Halide Q & A

[biecacka]

question, i have a 4pc 96wt each and 3 250wt halide fixture on my 220 that is 30 inches deep. the tank is a softy an lps tank, i have the pc bulbs on for 10 hours and the halides on for 5hours. do you think this is enough light even for the softy lps at the bottom of my tank
corey

 

[iheartJMS]

I am getting a new (to me) 120 gallon acrylic tank next week that is around 48x24x24. I am planning on keeping mainly LPS and zoa's, and maybe some softies. I don't plan on having any SPS. Any recommendations on an affordable lighting setup? What do you guys think about the Aqua-Media Oceanlight HQI Pendant? I can get a used one for $100 that comes with the ballast and everything. Also has an almost new bulb and hanging kit. Works perfectly and is less than two years old. Should I jump on that and eventually get another or what?

Thanks

 

[Jim.mer]

it takes more than good lighting to have a succesful sps tank. you need greAt flow good calcium levels and alot of luck

 

[Tony Romano]

Hey Walter,
Im not sure if your ? Has been answered but I have the same light fixture as you only I have the 24" for my 60gal cube. I thought about doing the upgrade myself about 2 weeks ago but until I finally called Coralife ( by the way #is 1 (800) 255-4527) and was told that it is possible, but too much work and parts that may even be too difficult to find will be needed in doing this upgrade. I don't remember the exact parts but I do remember been told that obviously the ballast would need to be replaced along with the exit cord comming from the fixture itself due to the 250watt ballast have a much thicker round connection also the housing of the bulbs are different, and ofcourse the bulb itself. Oh and by the way they don't have or should I say make a upgrade kit, you will need to get all this yourself. Well hope I was able to help. Good luck.

Did you do the upgrade Walter?

 

[wilky9393]

Great 3 yr old thread, mh are still around!lets update in 2014

 

[CarlosS]

Hi Guys

I would like to change mu VHO and replace them for leds. Currently I have 2x400w Metal Halides 10.000K and 2x140w Actinics.

I like 24 1 watt leds of 465nm with 60º lens. What you think?

 

[DoubleVanos]

I'm having a little bit of trouble getting my halides to fire properly.

Equipment: Two 250w XM 10000k bulbs, two Galaxy 250w ballasts, standard parabolic reflectors.

The right side (closer to the ballast/power) seems okay, but the other one only fires only when it feels like it. I've taken out and screwed in the bulb a dozen different ways and very rarely does it ever work. When it does actually work, it works pretty well with no performance issues. I know it's not the ballast or the bulb because both work fine on the right side.

What circumstances could cause a halide bulb not to work?

 

[Alex T.]

Maybe the mogul socket is bad.

 

[gohstwrighter]

I'm having a little bit of trouble getting my halides to fire properly.

Equipment: Two 250w XM 10000k bulbs, two Galaxy 250w ballasts, standard parabolic reflectors.

The right side (closer to the ballast/power) seems okay, but the other one only fires only when it feels like it. I've taken out and screwed in the bulb a dozen different ways and very rarely does it ever work. When it does actually work, it works pretty well with no performance issues. I know it's not the ballast or the bulb because both work fine on the right side.

What circumstances could cause a halide bulb not to work?

reading this remindid me of my cousins tank we got from her uncle whin we picked up the reef in south florida all the lights worked fine two 4ft VHO'son an icecap balest and two 250watt (MH)'s on a single balest every thang worked fine for about a week and thin one side of the balest started acting up /not allways coming on win it was supose too,and win it did come on it wasent vary bright thin one day it qit all together , wee tride swaping the wires in the plugs on the balest and the opiset light came on like it was supoes to .wee talked to a few reef shops nearby that caried the same balest and was told ther was a bad relay in the serkitry for a few monts one year but it didint appear till a year or more later win the balest was out of warenty.
the short of it was we had to by a new ballest

 

[Islander84]

I have a 30" deep tank and need help choosing new bulbs. I am running a current outer orbit mh/t5 fixture w 2 250watt 10 k and 4 actinic t5... I would like to get some bulbs that have nice blue color with good growth. Sps tank...couple lps on sand bed..

I was looking at the phoenix 14k....and xm 20 k....what are the differences in these...growth/color

 

[kingfisherflesh]

Dont really know where to post this, so I will start here...anyone have comparison shots of Phoenix bulbs...10 and 14k? I have to decide between the two...already know I want that brand...used to be an ushio guy but I would like just a tad more blue...so now I just have to decide between the two of these, but cant seem to find any comparisons between the two. Thanks

 

[reefmanmatt]

can i wire this up ??

can i wire this up ??

i have two 175 watt se halides i run on my setup , doing some changes and had a thought... maybe someone can help ? can i hook up the two 175's to one side of my dual 400 pfo ballast ? i was looking at the 175 and noticed it takes 200 watts ... did the math ...seems like a go to me ??? the idea is to consolidate , im hooking up a prop tank and would like to run my current halides and the 400 for over the new setup off this pfo . thanks for any thoughts or help in advance -- matt

 

[reefmanmatt]

i have two 175 watt se halides i run on my setup , doing some changes and had a thought... maybe someone can help ? can i hook up the two 175's to one side of my dual 400 pfo ballast ? i was looking at the 175 and noticed it takes 200 watts ... did the math ...seems like a go to me ??? the idea is to consolidate , im hooking up a prop tank and would like to run my current halides and the 400 for over the new setup off this pfo . thanks for any thoughts or help in advance -- matt

well....does anybody have some old 175's i can :furious:blow up then??? ??? ??? ??? ???:headwally::headwalls::headwally:

 

[reefmanmatt]

seriously .... mh guys !!!! were are you ?? can i do anything like vho's with the dual 400 pfo ? i have no use for it yet otherwise and i just cant wait ... ... ...would love to run some 175's and some vho's with it - hasnt anyone attempted this ???

 

[hbubble]

Hey, we are trying to reduce the # of tanks in the basement. Planning on consolodating the sump and refug. Have a 120 cube tank that will work nicely for the refuge-loaded with sand and will transplant about 75lbs of rock to fill it 3/4 up, then replant the mangroves. Want to get rid of the MH lighting for heat reasons and put up T5's. Is this going to be adequate for growth. (will disband the corols currently growing in "cube" ) Want this to be a refug. Protein skimmer will be set up in separate 50 gallon tank with Ca+reactor probes, leveler, heaters,etc.
What do you think on the lights especially??

 

[dwolson2]

I have this fxture:
http://fishneedit.com/250w-metal-halide-pendant-lig.html

I am trying to replace the bulb in it and have read about different base types. Which base type do I have? Thank you!

 

[Amoore311]

Can anyone give me some insight into reflectors?

I lit my 180 (6x2x2)with (3) 250 Watt DE Finished Lumenbrite Pendants with great success.


My new tank is 36" x 37" x 18". Would I be able to use one of my Lumenbrite pendants to effectively light this tank for SPS? I know the standard effective light area is closer to 2' x 2', but with a 250 Watt DE Halide over an 18" tank I figured I could raise it up a bit.

Is there a better finished pendant/reflector I can look into if raising the lumenbrite up will not work?

 

[1Fish]

OK I am new to the MH world. I going to put 2 400 watt mogel MH's On my new 120 (48x24x24) with two VHO's. Now my question is what ballast do yall prefer Magnetic or electronic and what are the advantages and disadvantages.

 

[Amoore311]

Have you bought the halides yet? Only reason I ask is 400 watt is overkill for 24" depth.

I ran 250 watt DE phoenix 14k halides in lumenbrite pendants on my 180 (24" depth as well) for 2+ years. I had sps growing even at the very bottom of the tank.

I used Electronic ballasts since the bulbs were HQI. I prefer double ended bulbs to single ended.

 

[TruespeedEM1]

just bought a 265 gallon tank (8x2x30") I currently have 250w Maristar fixture on my 120 gallon, and was thinking about metal halides for my 265. What brands do you suggest, as well as bulbs and wattage. Thanks