Led -> Led/T5 -> MH/T5 (need advice)

[NYCMAN]

I started my latest tank 2 years ago with 100% LED, 4 GHL Mitras LX7s. The tank is good, SPS are growing - not all, but I would say only the easy ones like Birds Nest. LPS are thriving. Am considering installing the AquaticLife T5 Hybrid to add 4x80W T5s to supplement the LEDS. But I want SPS that grow like weeds, and have been fortunate enough in my career that money is no object. So I have been looking at MD, BRS, Amazon and eBay for a MH/T5 combo fixture to potentially replace my LEDs. The market seems sparse, however. Not a lot of suppliers or inventory from what I can tell. I have a 72x26x24 and was thinking a 60 inch long fixture with 3x250W MH 14000K and 4 Actinic 80W T5s. Many people have told me they moved away from MH because the market has moved away from it, and my recent shopping experiences have entirely confirmed this. The market is sparse. The only viable fixtures, for my tank, seem to be the Hamiltons on MD.

So my questions are - do you think better to go look hard (seriously) and try to find a MH/T5 fixture with the above Kelvin and wattage configuration, or go the route of supplementing my 4 LX7s with 4x80 T5s?

 

[Demonic]

If I were to go that route again, I would would at the Geisemann Spectra, but I would get the 400 watt SE so I could Radiums again. Nothing compares to that growth and color it provides

 

[leepink23]

I started my latest tank 2 years ago with 100% LED, 4 GHL Mitras LX7s. The tank is good, SPS are growing - not all, but I would say only the easy ones like Birds Nest. LPS are thriving. Am considering installing the AquaticLife T5 Hybrid to add 4x80W T5s to supplement the LEDS. But I want SPS that grow like weeds, and have been fortunate enough in my career that money is no object. So I have been looking at MD, BRS, Amazon and eBay for a MH/T5 combo fixture to potentially replace my LEDs. The market seems sparse, however. Not a lot of suppliers or inventory from what I can tell. I have a 72x26x24 and was thinking a 60 inch long fixture with 3x250W MH 14000K and 4 Actinic 80W T5s. Many people have told me they moved away from MH because the market has moved away from it, and my recent shopping experiences have entirely confirmed this. The market is sparse. The only viable fixtures, for my tank, seem to be the Hamiltons on MD.

So my questions are - do you think better to go look hard (seriously) and try to find a MH/T5 fixture with the above Kelvin and wattage configuration, or go the route of supplementing my 4 LX7s with 4x80 T5s?

I recently bought a Giesemann Infiniti and so far am liking it , I would recommend 2 actinic and 2 blue + fwiw. I wonder if coralvue can get you a Giesemann? May be worth calling them. I previously had Radions/T5

 

[NYCMAN]

Thanks for the replies. I spent another partial evening looking for MH fixtures and/or hybrid MH/T5 fixtures. Premium Aquatics, BRS, Marine Depot. All of the major online suppliers have no inventory on proper stuff. This confirms that the MH industry for aquarium lighting is dying. I truly believe what the MH evangelists are saying about it, but the industry has moved on. Which to me, means that there have been enough online retailers, LFSs and hobbiests who agree that LED with T5s in better. Where there is demand, a supply chain is formed. The supply chain for MH is drying up.

 

[leepink23]

Thanks for the replies. I spent another partial evening looking for MH fixtures and/or hybrid MH/T5 fixtures. Premium Aquatics, BRS, Marine Depot. All of the major online suppliers have no inventory on proper stuff. This confirms that the MH industry for aquarium lighting is dying. I truly believe what the MH evangelists are saying about it, but the industry has moved on. Which to me, means that there have been enough online retailers, LFSs and hobbiests who agree that LED with T5s in better. Where there is demand, a supply chain is formed. The supply chain for MH is drying up.

There are a lot of positive reviews for Orphek lighting , worth looking into if you go only LED route

 

[hart24601]

My personal take is growth is pretty dang fast with any lighting, heck I won the acro growout here several years ago using mostly black box LEDs and hydras at the end (in my signature). IME if you get the par and coverage you want growth isn't really about the lighting type. I would evaluate chemistry, flow, nutrient import and feeding way before lighting if using a top tier brand. Don't get me wrong new stuff is fun, and I think people should use what light they enjoy, but it's not the easy solution IMO.

Now you do see some people that add t5 and have crazy growth, but they generally keep the LEDs near what they were intensity and then add 100w+ more light, that indicates a PAR issue to me. Of course you got more growth, you added 300 watts of light!

 

[jda]

It is a little bit the opposite. Demand has been so high these last few years, that they caught the manufacturers by surprise. Some of the "higher end" MH stuff like m80 ballasts are selling way faster than anybody thought. Rest assured that MH is not going anywhere - Hamilton, Giesemann just invested in new bulbs to have less heat and more pop - the classic awesome bulbs are still being made like 14k Phoenix and 20k Radium. Most of the gear is made in the EU and China and the rest of the world still uses a lot of MH for even general purpose lighting. Heck, VHO stuff is still made and people have been promising the demise of VHO for a decade or more.

If you want Hamilton stuff, go direct to Hamilton. The people there are REALLY helpful and nice. Call them.

Giesemann is really nice too, but some are on backorder from Europe. I heard that import tarrifs are hurting this as well.

The used MH market is not good now - good stuff goes quickly and is no longer super cheap... but it does not hurt to check for used stuff. MH stuff can last a decade or two if well cared for and even when something does break, a new capacitor or ignitor is cheap and easy to fix.

I would get a 6 foot fixture for that tank. If you have a hood, then the Hamilton is good. If you are open top, then a Giesemann or older Aquamedic might be better since they look nicer. In any case, you have to decide if you want to run 20k Radiums or not - if so, then you need the m80 ballasts (330ish watts), but if not, then electronic ballasts (25o watts) will run any other type of MH bulb. I would not do 400w for that size of tank - 250w is fine. The new Hamilton 20k bulb is made to look like a 20k Radium, but be run off of a regular ballast - this is a new bulb that is an excellent choice for people who do not need the extra power of a 20k Radium on m80 ballast.

 

[NYCMAN]

Thanks I found a Giesemann that is 6' and has 3 250W or 400W HQI bulbs and 4x80W T5s. My tank depth is 24". I hope that 3X250W is not overkill for this size tank. Also, assuming I run a combo Actinic/True Blue T5s, what Kelvin would you recommend for the MH bulbs. I assume it would be odd to mix the colors, and so all three would be the same. The question then is 14000K or 20000K?

 

[NYCMAN]

Thanks I found a Giesemann that is 6' and has 3 250W or 400W HQI bulbs and 4x80W T5s. My tank depth is 24". I hope that 3X250W is not overkill for this size tank. Also, assuming I run a combo Actinic/True Blue T5s, what Kelvin would you recommend for the MH bulbs. I assume it would be odd to mix the colors, and so all three would be the same. The question then is 14000K or 20000K?

 

[NYCMAN]

Thanks I found a Giesemann that is 6' and has 3 250W or 400W HQI bulbs and 4x80W T5s. My tank depth is 24". I hope that 3X250W is not overkill for this size tank. Also, assuming I run a combo Actinic/True Blue T5s, what Kelvin would you recommend for the MH bulbs. I assume it would be odd to mix the colors, and so all three would be the same. The question then is 14000K or 20000K?

 

[NYCMAN]

Thanks I found a Giesemann that is 6' and has 3 250W or 400W HQI bulbs and 4x80W T5s. My tank depth is 24". I hope that 3X250W is not overkill for this size tank. Also, assuming I run a combo Actinic/True Blue T5s, what Kelvin would you recommend for the MH bulbs. I assume it would be odd to mix the colors, and so all three would be the same. The question then is 14000K or 20000K?

 

[jda]

250w is not too much. You can always not run the T5s when the MH are on and save them for dusk/dawn and use them for many years with the lower run time.

You don't have to run all three MH bulbs the same, but most people do since it looks better. I will use different bulbs in the same fixture in a frag tank - 6500k or 10k for growth in one side and 14-20k in the other to match the display.

Find out which ballasts are with it and we can give suggestions for bulbs. It matters.

 

[NYCMAN]

It does nota come with the ballasts, but Coralvue sells separately this ballast: Coralvue® 250watt Normal Electronic Ballast.

 

[jda]

If you are going to use that ballast, then look at the 20k Hamiltons or the Giesemann MegaChrome Crystal (17.5).

I would not get T5s until you use the MH for a few weeks and see how you like them. You might want some to enhance the Mh bulbs either whiter or bluer, or maybe you love the MH bulbs alone and just want some dusk/dawn.

 

[NYCMAN]

If you are going to use that ballast, then look at the 20k Hamiltons or the Giesemann MegaChrome Crystal (17.5).

I would not get T5s until you use the MH for a few weeks and see how you like them. You might want some to enhance the Mh bulbs either whiter or bluer, or maybe you love the MH bulbs alone and just want some dusk/dawn.

Ok thanks. Very informative. I spoke to Hamilton and they have a five foot combo fixture that I can hang from ceiling. It has 3X250 MH and 4x80W T5. I get choice of bulb spectrums and can do either magnetic or electronic ballast. They recommend 460NM T5 or combo 420N (Actinic) and 460NM and a 14000K MHs with electronic ballast (for additional bulb options and dimming). They have this in stock and ready to ship. Their 6 foot is really no different, and only recommended if you cannot suspend the light over the tank. Does this all sound about right? Seems it gives me options going forward.