M007
Acro Whore
Right you are and I will be testing the theory in a few weeks. I take it you are pleased with the switch to MH/T5?
If you could choose 250 or 400 MH
- Thread starter M007
- Start date
Right you are and I will be testing the theory in a few weeks. I take it you are pleased with the switch to MH/T5?
reefmutt
Active member
biggles
Premium Member
Back to my roots..
Could not be happier.
The big positive you two guys also get to enjoy by running the Radium bulbs in particular is that once a day you get to see what your reefs looked like under LED only lighting - about 5 seconds into the bulbs warming up each morning you'll see the LED colored acros.......... :reading:
overexposed
Acroholic
I went with 3x 400W over my 72 inch long x 24 inch high SPS reef. I don't regret it for a second, I'm getting wonderful growth. Nothing is telling me that it's too much power except for the hydro bill, and even that isn't too bad! (Not drastically higher than the previous lights I was using.)
M007
Acro Whore
Hey thanks for the feedback guys, appreciate it! There was a delay in shipping the Cebu but it looks like it worked out for the best. In speaking with my Canadian vendor we were able to swap out the Hamilton 14K for the Radiums and solved a potential ballast issue. The Cebu ships with a standard tar ballast, can't believe anyone even makes those anymore :headwally: but fortunately that got sorted and I will be receiving electronic ballasts. The M80 was mentioned but back ordered at the moment. There wasn't really a definitive opinion on E or M80, does it make a big difference? If so no biggie, I can always get the M80's later. ATI B+ and C+ have arrived so just waiting on the fixture to light 'em up :celeb1:
M007
Acro Whore
Love my Cebu as well. Added 2 ReefBrite XHOs utilizing pre-threaded un-used screws on the unit for an amazing finished look. Plus they have some of the best LED pop in the business. Warning, don't ever look directly at them lol.
Nice to know I can add some RB without too much modification, which ones did you install?
M007
Acro Whore
Wow 400's, nice. I have run 400's in the past, how are you dealing with the heat?
Tweaked
FUP&A Member
2 48" XHO Blues. Pure pop!
michael.lemke
New member
I have been on the phone with Dave at Hamilton three or four times in the past week. He is really good at answering questions about par/energy usage/bulb color differences/reflector and ballast options. If in doubt go to the source. He's really taken care of me. I am going back to 250 HQI from double ended because of the bulb choices. I loved the Phoenix 14k in the past and Hamilton is making a 20k that looks similar with higher par on an electronic ballast. Doing three over a 5'x30"x22" SPS tank. The next choice would be Radium on an hqi ballast though Hamilton claims the electronic ballast they have runs them perfectly.
Wrangy
Acrotrooper
Finally have my 2ft Cebu Sun mounted and hanging properly! Changed the ballast over to a HPS ballast so I can run one of those AMAZING 20k Radium bulbs, soo much better than the 14k Hamilton! Also changed the T5 combo to 2x blue+ and 2x actinic bulb and it's perfect! It's been what I've been searching for for a long time now and now that I have it I couldn't be happier!
(lights have been raised another two inches since this shot, sitting at 6" off water level)
(lights have been raised another two inches since this shot, sitting at 6" off water level
)
M007
Acro Whore
That's good to read, sounds like we're in good hands.
Finally have my 2ft Cebu Sun mounted and hanging properly! Changed the ballast over to a HPS ballast so I can run one of those AMAZING 20k Radium bulbs, soo much better than the 14k Hamilton! Also changed the T5 combo to 2x blue+ and 2x actinic bulb and it's perfect! It's been what I've been searching for for a long time now and now that I have it I couldn't be happier!
(lights have been raised another two inches since this shot, sitting at 6" off water level
Looking good man!
Wrangy
Acrotrooper
:dance::celeb3:
reefmutt
Active member
tom obrecht
Active member
On my standard 120 (24"high) I run 3-250 halides and vho a tunics with Radium bulbs. I set the 2 outside halides at a slight angle towards the middle of the tank and run them about 8 hours/day. The third halide I have set up in the middle and run about 3 hours as a kind of "high noon" type of lighting. So far no ill effects and adds a nice effect IMO.
overexposed
Acroholic
My tank is in the basement, which helps. Other than that the only thing I do to control the heat is raise the lights up when my AC can't keep the basement cool enough. I have the light rack attached to a winch, so it's very simple to adjust the height.
M007
Acro Whore
OK so th e fixture is in the house :celeb1: Installed the R250's and fired it up, awesome! Question; there are a pair of T5's on either side of the MH. Each has its own power supply. Would you put two actinics on one side and two B+ on the othe side or mix the actinic with the B+ on each side? I also have a couple of C+ on hand as well.
