Possible switch to MH combo lights

[jedimaster1138]

So I'm not 100% happy with my LEDs (shocking I know) Color is fine...growth is a tad bit...not super fast. Maybe I'm asking for too much, but I'm a nut like that :bounce3: Because the knowledge in this section of the forum is so heavily based on experience, I'm posting here to get some opinions on possible options for going retro....IE Metal Halides. In browsing the PA website, you guys have one of, if not the best selection of fixtures and definitely the best collecting of knowledge.

My tank is a 120g LONG -- 60x18x26. The reality is with the sand bed, it's about 23" or so from the sandbed to the water line. My current lights, despite being LED's, actually draw nearly 192 watts EACH when they are at peak power. So that's nearly 400 watts total. I already run a chiller, so there's that.

What kind of MH based fixtures would make the most sense? 2x 250w ? I don't need 400w's do I? Are the combo fixtures that include T5's worth the added $ ? I've been looking at the Giessmann Infiniti's and the Hamilton Cebu's. Given my lay out, am I better off with 2 separate fixtures, or one longer one (and if so how long?) Then of course there's the whole bulb and ballast discussion. I've been reading that Sanjay is a big proponent of the 14 Ushio these days.

The other issue is aesthetics. Tank is in my dining room and my wife's opinion has to be respected. Below you can see a picture of how I have my current Razors hung from steel shelf brackets screwed into the (concrete) wall. I'd like to avoid adding other brackets etc in the center of the span.

Thanks in advance. I'm looking to learn a little here and possibly make a switch.

 

[Pseudo69]

IMO don't do the Cebu. Too many cables to deal with even though well made. 2 x 250W will do nicely. I went with 2 separate fixtures since I am going 48" long tank but will eventually go longer, I can spread the fixtures apart to accommodate any size tank I will eventually go to.

I am using 400W Radiums but I loved the Ushio 14K's. A lot of par with those bulbs, explosive growth and a clean white light. Supplement with some blue bulb of choice and they are perfect. Yes the combo fixtures are worth the extra money. I have yet to see anyone happy with a one bulb choice. With T5's you can change the appearance of the tank to whatever you want.

I am running Giesemann Spectra's and they are sleek and beautiful. Best looking fixtures yet.

HTH

 

[jedimaster1138]

Do you think a 2x250w + some # of T5's would be adequate spread on my 60" tank, assuming the fixture, if I went with one fixture, was 48" ?

 

[Jeremy B.]

What are your possibilities of going retro in your own housing? Do you have the tools to do your own canopy or hanging canopy, and to make it look good? Let me know if that's an option or not and we'll go from there.

 

[jedimaster1138]

Well I don't have a housing, or hood, or canopy. I've always preferred the hanging above the tank approach to a light fixture. Helps with heat, air, etc. I've been looking at the gear for sale areas a bit...with everyone jumping on the LED wagon, there seem to be a decent amount of fixtures out there, just not the higher end ones

 

[Pseudo69]

I would think a 48" fixture at the right height would give you the spread you need. 250W gives a pretty decent punch to about 30" depth.

 

[Jeremy B.]

Well I don't have a housing, or hood, or canopy. I've always preferred the hanging above the tank approach to a light fixture. Helps with heat, air, etc. I've been looking at the gear for sale areas a bit...with everyone jumping on the LED wagon, there seem to be a decent amount of fixtures out there, just not the higher end ones

You could also hang an enclosure as well, doesn't have to sit down on the tank. The reason I ask is because if you go this route then you can do VHO actinic supplementation rather than T5. T5's do work well, however VHO's blow T5's away in the 420nm department, and they work wonder on coloring up sps corals. For maximum coloration there is nothing out there that will touch a Radium / VHO combo setup.

Having said that, halides and T5's work very well, and using something such as the Giesemann Spectra fixture would be perfect for you. You could use 250's and still do very well with your sps in that depth, and not overlight any softs / lps that you may want to keep as well. However, if you're going strictly SPS and you're very serious about achieving maximum coloration and growth combined then no doubt about it I would do 400's. Obviously there is a commitment on your end from a power consumption and heat stand point, but you will be unbelievably with your results. Don't feel like 250's won't cut it though, because they will, but 400's will indeed be that much better on your specific system.

 

[ostrow]

Jeremy knows my setup! I have a "canopy" on a 60" long tank. It is a U shape (open in back) and open on top. A light rack rests at the top ... l=l shaped. 2x250s in lumenmax sit in the middle, vhos run across the front and back. Plenty of ventilation and 2 icecap fans in the corners help.

Skip T5s -- Jeremy is absolutely right. Of course, the VHO wire harness caused a fire in my house in 2009. I had Hamilton custom build me a hard-wired VHO setup that rocks.

I run 250 watt radiums on HQI ballasts. Growth out of this world and looks great.

IMO the MH lighting that hangs just casts too much way-too-bright light into the room. Paint the inside of the "canopy" a white to reflect the light back down and no shadows.

Should have pics in my gallery....

 

[Pseudo69]

Old School Jeremy!!

 

[Jeremy B.]

There's only a couple other options I'd personally consider for my own hardcore sps tank...

- 6500k Iwasaki / Radium MH combo (would still use VHO's though)
- 10k / 14k Ushio with heavy VHO actinic supplementation

 

[ostrow]

If 2 bulbs, wouldn't iwasaki/Radium look weird? One side yellow other blue?

 

[Jeremy B.]

Correct, you would need at least 3 bulbs on a 48" tank if you're going to be mixing MH's.

 

[ostrow]

Well, that seems an unnecessary expense to me. 2x250 radiums with vho gives both growth and shimmer.

 

[Jeremy B.]

Yeah, that setup does very well. To each their own though... a 250w 6500k Iwasaki between those two lamps, along with the VHO actinics, would give even better growth.

There are all sorts of great setups out there, and Radiums / VHO's are very tough to beat for color and growth combined.

 

[ostrow]

Iwasakis do give crazy growth, it's true.

 

[jedimaster1138]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

This weekend I took a bunch of close up and wider pictures of my various acropora. In about 6 weeks or so I'm going to take the same pictures under the same conditions and do some detailed comparison. If I'm going to pull the trigger on a lighting change like this, I want to make sure I'm not just crazy and actually seeing no growth/mediocre color.

I think if I do pull the trigger it would be 2x 250w, 10000k with a ton of supplementation. I can always move to 14000k bulbs down the line if the 10000 are too yellow for my taste. But that's down the line.

In the interim, Jeremy - time for a new skimmer. Ordering in a week or so from you

 

[Jeremy B.]

I like LED's and I feel like they're a very capable lighting source. However, there will be no comparison when it comes to putting them up against a 10k 250w or 20k 400w MH setup with VHO's in terms of both coloration and growth. I will absolutely guarantee you'd be happy with the results you get in that department.