Tony Romano
New member
I suspect that maybe best way to go. What are your NO3 and PO4 levels?
Halide Q & A
- Thread starter BlueCorn
- Start date
Kinetic
Active member
I just tried to setup my new Giesemann Infinity, and the T5's fired up great, but now the halides won't at all. The ballasts don't even buzz. I tried reseating the hqi lamps over and over, and pushed as hard as I could, but I think they're all the way down. The spring contacts on the lamps look solid too.
The ballasts are confusing me, as there's two, and they don't buzz, and they power the T5's somehow.
Here's some pictures, let me know if I'm doing something wrong?
The ballasts are confusing me, as there's two, and they don't buzz, and they power the T5's somehow.
Here's some pictures, let me know if I'm doing something wrong?
Zach.Attack6
New member
Just wanted to know if any of you halide guys have, seen the thread with, picture comparisons between diffent k bulbs and their ballasts and if you have can I have a link
Tony Romano
New member
Tony Romano
New member
Coralvue or reef specialty have PICS of different K bulbs over same tank. I am not aware of comprehensive list accross brands.
Kinetic
Active member
I haven't gotten it to work, tried for another 2 hours today, reseated the bulbs like 5 times, giving plenty of time in between just in case. I tried a brand new phoenix 14K HQI 250watt as well, that didn't either.
No flickering, nothing at all. Ballasts don't get warm at all, no buzz.
This is interesting though:
I looked inside the fixture with a flashlight in one end, I could see two blue lines going to the right side of the fixture behind the right pair of T5 reflectors, but then there's blue lines on the left pair of T5's that go out to the chords. It looks almost certain that the cables are going to the wrong side, and the wiring is backwards.
Lines going from halides to the right:
Lines going out of the fixture, notice the right side has no blue lines, left has two
Closer shot of the left side getting two blues. I didn't see anywhere else where the blues were coming from:
tangtang clown
New member
I ordered 5 150watt 20k bulbs for a friend and myself. I really like to Plusrite so far. Here is a link to pics I took when they were delivered. The pics of the tank are with the Odyssea T5s on also, which I don't care the their blue color. I actually like the color of the plusrites without the T5s on. Does anyone know where to get 15" T5s?
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1688567&page=12
I can take some pics of just the 20k plusrites if you would like. IMHO, not a bad deal for $20 shipped, but these are my first MH fixtures. :reading:
Kinetic
Active member
With this setup:
2x 250watt DE Giesemann 13K MegaChrome Marine
2x 54watt T5 Giesemann Actinic Plus
2x 54watt T5 Giesemann Aqua Blue
What do you think about this lighting schedule?
T5 - 9 hours, 8 hours each, 7 hours overlap
MH - 5 hours, 4 hours each, 2 hours overlap
Is that enough light?
2x 250watt DE Giesemann 13K MegaChrome Marine
2x 54watt T5 Giesemann Actinic Plus
2x 54watt T5 Giesemann Aqua Blue
What do you think about this lighting schedule?
T5 - 9 hours, 8 hours each, 7 hours overlap
MH - 5 hours, 4 hours each, 2 hours overlap
Is that enough light?
aaron1987
New member
I'd love to hear an answer to this, too. I'm using a 250w bulb.
tangtang clown
New member
Anyone know where I can get a 150w HQI ballast?
phobos2deimos
New member
I'm thinking about putting a 400w MH 14k on my 8' long 240. 24" deep, mixed reef.
I'd like to put just one on a light track with a lumenmax or lumenbright reflector.
What do y'all think?
I'd like to put just one on a light track with a lumenmax or lumenbright reflector.
What do y'all think?
LifeAquatic
New member
10k bulb equals rapid coral growth. Not the best looking to the human eye tho.
20K bulb equals good coral coloration. Is not the best for coral growth. Light looks more blue to the human eye.
14 K bulb is right in the middle. You get decent coral growth and decent coral color.
I use a 14k light and some of my sps have doubled in size over 6 months. Yes, Doubled! All but one of my acros doesnt have good color. But I bought it at discount praying it would change. 3 weeks later and its starting to get color back.
20K bulb equals good coral coloration. Is not the best for coral growth. Light looks more blue to the human eye.
14 K bulb is right in the middle. You get decent coral growth and decent coral color.
I use a 14k light and some of my sps have doubled in size over 6 months. Yes, Doubled! All but one of my acros doesnt have good color. But I bought it at discount praying it would change. 3 weeks later and its starting to get color back.
LifeAquatic
New member
oops.... 250w 14k HQI. Also, I use PC antinic. Not t5
f1shb0y
New member
are the hqi clamp lamps any good? i was planning on getting this one:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=15489
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=15489
phobos2deimos
New member
That should be great for a 20" high tank. I'm not sure that it will cover a 36" footprint so well.
You could go with a lumenmax reflector and raise it up higher, but you may need to go to 400w.
Felixc395
Registered Member
Hi. I have had a 37 gallon reef tank with zoanthids and soft corals for about a year and a half now. I currently have a light that is a power compact system. I have one 65 watt 420nm actinic light and one 65 watt 10k daylight bulb. The coral growth has been very slow and I would like to get LPS and SPS corals, as well as clams. So I looked at metal halide fixtures, but unfortunately I have odd dimensions. The tank is 30''tall, 12'' wide, and 17'' tall. I couldn't find any fixtures that are 30'' long beside pendants. I have a canopy I would like to keep on, so pendants wouldn't work for me. Could I mount a fixture into the top of my canopy? I'm confused. What should I do?
austin93
Don't Panic!
Stupid question. I was wondering if the new halides (250 Blue Wave 7 w/ radiums) would normally make a kind of burning smell for the first few days. Its actually only been a day, but I can smell them. Wired correctly and I see no other issues other than new bulbs and new reflectors. Thanks, wife is worried.
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