Going back to MH

Member No. 1

Member No. 1

Ver. 2.1.1
Premium Member
First off...
Please - Let's not turn this into yet another MH vs LED debate.

So as the title states, I'm going back to MH/T5. I ran this combo for years.

I still have my old AquaMedic 48" (2) 250w DE with (2)54w T5's. I always ran Phoenix 14K lamps.
This had (2) M80 ballasts.

Now to the reason for my post.
I want to update/upgrade this light.
The two I'm looking at are the Giesmann Infinity which is (2) 250w DE with (4) 54w T5's I will run
the Phoenix 14K lamps in this.
The other is a Hamilton (2) 250w mogul base with (4) 54w T5's. I would run Radium 20K's.

Either way, I will be going with electronic ballasts for the MH. I want them quiet, and I need a small
form factor due to the placement.

So, I welcome your thoughts, input, etc. on fixture, lamps, and ballast selection.

TIA
 
Halide is still the best light for Sps grow. U can add some blue led bar to make the coral pop. The newer electronic ballast run quieter and lower in electricity consume.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Though the Giesemann Infinity is definitely the sexier looking fixture, I would go with the Hamilton fixture. The reflectors for the DE bulbs on the Infinity are tiny whereas the Hamilton’s reflector spans the entire length of the fixture.

Although Radiums are designed to run on M80 magnetic ballasts, if you go electronic, make sure you have and HQI setting on it so you can overdrive the bulbs at least closer to what M80s can achieve.
 
ycnibrc said:
Halide is still the best light for Sps grow. U can add some blue led bar to make the coral pop. The newer electronic ballast run quieter and lower in electricity consume.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Yup, 100% agree. Ran them for years, should have never taken the walk on the dark side! Pun intended!

I think with the (4) T5's running (2) True Atinics and (2) Blue Plus I will have plenty of "Pop"
 
LQT said:
Though the Giesemann Infinity is definitely the sexier looking fixture, I would go with the Hamilton fixture. The reflectors for the DE bulbs on the Infinity are tiny whereas the Hamilton's reflector spans the entire length of the fixture.

Although Radiums are designed to run on M80 magnetic ballasts, if you go electronic, make sure you have and HQI setting on it so you can overdrive the bulbs at least closer to what M80s can achieve.
Click to expand...

Thanks, this was the way I was leaning anyway.
Was thinking this ballast set at 275w.

https://hamiltontechnology.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=25_108&product_id=177

My only concern is that the Radium 20K will be to "blue" as compared to the Phoenix 14K DE
 
My understanding is that if you drive that Radium with an m80, you get the crisp color rendition with a blue tint. If it is driven at less than spec, it may be too overly blue. Perhaps with the electronic ballasts that you intend on using, a bulb like a Giesemann Megachrome 17.5 may be a better choice.

Where’s [MENTION=52115]jda[/MENTION] the MH guy when you need him? :D
 
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If you use that AquaMedic, then you will still want the Phoenix 14k - still the best of breed bulb in DE.

Electronic on HQI will get close to the M8. If you don't want those cube ballasts, I will buy them from you - I am always looking for me.

Radium 20k SE are HQI bulbs, so they need m80s too. Again, an electronic on HQI setting (or Super Lumens) will do OK, but not the same.

Infinity is the same performance as the Aquamedic except for 2 more T5s. Reflectors are about the same. Form factor is different. Spectra is a bit different with larger reflectors.

Radium 20k on HQI is pretty close to a 14k Phoenix. They get bluer on electronic ballasts. 14k Hamilton is a nice bulb. You will have t5s which can shift the color a bit.

IIRC, the Giesemann bulbs are HQI too.
 
jda said:
If you use that AquaMedic, then you will still want the Phoenix 14k - still the best of breed bulb in DE.

Electronic on HQI will get close to the M8. If you don't want those cube ballasts, I will buy them from you - I am always looking for me.

Radium 20k SE are HQI bulbs, so they need m80s too. Again, an electronic on HQI setting (or Super Lumens) will do OK, but not the same.

Infinity is the same performance as the Aquamedic except for 2 more T5s. Reflectors are about the same. Form factor is different. Spectra is a bit different with larger reflectors.

Radium 20k on HQI is pretty close to a 14k Phoenix. They get bluer on electronic ballasts. 14k Hamilton is a nice bulb. You will have t5s which can shift the color a bit.

IIRC, the Giesemann bulbs are HQI too.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info!

The AquaMedic will be put to rest, I want to upgrade to (4) T5's.

I'm leaning toward the Hamilton. The light package comes with your choice of MH & T5 lamps, and either magnetic or electronic ballets. I was thinking the electronic for several reasons. Noise level, slight energy savings, size. I plan on putting these under my stand. If I did go M80, they would need to be in the basement about 10-15' away from the light fixture.

Fixture: https://hamiltontechnology.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=17_74_77&product_id=66
Ballasts: https://hamiltontechnology.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=25_108&product_id=177
And: https://hamiltontechnology.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=25_108&product_id=180

What are your thoughts of using the Hamilton 250 Electronic and driving the Radium 20k at 275W?
 
Consider this too... the new Hamilton 20k was made to look very similar to 20k Radium, but be run with a "normal" 250w ballast. This might be a good choice to run on electronic.

Call Dave at Hamilton - he is really easy to work with. He can probably answer all of your questions.

Don't forget about me if you are retiring that AquaMedic unit. I still use them and love to have spares for parts and stuff. :)
 
jda said:
Consider this too... the new Hamilton 20k was made to look very similar to 20k Radium, but be run with a "normal" 250w ballast. This might be a good choice to run on electronic.

Call Dave at Hamilton - he is really easy to work with. He can probably answer all of your questions.

Don't forget about me if you are retiring that AquaMedic unit. I still use them and love to have spares for parts and stuff. :)
Click to expand...

Thanks - I'll give Dave a call.

As to the AquaMedic - If the new light works out, boy do I have a deal for you!
 
Michael Hoaster said:
Great thread! How tall is the tank? Have you considered 400 watt?
Click to expand...

It's a standard 120 - 48"x24"x24" SPS
I have thought about 400w MH, but from all my research, it seems that it would be an overkill. Plus, and I could have this wrong, is that the 250w driven right will put out slightly more, some close to 300w, whereas the 400W, again driven right, seems to come in slightly under 400w. So I'm think that with the 250w, I'm getting more bang for my energy buck.

Plus I will have (4) 54w T5's supplementing. That's an additional 216w.
 
Sounds good! Just thought I'd ask.

My tank is 30 inches deep, and I'm modeling a shallow water seagrass lagoon, so it's 400 watts and 6500K for me. I'm using a Spider Light reflector (so hot back in the 90s!) that gives me enough spread to light the whole 5 1/2 foot tank with only one bulb.

Good luck with your build!
 
Michael Hoaster said:
Sounds good! Just thought I'd ask.

My tank is 30 inches deep, and I'm modeling a shallow water seagrass lagoon, so it's 400 watts and 6500K for me. I'm using a Spider Light reflector (so hot back in the 90s!) that gives me enough spread to light the whole 5 1/2 foot tank with only one bulb.

Good luck with your build!
Click to expand...

Cool!

Good luck with yours!
 
LQT said:
Though the Giesemann Infinity is definitely the sexier looking fixture, I would go with the Hamilton fixture. The reflectors for the DE bulbs on the Infinity are tiny whereas the Hamilton’s reflector spans the entire length of the fixture.

Although Radiums are designed to run on M80 magnetic ballasts, if you go electronic, make sure you have and HQI setting on it so you can overdrive the bulbs at least closer to what M80s can achieve.
Click to expand...

the Giesemann Infiniti out performed all the MH fixtures from the Spectra to the Hamilton check BRS video on it so fake news lol...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=HKnZq0-0ghY&feature=emb_title

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/vide...-vs-single-end-metal-halides-which-is-better/
 
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Last edited:
greekspec said:
you ever own a Giesemann Infiniti or Spectra unit?
Click to expand...

Nope... but I did have a 48” Hamilton Cebu Sun (maybe it was called something else) back in the early 2000s, but it was flanked by power compacts back then as opposed to the T5s on today’s fixtures! :)
 
The nice thing about Hamilton ballast and lights they give you a lot of extra wiring. I do not find them to be loud unless they are just being fired.
 
Funny I have a Giesemann Infinity and I have the Phoniex 14k and I found the bulb to be yellow, very yellow. I even had people check out the bulb maybe I bought a counterfeit. So I am hoping that you have a better experience than I had.
A dual MH with 4 T-5's makes a perfect sunrise to sunset lighting added a BLue XHo and wa-la perfection.
 
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