Your favorite Metal Halides for Acropora Growth and Coloration

[JCOLE]

FYI, Champion Lighting has a clearance on a 72" halide fixture for $100. Just in case someone wants a fixture for cheap. Save almost $1k.

BlueLine Aurora 72" HQI Metal Halide / T5 Lighting System - FIXTURE ONLY ***CLEARANCE***

This spectacular lighting solution combines superior quality into one sleek, integrated fixture that will enhance the growth and color of your corals.

www.championlighting.com

 

[RedoubtReef]

wow, that's a good deal!

 

[crusso1993]

FYI, Champion Lighting has a clearance on a 72" halide fixture for $100. Just in case someone wants a fixture for cheap. Save almost $1k.

BlueLine Aurora 72" HQI Metal Halide / T5 Lighting System - FIXTURE ONLY ***CLEARANCE***

This spectacular lighting solution combines superior quality into one sleek, integrated fixture that will enhance the growth and color of your corals.

www.championlighting.com

I beleive it's only 100 clams because it's only for the shell. Nothing else.

 

[RedoubtReef]

It does say 'shell', but seems to indicate it does include ballasts or bulbs. Ballasts would be easy to install.

 

[wrassie86]

FYI, Champion Lighting has a clearance on a 72" halide fixture for $100. Just in case someone wants a fixture for cheap. Save almost $1k.

BlueLine Aurora 72" HQI Metal Halide / T5 Lighting System - FIXTURE ONLY ***CLEARANCE***

This spectacular lighting solution combines superior quality into one sleek, integrated fixture that will enhance the growth and color of your corals.

www.championlighting.com

I almost bought that just to have it. its set up for 150 watt DE, but easy to switch to 250 watt. no MH ballast No bulbs. Does have the t5 ballast and cords. another 100 gets all the bulbs I believe.

 

[JCOLE]

I beleive it's only 100 clams because it's only for the shell. Nothing else.

That's correct. Still a good deal even to purchase the ballast and bulbs. I would buy it if I had the room even though I don't need it. I have too much crap taking up space in the garage already.

 

[RedoubtReef]

It does say 'shell', but seems to indicate it does include ballasts or bulbs. Ballasts would be easy to install.

that was supposed to say 'does not'

 

[TerraFerma]

That's a screaming deal for the "shell" - and the reflectors are very decent for a DE fixture.

 

[Pmez]

So starting with new tank and no coral yet can I just start at 6-8 hours of mh or what does everyone suggest ?

 

[Reefahholic]

So starting with new tank and no coral yet can I just start at 6-8 hours of mh or what does everyone suggest ?

I’m finding it fairly easy to acclimate my corals. Will be ramping up to 6 hrs very soon. Initially I just kept lowering the lights, and the corals appear fine with no stress or decrease in PE. No sign of tissue being burned. Although I do keep light protection elements on point so that definitely helps.

 

[A. grandis]

So starting with new tank and no coral yet can I just start at 6-8 hours of mh or what does everyone suggest ?

I will post a general message about adapting the corals to halides so people can understand the ins and outs of it in a simpler way. I get PMs about that.. I hope this helps.
Adaptation depends on the type of light the coral was used to and to what light you will be offering to the corals. That is true in any case of adaptation to a different type of light or intensity, not only halides. Common sense is the key.

Start one hour a day for 2 days, then 2 hours a day for 3 days, 3 hours a day for 4 days and so on. This is what I recommend to anyone to start with, either with supplementation or not, assuming that the system the corals are in is a mature system and it's running without any problems, without any type of stress on the corals and no recent changes. Any time you see any initial signs of bleaching, get back 2 hours in the schedule of the halides.

The spectrum matters a lot too! "Whiter" light generally represents more PAR. This is the case when PAR matters in terms of knowing the facts. The PAR is also connected to the wattage (of the old and new light). So the light you had and the new light (halides) need to be similar when you aim for the final photoperiod. We don't need to measure the PAR, but add it to the common sense in the scale of your brain, observing. The biggest the difference between the 2 lights, the longer the adaptation needs to be. Just add more days to the schedule, like: 1 hour a day for 3 days, then 2 hours a day for 5 days, or something similar to that.

The final photoperiod will depend on the suplemental lights you will add to the equation and can be anywhere from 4 hours to 8 or 10 hours a day. Back in the day it was normal to leave the halides on for up to 12 hours. But it's not necessary and that is kinda touchy to handle. Anything unnecessary would naturally mean a waste of electricity or critical bleaching.
The application needs to be right. It's basically the balance of the height of the tank and wattage of the bulbs. The reflector also needs to be accordingly to the dimensions of the system (length x width x height) for proper light distribution. It is less critical in many cases and can be adapted bringing it upper or lower to the water surface and in most cases it works somehow because it's just hard to miss the mark with halides!
But it's much easier than it sounds!!!!!!!! Your corals will love you forever!

I have that fixture from Champion Lighting. You would be surprised with it's quality for that price! It's just the fixture, no ballasts. I'm not sure why they call "shell". Normally the shell is the metal that is around the reflector, as far as I know.

 

[wrassie86]

So starting with new tank and no coral yet can I just start at 6-8 hours of mh or what does everyone suggest ?

I Agree with a grandis, But my answer would be depends, If I order from say Battle corals and choose corals from (halide tanks (If he still does that) I might mount some right away, When I buy from my local LFS who for what ever reason runs there led tanks very dim and blue and acros pretty much look like turds, they sit in rack off to side for a week. if I don't know there lighting history they sit in the rack depending on what they look like.

 

[Nonya]

The spectrum matters a lot too! "Whiter" light generally represents more PAR.

Not sure about the logic there. Photosynthesis peaks in the blue & red spectra.

I'm currently using violet-blue spectrum LEDs with a minor supplement using white LEDs. My PPFD is very high, and I find it's superior to all-white. MH is good too. I liked >12,000K bulbs for a combination of growth and pigmentation back when I was using them.

 

[A. grandis]

Not sure about the logic there. Photosynthesis peaks in the blue & red spectra.

I'm currently using violet-blue spectrum LEDs with a minor supplement using white LEDs. My PPFD is very high, and I find it's superior to all-white. MH is good too. I liked >12,000K bulbs for a combination of growth and pigmentation back when I was using them.

We are talking about adapting the corals to a new light.
PAR is the part of spectrum from 400nm to 700nm, not only blue or red.
Wattage will also play some.

 

[Reefahholic]

I’m still undecided about how many hours to run a day and also about the percentage to run my LED’s.

To me it would seem logical that if the Halides are 14K and more of a white spectrum that the LED’s would be better if they were programmed to hit a more blue spectrum like 20K. That way the corals get both spectrums. I have the LED’s ramp to 50% 20K (always) as the Halides come on.


When Halides go off they ramp back up to 100%. Still 20K.

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

What bulb and ballast are you running?

Reef Brite 250w digital ballasts and Hamilton 14k bulbs.

 

[Reefahholic]

Reef Brite 250w digital ballasts and Hamilton 14k bulbs.

Same here.

 

[A. grandis]

I’m still undecided about how many hours to run a day and also about the percentage to run my LED’s.

To me it would seem logical that if the Halides are 14K and more of a white spectrum that the LED’s would be better if they were programmed to hit a more blue spectrum like 20K. That way the corals get both spectrums. I have the LED’s ramp to 50% 20K (always) as the Halides come on.


When Halides go off they ramp back up to 100%. Still 20K.

The 14K halide has "both spectrums". Nothing wrong using the LEDs to add the blues as you wish. You need to find the percentage. I have no experiences with LEDs used for supplementation. I use t5 bulbs instead.

 

[Reefahholic]

The 14K halide has "both spectrums". Nothing wrong using the LEDs to add the blues as you wish. You need to find the percentage. I have no experiences with LEDs used for supplementation. I use t5 bulbs instead.

I’d rather T5’s myself, but I already have the Radions. They are so easily controlled which is a huge plus. A buddy came in from out of town and he’s running 14K Ushio’s. We were talking about how 14K almost drowns out all the blue supplements. He’s gonna switch to Hamilton 20K. We were wondering if the Radium’s will be similar since their 20K. We know it won’t run that bulb to spec, and only the M80 seems to do that the best, but would it be similar to the Hamilton 20K or will it be totally different? I mean is it ok to run the Radium on RB 250w eballast? Will there be a big PAR loss compared to a Hamilton that runs to spec.? I know there will be a par loss compared to the Radiums running to spec on M80’s, but let’s say specifically only comparing it to Hamilton 20K. How much different is that gonna be?

 

[wrassie86]

I’m still undecided about how many hours to run a day and also about the percentage to run my LED’s.

To me it would seem logical that if the Halides are 14K and more of a white spectrum that the LED’s would be better if they were programmed to hit a more blue spectrum like 20K. That way the corals get both spectrums. I have the LED’s ramp to 50% 20K (always) as the Halides come on.


When Halides go off they ramp back up to 100%. Still 20K.

Its tricky with 2 sets of high powered lights. My halides are my main lighting source and led bar lights or supplemental + we'll call them. since I know there brighter than the T5"s they replaced. The bar lights I have are non-adjustable just on off, ebay lights they work just fine and look great, 2 x 50/50 3 x blue (Monday will be 4 blue.) blue12hrs, 50/50 8 hrs , 3x250 hamilton 20k DE) 5 hrs. I was running 10k but started seeing lighting in my LPS, I do have Pheonix 14k on the way since they always were my favorite. My goal was to saturate the corals with MH/LED for 5-6 hrs then a decent supplemental period after of not all blue. I achieved exactly what I was looking for color wise. my lps are doing great, new acros all seem very happy.

I tried this same thing with 3xMH and 3X viparspectra running something like 30 blue and 1 white just to have a decent sup period, but I believe I cooked a lot of acros with that set up and really lightened a large hammer coral I've had for years now,

Just for kicks there is a farmer with video out a year or 2 ago JF I believe, he runs his MH 2 hrs and reef bright blue bars for 12hrs. I don't remember what MH wattages he was running in the tour video.

Just trying to give you an idea, Use your radions as a supplemental that stay on like 4x t5's nothing crazy and tune the MH in, your MH run time could be anywhere from 5 to 8hrs, I would do 6 and hold see what happens. Tuesday, I hope to take my final Par readings with MH on/off. I believe I'm just under what 3x 14k 400 watt MH would put out for my tank and that was the goal.