Calling metal halide and t5 reefers

[Scubapro13]

I am getting ready to do a 210 build and in not sure what to do with lighting.

So here is my situation i currently have a 30 gallon tank that I have a lumenbright reflector with a 250 watt radium bulb in it. I use 2 ai primes that i had sitting arounf for dusk and dawn effects. The thing is i have 2 more complete lumenbright reflectors just waiting to get used but I dont know what I want to do for dusk and dawn on the 210. I was looking at 2 reefbrite tech strips or just going with a tek 8 bulb t5 so I can do a couple atinic bulbs.

Either way costs about the same just wondering what you all think its driving me crazy

 

[Kmsutows]

For my next build I plan to do MH with reefbrites for that exact reason. I think it's the best of both worlds but then again I haven't done it yet

 

[Bpb]

I’d run the metal halides and get some led strips. If the reefbrites are too costly look into the SBReef SBar actinic. They’re a little less expensive

 

[Clueless Reefer]

I'm running a 4 bulb T5 system on my 75 and am pretty convinced on going with a hybrid system. Since I hate the look of hoods I'm probably going to go with the Aurora.

 

[Scubapro13]

I’d run the metal halides and get some led strips. If the reefbrites are too costly look into the SBReef SBar actinic. They’re a little less expensive

Any experience with either bar?

 

[Breadman03]

Orphek also recently introduced LED strips.

 

[themcnertney]

Is this dusk dawn just for looks? When I ran MH over my 220, I never ran any supplemental lighting. Coral and fish don't seem to care.

 

[reefwiser]

I use the Reefbrite MH fixture with reefbrite LED strips on each side.

 

[Bpb]

Any experience with either bar?

Not with reef brites. I own two sbars and previously owned a buildmyled strip

 

[Scubapro13]

Is this dusk dawn just for looks? When I ran MH over my 220, I never ran any supplemental lighting. Coral and fish don't seem to care.

Just for dusk to dawn. Only for when the halides are not on. Only want to run the halides for like 6 hours.

 

[Scubapro13]

Not with reef brites. I own two sbars and previously owned a buildmyled strip

Do you like them?

 

[Scubapro13]

I use the Reefbrite MH fixture with reefbrite LED strips on each side.

Those are my dream light but I dont want to spend like 2k. I picked up my 3 fixtures with new bulbs and ballast for 300

 

[Bpb]

Do you like them?

I do. The downsides to the sbreef ones is the optics are pretty tight so the spread isn’t perfect and the violet diodes will burn spots on the acrylic shield. But the price is so much better and they use Cree diodes so those are definite plus

 

[Scubapro13]

Any other opinions?

 

[Reefchris28]

On my 40b I use a 150w de Phoenix 14k, supplemented with t5 and reefbrites. I am
Very happy with my lighting setup

 

[Kmsutows]

On my 40b I use a 150w de Phoenix 14k, supplemented with t5 and reefbrites. I am
Very happy with my lighting setup

Man that sounds intense for a 40! How many t5s? Have a picture of the setup?

 

[Reefchris28]

Man that sounds intense for a 40! How many t5s? Have a picture of the setup?

Nah, I wish I had more tbch, hahaa.. My fixture is a 24” sunlight supply maristar fixture. It only has 2x t5’s, blue+ and coral+, so it’s not much wattage or light. My lighting schedule is as follows..
Reefbrites on @10am-1030pmt5’s on @1030am-10pm, halide on @1pm-6pm. Idon’t run reefbrite xho, I just run the reefbrite lumi lite for supplemental color. Here is a pic of the lighting setup.

 

[jda]

I do not supplement my MH either... just 11 hours on/off with a light timer. If you are using a hood, then just get a pair of T5s for dusk/dawn... retros are cheap and you can use the bulbs for a few years since they are not doing any heavy lifting. If you are getting a fixture like Giesemann or Hamilton, then getting something to mount on it can be harder, so be prepared to retro something - reefbrite does have some mounting brackets for some things.

 

[Scubapro13]

I do not supplement my MH either... just 11 hours on/off with a light timer. If you are using a hood, then just get a pair of T5s for dusk/dawn... retros are cheap and you can use the bulbs for a few years since they are not doing any heavy lifting. If you are getting a fixture like Giesemann or Hamilton, then getting something to mount on it can be harder, so be prepared to retro something - reefbrite does have some mounting brackets for some things.

How often do you replace bulbs and hows your electric if your running them all day

 

[jda]

My halides are about 80 to 90 cents a day (KWH is 8 cents on the first tier and then 10 on the second)... less than my heater bill (which run the summer). My whole tank cost is about $2 a day for my 240g.