Halide Q & A

I will dive in deeper when I get back, it never loaded plots for me on iPad. I use Firefox at home and there are times it won't load the plots.
 
I sent an email to the admin there about the failure to load plots. It has been a week with no response. I've been using Google search of advanced aquarist to find old articles for plots. It isn't as good as being able to compare bulb to bulb, but it will get you buy.
 
I've gotten tired of using room light or a small led shop light as light for my aquarium. I have a 6ft X 18in X 20in 125. Only current light is from the 2 ceiling lights in the room. This is going to sound crazy but can I get by using: a 48in long dual T-12 fixture, 48 watts each bulb (2) for 96w total? If so is there a recommended height from top of tank? (let the old school jokes begin lol)

I'm planning on a FOWLR to start but could this be used for any type of coral or c.prolifera?

Not a long term answer, but the led lights I want are a little $$$, need time to save.
 
Ok. I have a Marineland halide t5 fixture on my frag tank. I am going to buy an external ballast for the 150 halide bulb. I run a ushio 10k bulb. Looking for input in a ballast. I am looking at the coralvue switchable or a M81 ballast on Hamilton Web site. Any input on these or a better one?
Thanks

Jeremy
 
Jeremy, go with the M81, and paired with the Ushio 10K it is a smoking hot combination. Be prepared to acclimate the corals to the light.
 
Couple questions. Someone local is selling 3 400w halide electronic blueline ballasts, and reflectors for a decent price.

Is 3 400w overkill for a 180g I aslo have 2 80w t5's and the halides would be replacing rb value fixtures?

Can radiums be run on those ballasts?

Can I run them for 5-6 hrs a day vs the 10 I run leds?

Thanks for any help.
 
james30ct said:
Couple questions. Someone local is selling 3 400w halide electronic blueline ballasts, and reflectors for a decent price.

Is 3 400w overkill for a 180g I aslo have 2 80w t5's and the halides would be replacing rb value fixtures?

Can radiums be run on those ballasts?

Can I run them for 5-6 hrs a day vs the 10 I run leds?

Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...
3x400w over a 180g is not overkill for an sps tank but imo you can get by with 3x250w if you have a good ballast/bulb combo and is the way I would go for heat/electricity savings over the 400's
 
Hi guys

I really need your exp with mh.Used them before but not diy.
In a tank 95x95x80 cm(37x37x31 inch,if i'm not mistaken:) ) would a 250w bulb do the job or a 400w is necessary?
I have a liteco ballast(250w) and a nice big reflector.
Tank will be full of sps but only above the middle.

Thank you in advance and your help is much appreciated:beer:
 
Back in the day of single-ended bulbs only, 3x400 watt MH bulbs is not unheard of. In fact, a LFS has a 10-year old 200 gallon display with 4x 400 bulbs and 4x VHO URI actinics. They are getting some serious growth and color with no signs of bleaching. However, with DE lamps on the market, I'd go with 250-watt DE on a M80 pulse ballast (Radium) or Ushio/Iwasaki version which requires an M58 ballasts. The 250-watt DE allegedly producen nearly as much PAR as a 400 watt bulb.

Note: there are few electronic ballast that drive DE lamps. Icecap offered one in the 250 watt range but it is discontinued. There are some hydroponic 250-watt ballasts that should be able to drive a DE ballast but I'm not sure. Most folks are going back non-electronic as they are more reliable. 15 years ago I ran Blue-line 400-wattt electronic ballasts. They lasted 5-years before dying on me.
 
Thanks boot for your trouble:beer:
I'll try the 250 and if it's not enough i'll go with the 400 bulb and ballast.
At least,i hope,the reflector will be perfect for my dimensions and won't have to change that too.

Thanks again!
 
Question for anyone....I've been running T5's for the past 8 years on my SPS tank with good success. I'm setting up a new tank that is 140G (48" x 28" x 24") and really want to use halides. What retrofit setup would you recommend, everything from the reflector to bulb to ballast? And where online can I purchase it?

I'm building a canopy so I can custom size the height to accommodate. I've been looking at the online reef vendors but their MH options are limited now with LEDs entering the market.

I love the look (color) of the 14k Phoenix bulbs and also the 20k radium.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.
 
Before I pull the trigger... Here's what I'm looking at picking up for a Standard 180:

Giesemann Infiniti DE Fixture - 3x250 + 4x80w T5
3x Hamilton Technology magnetic HQI Ballast
3x Phoenix 14k bulb
2x ATI Blue Plus bulb
2x ATI True Actinic bulb

Anything you would talk me out of/into, or have I come to the proper conclusion?
 
TylerHaworth said:
Before I pull the trigger... Here's what I'm looking at picking up for a Standard 180:

Giesemann Infiniti DE Fixture - 3x250 + 4x80w T5
3x Hamilton Technology magnetic HQI Ballast
3x Phoenix 14k bulb
2x ATI Blue Plus bulb
2x ATI True Actinic bulb

Anything you would talk me out of/into, or have I come to the proper conclusion?
Click to expand...

I'd consider 3 blue+ and 1 purple+ instead of the actinics, but you can't go wrong with your combo either.
 
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