

im bringing this thread back to life in the hope that someone here may help with a technical question regarding the Reef Brite fixtures.

i have a custom made hanging bar with three RB pendants with xho’s currently spaced out for a 6 foot aqueon 180. I would like to modify it to fit a new tank I’m setting up, Red Sea 425 XL. I’m going to cut the bar to four feet and use two fixtures. I’m wondering how far apart the two fixtures should be from the center. I was thinking 6 inch gap in the middle. This would leave 6 inches on each side as well. Thoughts on spacing?

the tank is four feet long.

If you use BRS pendant style leds as a reference you will se that even spacing generally favors a hot spot w/ falloff at the ends.
IF the goal is more even coverage spacing such as 5:7:5 is an alternative to the 6:6:6
Depends on how wide your reflector spreads the light at the height you hang it at as to how much spill one gets by shifting the fixtures closer to the ends.

some things you can model w/ paper ect, others like quantifying requires a par meter or at the least a lux meter (can get relative intensity to another spot measurement, not absolute par)

 

[minus9]

Back to life.

im bringing this thread back to life in the hope that someone here may help with a technical question regarding the Reef Brite fixtures.

i have a custom made hanging bar with three RB pendants with xho’s currently spaced out for a 6 foot aqueon 180. I would like to modify it to fit a new tank I’m setting up, Red Sea 425 XL. I’m going to cut the bar to four feet and use two fixtures. I’m wondering how far apart the two fixtures should be from the center. I was thinking 6 inch gap in the middle. This would leave 6 inches on each side as well. Thoughts on spacing?

the tank is four feet long.

Each pendant covers roughly 2’ x 3’ area. I have a 36x36x16 tank and I have mine roughly 8” from each other oriented front to back. Here’s a temp mock up of how I have mine. The canopy frame is partially put together, so it’s not square or complete.

 

[minus9]

Btw, just these two pendants alone cover what 9 led fixtures covered.