Metal halide suggestions?

bubbaque · Oct 12, 2016

I have a 75gl with a 6 bulb ATI fixture but am wanting to switch to a metal halide fixture t5 combo so I can get the shimmer I miss.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a fixture besides the big bulky one for sale at brs?

mcarroll · Oct 12, 2016

4 ft Cebu Sun Systems - 2 x 250 Watt Radiums
or
4 ft Cebu Sun Systems - 2 x 175 Watt

Not cheap, but high quality – if you're in it for the long haul, I think I'd go with one of these. If you're not shy about the little bit of extra heat, I think I'd even go with their traditional magnetic ballast.

If you want to hang the fixture and not totally light up the whole room, then you might consider the 3 ft Cebu Sun Systems - 2 x 250 Watt. Even up off the tank, it'll still light up that tank like...uh...the sun?

...but not spill quit so much light over the ends of the tank.

Something you might consider is a pair of Cayman Sun HQI Double Ended Pendant System - 150 Watt or Cayman Sun HQI Double Ended Pendant System - 250 Watt. With the 150w's you could run Radiums....they're effectively 175w bulbs on the proper ballast. There are no 250w DE Radiums, but still plenty of good options in the True 14K and True 20K bulbs if you need more than 175 watts. It's all up to what you want of course, but I really liked the simplicity of my dual halide setup. (I ran Radiums by preference.)

bubbaque · Oct 12, 2016

Thank you for the reply but the first fixtures are the ones I am talking about being big and bulky. I am looking for something that looks a little more modern.

mcarroll · Oct 12, 2016

Those black obelisk-type fixtures are so featureless that they fade completely out of focus in most instances....does depend on the installation. Sounds like you're looking for eye-catching vs minimal though. I think you will have to spend x3 or x4 for eye-catching, and more than likely it will come with pretty small reflectors...

The smaller the reflector the worse your coverage with halides...so those Caymen Suns might be a better lighting bet if you want smaller. I know the looks is still not designed by Ferrari, but the light-output might be!

Drfoster still has Bali Sun single ended reflectors so you could at least run 250w Radiums.

Reefbrite's are the only alternative I'm finding actually for sale so far and it's even more utilitarian-looking.

aabjones888 · Oct 12, 2016

What about giesemann halide fixtures. There expensive but awesome looking.

mcarroll · Oct 12, 2016

The Spectra SE 48" Metal Halide T5 Fixture - Giesemann or Infiniti DE 250w 48" Metal Halide T5 Fixture - Giesemann doesn't look too bad...even the price. But it does have those little reflectors I mentioned. (A friend had one of these a long time ago and the bulbs were very difficult to change after a while.)

The bulbs are definitely being short-changed to some degree in those...more or less just so you can have T5's...which you only need because of the little halide reflectors.

If not for the requirement for sharp looks, I still say you'd like the results from the Caymen's or Bali's better. Bali's + Radiums might be the best-best.

bubbaque · Oct 12, 2016

The giesemann is more than I want to spend. I remember my first fixture was something like this picture. Does nobody sell anything like this anymore?

nazzman · Oct 12, 2016

Check EBay I've seen them on there

bubbaque · Oct 12, 2016

Oh wow $300 on ebay. I don't know if I would trust them.

brownsalt92 · Oct 12, 2016

I've had the 300 dollar fixture on my 110... just mount ballast so they can cool down and put good t5 bulbs in it

brownsalt92 · Oct 12, 2016

For 2 months now I like it tho changing halide bulbs is a pain in the butt

maroun.c · Oct 12, 2016

I'm still very much a halide person but 2 weeks ago I visited an amazing store with breathtaking tanks and they were all lit by T5 ATI. It's been a while I didn't see a T5 lit tank but honestly was amazed. Something about the light spread which was even better than Halides immediately caught my attention. Yes you do lose the shimmer but the color rendition and coverage and also corals colors was just amazing. Maybe go for a mix of Halide and T5 so you have the best of both.

reefwiser · Oct 13, 2016

http://www.reefbrite.com/product/reef-brite-halide-hybrid/
Check out the Reefbrite fixtures I just replaced my Radion G3 pro with the MH/LED unit also its high efficient so uses less amp's than the radion.

mcarroll · Oct 13, 2016

brownsalt92 said:
I like it tho changing halide bulbs is a pain in the butt

+1

corey01 · Oct 13, 2016

those are odyessa fixtures, a couple years ago right before I got one I heard reports their QC was unreliable and people were having issues with them catching fire. but that was a year or two before I bought mine. ive had 2 of them and had no issues other than they run a little warm. im running one right now that has been in use for 3 years and haven't had any issues. I will say don't get used to the led moonlights as they quickly fade over time, I think its the heat.

mcarroll · Oct 13, 2016

It's been quite a while since I've paid any attention to them, but people used to buy their fixtures and throw the bulbs and ballasts in the trash. The aluminum case is OK and the glass is transparent.....that's about what they have going for them.

The Hamilton boxes make a lot more sense to me – they are easier to live with and are made (in the USA, I think) from high quality components. Not only that, but they carry parts for everything....extremely rare in a halide fixture provider. Maybe you can't budge (and that's OK), but I'd try to cut some slack on the looks front and reconsider one of the Hamilton solutions.

I think @d2mini has one of the big combo fixtures...maybe he can add 2¢?

d2mini · Oct 13, 2016

The Hamilton Cebu Sun suggestion is a great one!
I ran the 72" over my 200g for 3 years and the 24" over my frag tank.
Grows anything and everything and Hamilton is a great USA company to deal with.
They are also one of the only companies (if not the only company) left that still makes the Magnetic M80 ballasts to correctly drive Radium bulbs.
Those will last you 14 months, easy.