Back to halides?
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Superlightman
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could this japanese led be a true halides alternative, the spectrum seems great?
www.blueharbor.co.jp
SPECTRA SP200｜BlueHarbor
Reef Depth Spectrum Reproduction Coral Grower LED Light to meet the rigorous demands of aquarium facilities and research facilities.
Syntax1235
Valuable Member
I am frustrated that the manufactures of controllers seem to have forgotten about us halide users. The interference with the Hydros made it impossible to use, I had to change directions and order an Apex. I am having issues with the new LLS sensor, but it is much less than with the Hydros.
A. grandis
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I don't have any SPS corals, but I do come here regularly cause I simply love Acros. Metal halides will be the step up in lghting for any reef tank. The whole reef system will be improved with the rich spectrum from halides.
naterealbig
pea brain
could this japanese led be a true halides alternative, the spectrum seems great?
SPECTRA SP200｜BlueHarbor
Reef Depth Spectrum Reproduction Coral Grower LED Light to meet the rigorous demands of aquarium facilities and research facilities.
Beautiful tank, but it doesn't resemble halides at all to me (15 yr halide vet here).... Looks really pixelated, and the muted shimmer is short and sporadic (staticy?), not long and wavy like you would see with a halide.
Smite
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I agree the shimmer doesn't look as natural as MH in the video.
the spectrum looks nice to the eye. When I start to count how man fixtures it's taking to light that tank though, wow! When looking at the hermits on the sand ect, the tank doesn't look that big but maybe I'm wrong. Not to take away from the health or beauty of the tank, it's very nicely colored and well cared for. Serious skill there.
I miss my MH/led combo on my current tank. I still think about going back to it all the time.
Smite
2500 Club Member
Yeah there was 6 lights on that little tank. This was a 48x24x15" tank. Basically a 120g cut shallow. I used the Reefbrite hybrid 36" fixture with 2 x 250w 14k hamilton lamps and the xho strips. Color and growth were incredible. Nice dense and thick tissue. I hope to get back to this level of health in my current tank sometime. I feel that 36" hybrid easily could have lit a tank closer to 5' very well for sps. Just 2 CPU fans kept the tank within 2-3 degrees but I do have central air. Which is the same as it was with the 3) xr30 g5 blues I ran prior to this on the tank. The reefrite fixture is truly awesome in the fact that it is warm to the touch. I'd keep my reef shades on top where I think other pendants might melt them.
Superlightman
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Wich is the best halides bulb still available actually?
njreefkeeper
Active Member
Best may be a rabbit hole. Many will say the Radium...either 250 or 400. 250 needs an HQI ballast to be driven properly but the hqi setting on a selectable ballast comes pretty close.
If you’re looking for a little more punch and (IMHO) a bulb that grows sticks a bit faster but a little bit more white than blue I’d say the Ushio 14k is tough to beat.
naterealbig
pea brain
Agreed for sure, the display is beautiful (and admittedly, nicer/larger/prettier livestock than I've been able to manage). Spectrum is solid, and closer to daylight (halide) color temperature vs your standard LED display. My opinion was that considering this a "halide replacement" was stretching.
Biologic
Active Member
I think the concept and the approach of the SP-2000 from Japan is the approach that the $900 fixtures in the US need to approach LED lighting. The spectrum should be broad and distributed like a MH. There needs to be cyan in the spectrum and even some yellow. The G6 from ECOTECH removes CYAN, which is so odd to me. Why would anyone want less spectrum in their lights? Less natural? People who criticize LED's for being inferior have good recourse when you see actions like this from companies. LED's will replace MH's one day, but I almost feel like removing spectrum is really going backwards.
Smite
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I'd argue Hamilton. They still have bulbs available in multiple spectrums I prefer 14k but I believe their 20k mimic radiums fairly closely. I still have to try those though.
A. grandis
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Yes, the Hamilton 20K on electronic ballast looks very similar to Radium on M80. Great bulb!
Syntax1235
Valuable Member
The LLS meter gives me a false low reading while the halides are on. I’m also getting an intermittent alarm from the sensor when the halides are on. The alarm is going on and off randomly every few seconds even when the water level is within the range.
Neptune CSR said that none of the beta testers used halides.
Companies have a tough time performing proper beta tests in this industry.
I'm not having any of those issues so far with mine. I wonder if a virtual output could stop the alarm? I'm not savvy enough to know but might ask in the Neptune forums.
I had a float switch that would false trigger every time my halides turned on so my buddy setup a VO to stop it. Worked like a charm
YOYOYOReefer
Valuable Member
radiums changed how they make them the new style will not last long being overdriven on hqi ballasts.
i still have 36 400 watt old style bulbs left, and a bunch of pfo ballast, however i started converting my tanks to led last year because bulb choices stink. If anyone knows of a newer bulb that runs well overdriven please share.
