Are Metal Halides Making a Comeback?

[shred5]

Here is a example of what I am talking about.. This sps reef looks pretty darn good but look at the amount of light:

http://reef2reef.com/threads/modern-coral-reef-aquarium-with-orphek-atlantik-v3plus.253476/

 

[mcarroll]

It's a general statement and doesn't apply to either LED or halide, specifically.

I wasn't asking – or even disagreeing. I was just observing, and I'm with you 136%!

I was just making a small point about the backwards innovation present in most of the popular LED fixtures. It exacerbates the pricing issue, to say the least. ;D

 

[ksc]

Now imagine if everyone was using LED's and T-5's and MH was the new technology. You'd see a mass exodus from those 2 inferior options and MH would be the new hot reef light. No one would be quibbling about the extra dough to provide the best light source for their tanks...

I still say that a 1 year old Radium bulb puts out a better spectrum to grow corals than most LED fixtures.

 

[mcarroll]

Here is a example of what I am talking about.. This sps reef looks pretty darn good but look at the amount of light:

http://reef2reef.com/threads/modern-coral-reef-aquarium-with-orphek-atlantik-v3plus.253476/

Correct me if I've missed your point....

It kinda looks like a lot of fixtures I guess. But it also looks to be 48" x 72" of tank surface area....or more.

• They have 1600 watts worth of fixtures....about 66 watts per square foot. I'm sure they can blast that tank with 100,000 lux.
• My Razor is 160 watts....giving me about 35 watts per square foot, and around 50,000 lux, on my main tank.
• My DIY fixture (30º lenses) on my other tank is 39 watts....giving me about 13 watts per square foot and 14,000 lux.

That seems like a normal/proportional amount of fixtures for what they must be trying to do....but certainly I think most of us could get by with a normal quantity.

(That tank has an unrealistic quality about it to me.....something about the corals being so uniform I think.)

 

[reeferfoxx]

Correct me if I've missed your point....

It kinda looks like a lot of fixtures I guess. But it also looks to be 48" x 72" of tank surface area....or more.

• They have 1600 watts worth of fixtures....about 66 watts per square foot. I'm sure they can blast that tank with 100,000 lux.
• My Razor is 160 watts....giving me about 35 watts per square foot, and around 50,000 lux, on my main tank.
• My DIY fixture (30º lenses) on my other tank is 39 watts....giving me about 13 watts per square foot and 14,000 lux.

That seems like a normal/proportional amount of fixtures for what they must be trying to do....but certainly I think most of us could get by with a normal quantity.

(That tank has an unrealistic quality about it to me.....something about the corals being so uniform I think.)

I was thinking the same thing. Also this is a fairly new fixture, so were those corals grown from frag size or wasthis display already finished prior to the addition of the new LEDs?

 

[ksc]

I think it's pretty obvious that is a "staged" tank. Unless of course they emptied it, cleaned it, then put all those maricultured corals back in.

 

[ReefBum]

I've never give up my MHs, just hate the cost of running them & replacement lamps.

That is certainly a downside with MH but it is the cost of doing business.....if you will

 

[Rob's Reef]

I loved the look of my halides but the cost to run them vs led is what got me...

If anyone wants to go back to halides I have a sweet fixture available!

 

[reeferfoxx]

The way I look at things right now, because my hobbies are breaking the bank, I put them into two categories. Is it necessary or not necessary? Is it necessary to spend $800 on LEDs? Is it necessary to use metal halides? Then what are the pros and cons? An $800 fixture might look great, but is it necessary? $150 metal halide fixture will get the job done, but is spending more on electric bill a concern or bulb replacement or heat? Everything I do I have to weigh it out. Now if my pockets were full and all the stars aligned and I went with my grand dads expertise, might do a kessil with MH supplement. But to me it also boils down to, why?

 

[ReefBum]

One other thing that was mentioned in a couple of posts.....a hybrid solution incorporating T5s + LEDs or MHs + LEDs is an intriguing option. I was seriously considering the ATI Hybrid T5 + LED fixture but opted for my MH + T5 fixture when a reefing buddy gave me a so so opinion on the ATI fixture.

 

[McMullen]

"Are Metal Halides making a comeback?" Nope!

 

[BoneXriffic]

"Are Metal Halides making a comeback?" Nope!

No, but they havent left yet either =)

 

[120reefkeeper]

That is certainly a downside with MH but it is the cost of doing business.....if you will

To me the biggest downside of MH is the heat. I control this with fans and home AC.

 

[marinelife]

I have been running LEDS for 6 years, love them.
I sold my MHs and chiller and never looked back!

 

[shred5]

Correct me if I've missed your point....

It kinda looks like a lot of fixtures I guess. But it also looks to be 48" x 72" of tank surface area....or more.

• They have 1600 watts worth of fixtures....about 66 watts per square foot. I'm sure they can blast that tank with 100,000 lux.
• My Razor is 160 watts....giving me about 35 watts per square foot, and around 50,000 lux, on my main tank.
• My DIY fixture (30º lenses) on my other tank is 39 watts....giving me about 13 watts per square foot and 14,000 lux.

That seems like a normal/proportional amount of fixtures for what they must be trying to do....but certainly I think most of us could get by with a normal quantity.

(That tank has an unrealistic quality about it to me.....something about the corals being so uniform I think.)

It may be staged I do not know I just came across the picture and notice almost every inch of the surface was covered, not just a few pucks or clusters. The real problem is with the leds spread like that you can get the disco affect.

I never sat down to figure out what they were and what wattage they are...

 

[Russ265]

tbh.

i think at the end of the day. do we want to spend $750 for a premium led pendant.

radions would cost me more than my tank and stand combined.

....that is unacceptable.
especially when black boxes are outgrowing them.

 

[Reef Pets]

I'm going to stick with Halides. They have worked for me for nearly 15 years. Yes, they give off some heat but that's helpful 8 months out of the year in Ohio.

 

[Abhishek]

I think we should encourage the popularity of leds and promote the sell . It would mean - more and more used metal halide fixtures available for MH lovers at crazier prices.

Just kidding .. Hopefully led lovers don't take it too seriously ...

MH never left the hobby neither will they leave anytime soon .

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[bobman]

Well I used to run mh on all my tank over the years and loved them. I was also going to run them on my new tank however could not find any in my price range. Instead I opted for some mars aqua fixtures. So far I have been happy with them but in the end I should have probably gone with mh. My 150 tall being 30 inches deep (48"X24"X30") I could have gone with 2X250 watt mh. After installing 2 mars aqua 165 watt fixtures I felt as though it was not enough par so I added 2 more for a total of 4. So in the end I spend more on 4 fixtures than I would have with just 2 250 watt mh. I also consume close to 600 watts of power versus 500 for mh.

Also emitters in LED fixture will go bad just like a mh. It may take longer I have not seen any hold up to the 50,000 hour claims. Just like a mh they also will change spectrum over time aswell. Good thing is my mars aqua fixtures have stood up for over a year now and when it does come time you can buy and replace the emitters for very cheap and can then add more uv and also take some of those warm white/ yellow bulbs out.

So I think mh has a long way to go before ever getting phased out in this hobby but as with anything the old will eventually get phased out. Like the tube TV they were phased out man ears ago but I still see them from time to time in peoples homes. Still working as good a new. Some things just wont die lol

 

[reeferfoxx]

I'm going to stick with Halides. They have worked for me for nearly 15 years. Yes, they give off some heat but that's helpful 8 months out of the year in Ohio.

You could have lied and said you had ecotech radions above those corals and I wouldn't have thought any different. Heck, chinese black box, nobody would know...