Metal Halide Par question

[ThatPhillyReefer]

Hello All,

I recently just bought 2 used LumenMax Elite 250w reflectors with Icecap Electronic Ballast. I wired the reflector and ballast together and plugged them in. I have brand new Hamilton 14k bulbs which I put in. My question is what should the par readings be roughly? Im asking because I was getting 400-350 par about a foot down to the par meter. I am new to halides but I was thinking isn't that low? I also did some research and I saw the bulbs need to be ran for so long to get full par? I don't know how true that is but I thought I'd ask.

Thank you!!

 

[rtparty]

Yes, they need some burn in time to get accurate color and PAR.

At the top of my rocks I was getting 250 PAR from my halides. They were new Radium’s being ran on ReefBrite electronic ballasts. Not the “PAR monsters” so many think. Halides lose a ton of energy to heat. Super old picture

 

[ThatPhillyReefer]

Yes, they need some burn in time to get accurate color and PAR.

At the top of my rocks I was getting 250 PAR from my halides. They were new Radium’s being ran on ReefBrite electronic ballasts. Not the “PAR monsters” so many think. Halides lose a ton of energy to heat. Super old picture

okay cool! thank you

i just wanted to make sure lol. im setting up a 40 breeder and was going to use 1 with ai prime on each side but do you think i should run both? It will be a full acro tank

 

[rtparty]

okay cool! thank you

i just wanted to make sure lol. im setting up a 40 breeder and was going to use 1 with ai prime on each side but do you think i should run both? It will be a full acro tank

36” is tough for halides to cover. It’s a weird size. 1 halide with 2 Primes may work. Or you can take all questions away by running 2 halides for a full acro tank

 

[jackson6745]

Yes, they need some burn in time to get accurate color and PAR.

At the top of my rocks I was getting 250 PAR from my halides. They were new Radium’s being ran on ReefBrite electronic ballasts. Not the “PAR monsters” so many think. Halides lose a ton of energy to heat. Super old picture

That’s crazy low numbers. I run 250w radions on Hamilton hqi ballasts (330w) and I see 300 par on the bottom of the tank and about 700-750 at the top corals. I’m not able to run electronic ballasts even if I wanted to. They make my hydros controller wacky for some reason lol

 

[rtparty]

That’s crazy low numbers. I run 250w radions on Hamilton hqi ballasts (330w) and I see 300 par on the bottom of the tank and about 700-750 at the top corals. I’m not able to run electronic ballasts even if I wanted to. They make my hydros controller wacky for some reason lol

Yep. The Hydros hates electronic halide ballasts.

I was shocked to see how low the PAR was from the halides. I asked around though and found it was normal for my setup.

 

[rtparty]

Here are the PAR numbers from that old setup with ReefBrite XHOs on:

 

[rhaetuluscrenatus]

The Par meter is absolutely not precis in case of MH or T5, because it's measure the energy only in the " low viewable spectrum" so then many of energy in MH goes to UV and closed UV and ultra red which contribute a lot to the reef's health especially the 20.000k MH, so that's why while you measure at the same place, MH fixture burns only 250 Par but the corals can be colourful and more healthy than in LED measured 450 Par.

 

[Z Burn's Reefing]

I run 250 watt radiums on HQI magnetic ballasts…I’m in the same boat at @jackson6745….700+ PAR easily on top 1/3 of tank. When I ran electronic ballasts it was about 20% less. 350-400 PAR should be just fine though if you can get the coverage figured out over your tank.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

okay cool! thank you

i just wanted to make sure lol. im setting up a 40 breeder and was going to use 1 with ai prime on each side but do you think i should run both? It will be a full acro tank

My 40 breeder has 150 watt MH, with 2 OR3 bars, so personally I don't think you need 2 x 250 watt. I have lps lower in the tank, and clams and acro's higher up.

 

[ThatPhillyReefer]

I run 250 watt radiums on HQI magnetic ballasts…I’m in the same boat at @jackson6745….700+ PAR easily on top 1/3 of tank. When I ran electronic ballasts it was about 20% less. 350-400 PAR should be just fine though if you can get the coverage figured out over your tank.

do you think it would be a goof option to see if i could get HQI ballasts? It might be near impossible but i can try lol

 

[Z Burn's Reefing]

do you think it would be a goof option to see if i could get HQI ballasts? It might be near impossible but i can try lol

You could keep an eye out, but nothing wrong with continuing as you are and see how it goes. The hamilton bulbs perform quite well on electronic ballasts. I did pick up 2 M80 HQI ballasts off ebay last year, so they can be found. I still have the electronic ballasts as backup.