Another 'Back to Halides' thread...

[Greybeard]

After a 10 year hiatus, I got back into reefing a year and a half ago, with a 60g cube. Went all 'high tech'... dosing pump with BRS 2part, Aquaticlife Halo LED... Eshopps RS100 3rd gen sump/ref with it's fancy water channel design... All this fancy stuff just isn't working for me. Slow growth rates being the primary issue.

I've been fighting calc/alk bouncing all over the place and low pH since I set the system up. Pulled the dosing pump and 2part and switched back to Kalk from my ATO, everything is solid again. Pulled the fancy sump/ref, and put in a plain Jane sump that I can actually clean once in a while. Back to simple, old school, and things are getting better.

I'm about done with my Halo. This tank is open top (I do have a screen over it), and going to stay that way, I don't want a canopy. With the room it's in, hanging a light from the ceiling would be a nightmare. I've looked at t5's, but I really just don't want a big slab of lighting over the tank.

Anybody have a Hamilton Bimini Sun reflector? How's it working out for you? How heavy is it? I'm thinking that I can come up with a way to mount the Bimini sun from the HALO mount I have, as long as it's not built like a brick.

I'm just tired of screwing with it, and I _KNOW_ that a 14k 250w DE halide will give me the growth rates I'm looking for. Yeah, it'll be higher electric usage, and yeah, I've gotta put in a new bulb every once in a while, but having used halides in the past, it's a known quantity.

On my old tank with halides, it was all enclosed. This was a much larger system, with 3x 400w halides, on old PFO magnetic ballasts. I had to run a chiller to keep the heat under control. I'm hoping that with this setup, open top, pendant hanging with air all around it, that the heat won't be so bad. Really don't have the room for a chiller, I'm hoping that a fan will do the trick. Anyone else have a 250w pendant over an open 60g cube? How's the heat issue?

Room shot, just to show why hanging a light would be a challenge...

 

[OllieNZ]

In regards to the hanging kit, have you seen the ADA Solar Arm stand? It's designed to support a hanging halide pendant.

 

[reefwiser]

I hear you I did the same thing tried Kessils and Ecotech radions. Just no the growth I knew was possible. I use a reeftech Mh/led fixture. They come with a good electronic ballast. The ballast uses less electric the the radion it replaced.
It has made the difference in my tank.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Arthur1]

Thankfully, my beard is not grey yet...I have set up plenty of LED aquariums and in all honesty will always prefer metal halide myself. Something I will not say more about at this moment. I had a 250 watt single end going on a smaller cube aquarium for some time and it was 10 inches off of the water with no issues, but the biggest factor was just the ambient room temperature, a fan will help as you mentioned. I am not a fan of such narrow reflectors and would recommend a wider one for a better light spread, since it will be a single source/point. You could always get a pipe bender an make a nice bracket to hold a bigger reflector up, though I do understand that aesthetics apply. Any way you choose to go, good luck and enjoy!

 

[Greybeard]

Nice looking cube, Reefwiser

I'm about decided on the Bimini Sun reflector, certainly on the 250w DE 14k bulb and electronic ballast. If I don't end up liking the reflector, well, I can always swap out the reflector. I just don't like the look of the Cayman Sun reflector.

With all the advances in technology since my last reef, it's odd that halide reflector choices are not any better than they were a decade ago. I suppose they're considered old fashioned these days.

Thanks for the input... still looking for someone who has, or had, a Bimini sun reflector...

 

[Zacktosterone]

After a 10 year hiatus, I got back into reefing a year and a half ago, with a 60g cube. Went all 'high tech'... dosing pump with BRS 2part, Aquaticlife Halo LED... Eshopps RS100 3rd gen sump/ref with it's fancy water channel design... All this fancy stuff just isn't working for me. Slow growth rates being the primary issue.

I've been fighting calc/alk bouncing all over the place and low pH since I set the system up. Pulled the dosing pump and 2part and switched back to Kalk from my ATO, everything is solid again. Pulled the fancy sump/ref, and put in a plain Jane sump that I can actually clean once in a while. Back to simple, old school, and things are getting better.

I'm about done with my Halo. This tank is open top (I do have a screen over it), and going to stay that way, I don't want a canopy. With the room it's in, hanging a light from the ceiling would be a nightmare. I've looked at t5's, but I really just don't want a big slab of lighting over the tank.

Anybody have a Hamilton Bimini Sun reflector? How's it working out for you? How heavy is it? I'm thinking that I can come up with a way to mount the Bimini sun from the HALO mount I have, as long as it's not built like a brick.

I'm just tired of screwing with it, and I _KNOW_ that a 14k 250w DE halide will give me the growth rates I'm looking for. Yeah, it'll be higher electric usage, and yeah, I've gotta put in a new bulb every once in a while, but having used halides in the past, it's a known quantity.

On my old tank with halides, it was all enclosed. This was a much larger system, with 3x 400w halides, on old PFO magnetic ballasts. I had to run a chiller to keep the heat under control. I'm hoping that with this setup, open top, pendant hanging with air all around it, that the heat won't be so bad. Really don't have the room for a chiller, I'm hoping that a fan will do the trick. Anyone else have a 250w pendant over an open 60g cube? How's the heat issue?

Room shot, just to show why hanging a light would be a challenge...

i have a bimini, bought it from dave at hamilton aquatics. awesome light fixture. not heavy enough for it to be an issue. your 60 gallon cube is going to be over lit with just one. perfect fit for that tank.

click this link https://youtu.be/HKnZq0-0ghY?t=14m43s

here is the info you need. the only difference is that i would run an m80 ballast on it it would boost the bar and run any DE bulb to spec

 

[Mike de Leon]

Given the size and beauty of that room it deserves a bigger tank! Lol

 

[zsuman101]

looks like you got the dough and the place to go big, take a look at giesman halide fixtures, they are what you are looking for especially in that beautiful room

 

[zsuman101]

i dont think your woman will accept anything else, good luck zsu

 

[moondoggy4]

giesemann

giesemann

:thumbsup:

looks like you got the dough and the place to go big, take a look at giesman halide fixtures, they are what you are looking for especially in that beautiful room

I agree a Spectra would look awesome but now are costly.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2615491 not sure if this would fit the bill.

 

[Greybeard]

i have a bimini, bought it from dave at hamilton aquatics. awesome light fixture. not heavy enough for it to be an issue. your 60 gallon cube is going to be over lit with just one. perfect fit for that tank.

click this link https://youtu.be/HKnZq0-0ghY?t=14m43s

here is the info you need. the only difference is that i would run an m80 ballast on it it would boost the bar and run any DE bulb to spec

Can you estimate the weight for the reflector?

I'd seen the BRS video. BRS responded to my question on the weight of the Bimini Sun reflector, saying it weighs 10 lbs. I don't buy that for a second... may be shipping weight, if it's packed really well.

I'm definitely running an electronic ballast, either the Hamilton, or LuxCore, not sure which yet.

Thanks

 

[Greybeard]

To the several 'bigger tank' posts... uh... no, thanks.

Been there, done that... never again. I very carefully selected the size of this tank, I'm very happy with how it fits into the room, and I never again want to do a water change of more than 10 gallons. I tore down my last large reef many years ago, and memories of that system kept me out of the hobby for a decade. Nope. Not gonna happen.

I looked at the Giesemann 24" Infinity... it's nice... but is it SIX TIMES the cost of the Bimini Sun nice? Not to me, it's not. Sorry.

 

[greaps]

Have to agree on costs. I came very close to buying one myself but could not find any reviews of the fixture other than the BRS video on Metal Halides. If you try it, please post some pictures or video's of what it looks like, I would love to see it.

 

[Zacktosterone]

Can you estimate the weight for the reflector?

I'd seen the BRS video. BRS responded to my question on the weight of the Bimini Sun reflector, saying it weighs 10 lbs. I don't buy that for a second... may be shipping weight, if it's packed really well.

I'm definitely running an electronic ballast, either the Hamilton, or LuxCore, not sure which yet.

Thanks

I'll get an absolute confirmation on the weight today.
Out of the two if your not going to go with the proper ballast it would go better with the selectawatt 250-400 luxcore.

I say proper ballast because if you talk to the engineers that build these bulbs they tell you they want you to use an m80. Reason being that the starting amperage is incorrect and over time they won't be able to fire the bulb due to the initional ignition not being powerful enough so the bulb will not fire and needs to be replaced. That being said, if you then take that same bulb that no longer fires on that ballast, it will fire on an m80.

I got this info from ushios general manager he's been in the buisiness for 30 years and his knowledge in lighting greatly exceeds the reef hobby. Most of the things he said went right over my head lol

I'll get you that weight today by the way

 

[Zacktosterone]

To the several 'bigger tank' posts... uh... no, thanks.

Been there, done that... never again. I very carefully selected the size of this tank, I'm very happy with how it fits into the room, and I never again want to do a water change of more than 10 gallons. I tore down my last large reef many years ago, and memories of that system kept me out of the hobby for a decade. Nope. Not gonna happen.

I looked at the Giesemann 24" Infinity... it's nice... but is it SIX TIMES the cost of the Bimini Sun nice? Not to me, it's not. Sorry.

I have to agree. I just tore down my big reef. Huge headache. I almost quit the hobby

I was going to buy the giesemann but

The light spill is ridiculous
The bimini comes with a light spill blocker
The support sucks with the giesemann and Dave at Hamilton is a rockstar with customers services
The giesemann is unreasonably expensive,
The giesemann just looks neat....
The bimini is SUPER underated.

Now before I get shot at I have to say a few things.
I've owed a tonne of light fixtures in this order

On my 90 gallon

T5s on my ok growth

2 Kessils only on my 90 terrible growth and bad shadowing, super nice HD look but strobe light shimmer

2 Kessils and 4 t5s , very good growth and color

After breaking down the 90
On my 200 gallon 65x30x24

4x80 watt t5 and 4x75 watt led ati powermodule Ok growth and color

4 Kessils only, terrible again, even with the spectral controller you could see a difference in spectrum and on/off times with the dials turn, and intensity difference when on matched settings


Hamilton cebu sun 3x250 watt halide 4x 80 watt t5. Halides running radium on m80 with 2 true actinics and 2 Hamilton 460nm blue bulbs

Super growth, super shimmer, very happy with the light

Moved and broke it down, purchased a 120

Ran 3 radion g3 pros, great colour poor growth compared to the halide.

Sold the 120 and tried the 200 again with the cebu. Just ran radiums again. Way too blue to my eyes growth was great still.

Got tired of the maintenance and issues . sold it
Went with the 3 bimini only :beachbumn my 60x24x18. With my m80. Love the fixture but it's too soon to tell.

 

[Breadman03]

Nice looking cube, Reefwiser

I'm about decided on the Bimini Sun reflector, certainly on the 250w DE 14k bulb and electronic ballast. If I don't end up liking the reflector, well, I can always swap out the reflector. I just don't like the look of the Cayman Sun reflector.

With all the advances in technology since my last reef, it's odd that halide reflector choices are not any better than they were a decade ago. I suppose they're considered old fashioned these days.

Thanks for the input... still looking for someone who has, or had, a Bimini sun reflector...

Well, halides aren't the current trend for one. Another is that there isn't exactly a whole lot to improve. If my Radions act up once, they're going to be evicted and my Hamilton will be going back up, heat or not!

 

[reefwiser]

Another 'Back to Halides' thread...

I could care less what is currently popular. Having keeping corals since 1985 I have seen a lot of what is popular get thrown in the trash. [emoji3]Mh always works. I went back to what works. As one of my club members says " I never worry about lighting being my problem running 20k MH. "


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Greybeard]

I could care less what is currently popular. Having keeping corals since 1985 I have seen a lot of what is popular get thrown in the trash. [emoji3]Mh always works. I went back to what works. As one of my club members says " I never worry about lighting being my problem running 20k MH. "

Yup. That's why I'm going back, except that I prefer 14k bulbs.

 

[Zacktosterone]

I could care less what is currently popular. Having keeping corals since 1985 I have seen a lot of what is popular get thrown in the trash. [emoji3]Mh always works. I went back to what works. As one of my club members says " I never worry about lighting being my problem running 20k MH. "


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Very well put!! I run 10k myself lol

 

[Breadman03]

I could care less what is currently popular. Having keeping corals since 1985 I have seen a lot of what is popular get thrown in the trash. [emoji3]Mh always works. I went back to what works. As one of my club members says " I never worry about lighting being my problem running 20k MH. "


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Same here, though I am a sucker for cool gear. I just mean that because it isn't the latest buzz, there won't be as many new offerings. I'd be willing to bet that MH had tons of offerings being introduced when they became the hot ticket item.