Thinking of going back to halides from t5...thoughts?

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
 
I'd say two se 175 electric ballasts with T5 supplements or led. Bulbs used radiums. Thats my setup if I get a 120 for sure.
 
Anyway am I crazy...?

Maybe, but not for your lighting thoughts. ;)

I will be redoing my lighting when I get my 120 going, and it will be a pair of 250w 20,000K Radiums on adjustable electronic ballasts with 1 purple and 1 blue T5 supplemental.

Ballasts and reflectors will resemble a lot what Grant put together. He gets great par when running 250w and can dial it down to 175w when he's feeling less enthusiastic. He also built his hood and thought out what where and why well. I suggest sending him a pm.
 
Making the switch also. Going from 8 bulb ati to Hamilton Cebu with 250 x2 mag m80 ballasts and radiums and 4 t5. We will see what results are possible in a few months.
 
Maybe, but not for your lighting thoughts. ;)

I will be redoing my lighting when I get my 120 going, and it will be a pair of 250w 20,000K Radiums on adjustable electronic ballasts with 1 purple and 1 blue T5 supplemental.

Ballasts and reflectors will resemble a lot what Grant put together. He gets great par when running 250w and can dial it down to 175w when he's feeling less enthusiastic. He also built his hood and thought out what where and why well. I suggest sending him a pm.

Didn't know there were adjustable ballast for a 250 to 175. So I'd definitely go for that setup. 250 radiums with adjustable ballast to 175. If 250 is needed then ill just adjust it to 250.
 
I'd say two se 175 electric ballasts with T5 supplements or led. Bulbs used radiums. Thats my setup if I get a 120 for sure.

Radiums in a 175?didnt know they made them in that wattage.. I was also thinking of running 2 x 150w in reefbright reflectors with led supplements with 60 degree lenses. The reefbright reflectors are supposed to be really focused so you hang them at like 18" above the water line and guys are getting away with running 250w instead of 400w so I figure with my tank only 21" deep the smaller bulbs will do it..

I have run halides on all my tanks previous and other than power consumption I can't think of any negatives. Thanks for the comments.
 
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Maybe, but not for your lighting thoughts. ;)

I will be redoing my lighting when I get my 120 going, and it will be a pair of 250w 20,000K Radiums on adjustable electronic ballasts with 1 purple and 1 blue T5 supplemental.

Ballasts and reflectors will resemble a lot what Grant put together. He gets great par when running 250w and can dial it down to 175w when he's feeling less enthusiastic. He also built his hood and thought out what where and why well. I suggest sending him a pm.

That comment fits me perfect lol.. That sounds like a good pairing of lights I'm going to need to do something for a canopy probably regardless so my all halide thoughts may just go out the door..

I'll shoot him a Pm to see if he can share some pics of his setup and insight. Thanks
 
Making the switch also. Going from 8 bulb ati to Hamilton Cebu with 250 x2 mag m80 ballasts and radiums and 4 t5. We will see what results are possible in a few months.

Nice =). I have been looking into quite a few lights lately and saw the Hamilton just wasn't sold on the reflector design for the mh if I'm thinking of the same fixture.

Regardless I don't think we will have any negatives reverting back to halides if anything I feel it will bring my tank to the next level (in my head at least lol)

Thanks for the comments I also am considering a local used sale of an outer orbit 2 x 250 with 4x t5.its a good deal just not sure I want to have the 2 small spotlight type halide vs 2 large reflectors.

Decisions for me are difficult when it comes to money and health of the tank. I can't tell you how many times I bought equipment for my tank to have it just sit in my garage after realising I should have done something else. I'm trying to just have a one and done light but we will see ha ha.. I thought that's what I had when I scored the powermodule and dumped a full rebuild into it =).

(how does everybody do the multi quotes in the reply? I can't figure it out and always have to respond in a new post to every person vs 1 post to all. I do everything on my phone on here maybe that's why I can't figure it out)
 
Radiums in a 175.

It's been awhile since I was looking at the setup. There is no 175 se bulb, lowest is 150 de bulb for radium. Maybe I was thinking of the 250 dimmed to 175. Just wanted to clarify and correct that. I was disappointed that there were no 250 de since I run that fixture. Instead I'm running a Phoenix, which is pretty similar.
 
Yeah I also run a phoenix I love the color of the bulb alone that's what got me thinking of no supplemental lighting at all.

I have a friend who runs radiums and they are awesome too more purple looking but he also uses reefbrites xho's with them 50/50 white/blue. He thinks radiums are king but need supplementation in his opinion as the tank looks to dark.. I like them alone also..
 
Yeah I also run a phoenix I love the color of the bulb alone that's what got me thinking of no supplemental lighting at all.

I have a friend who runs radiums and they are awesome too more purple looking but he also uses reefbrites xho's with them 50/50 white/blue. He thinks radiums are king but need supplementation in his opinion as the tank looks to dark.. I like them alone also..


I pretty much got my lighting set made up when I finally get a 120. I'm doing the lumenbrights since I had them on my 120 when they first came out. They were the smaller versions but had no hood so they were mounted higher. I'm going with the 20" pendents. For ballast the adjustable luxcore with the radium 20K 250 watt bulbs ran at 175watts. Supplementation will be four 15" reefbrite techs Blues. May order two of the LED strips then go from there. I got a chance to see the reefbrites at MAX and they sure are bright.
 
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