Dapg8gt
New member
I'm trying with the idea of going back to halides from my powermodule. I know a few club members still use halides and wanted some insight on what would be the best coverage for halide only on my tank..
Tank is 48" x 24" do you think 2 full size reflectors would be better than 2 minis? I can grab two lumenarc minis 14.5" x 14.5" and ballast for pretty cheap used but I'm concerned with the coverage with those alone. I'm thinking if I used two reflectors that are full size 18"+ I should have complete coverage with those alone and not have to supplement with t5..
Would I be wasting light with that large of a reflector? My tank has complete coverage now actually a little overkill but I Def don't want to add more watts just to be shadowed with smaller reflectors or wasted with larger ones..
I may rock phoenix 14k(love the color have used them for years and still on my frag tank) or step up to HQI and radiums.
What do you think would be optimal for a halide only full coverage system? I'm going to have to do something above the tank to hide it so I may just buy new reflectors with a black exterior and build a aluminium frame to suspend it or a floating acrylic canopy to hide them.
Not sure why I want to go back to halide I think I'm just not 100% in love with the t5 even though I have probably one of the best fixtures ever built hanging right now.
Was thinking of adding led to my system currently but the cost to make it how I want is going to be close to $800. Plus cutting into a cherry powermodule makes me a little sick to my stomach.. I do have a 36" 6 bulb sunpower that I was going to sell that I probably can experiment with but that's all just money spent for something I'm not sure I will love..
Anyway am I crazy for wanting to go back to the power hungry halides? Or should I go with my gut feeling and what I'm used to and bring them back into the picture.. I'm definitely not sold on 100% led and sps so that's out.
Thanks for the input,
Daniel
Tank is 48" x 24" do you think 2 full size reflectors would be better than 2 minis? I can grab two lumenarc minis 14.5" x 14.5" and ballast for pretty cheap used but I'm concerned with the coverage with those alone. I'm thinking if I used two reflectors that are full size 18"+ I should have complete coverage with those alone and not have to supplement with t5..
Would I be wasting light with that large of a reflector? My tank has complete coverage now actually a little overkill but I Def don't want to add more watts just to be shadowed with smaller reflectors or wasted with larger ones..
I may rock phoenix 14k(love the color have used them for years and still on my frag tank) or step up to HQI and radiums.
What do you think would be optimal for a halide only full coverage system? I'm going to have to do something above the tank to hide it so I may just buy new reflectors with a black exterior and build a aluminium frame to suspend it or a floating acrylic canopy to hide them.
Not sure why I want to go back to halide I think I'm just not 100% in love with the t5 even though I have probably one of the best fixtures ever built hanging right now.
Was thinking of adding led to my system currently but the cost to make it how I want is going to be close to $800. Plus cutting into a cherry powermodule makes me a little sick to my stomach.. I do have a 36" 6 bulb sunpower that I was going to sell that I probably can experiment with but that's all just money spent for something I'm not sure I will love..
Anyway am I crazy for wanting to go back to the power hungry halides? Or should I go with my gut feeling and what I'm used to and bring them back into the picture.. I'm definitely not sold on 100% led and sps so that's out.
Thanks for the input,
Daniel