MH lightning ??

[Yanir34]

Hello reefers all over the world !
I'm setting up new SPS dominate tank next month and have debates about the type of lighning.
Tank will be 140 cm long , 75 cm wide , 55 cm high (maybe it will be 60 cm).
The main goal of this tank will be growing full sps collonies , health and vibrant colors .
I know that MH is the best lightning for SPS, and i'm new to this type of lightning (for the last 10 years i worked with hybrid T5 and led's).
What MH bulbs do you think that will be optimal ? 400w or 250w ?
Which company is the best ?
I thinking to combine 4 led strip's (reef brite) , what do you think ?
What about time schdule for MH bulb's ?
How high should i hang them above the water ?

Thanks for the reply's

 

[nereefpat]

Tank will be 140 cm long , 75 cm wide , 55 cm high (maybe it will be 60 cm).

About 55 x 30 x 22" high

What MH bulbs do you think that will be optimal ? 400w or 250w ?
Which company is the best ?

Wattage, height above tank, reflector size are all things to consider.

Hamilton makes a 20x20 inch reflector called a Cozumel Sun. I would be tempted to go with that with 250 watt with wide reflectors. There are other brands.

Popular choices for bulbs are the Phoenix (needs a double ended setup), or Hamilton, or Radium.

The LED strips kind of depends if you want them or not, and if you're going with 250 or 400 watt, and size of the reflector, and if you want wall to wall SPS.

I'm more of a T5 guy. These folks should all have some thoughts:
@90's reefer
@Bpb
@rtparty
@jda

 

[X-37B]

I run the 250 watt de 14K phoenix on my standard 120, 48x24x24.
I alos run 2 or3 blue light bars.
Water to bulbs is 14.5".
I run lumen bright reflectors.
On my 45 36x24x12 frag system I run the hamilton 20x20 reflector with 250 watt 14K mogal phoenix bulbs about 20" water to bulb.
400 watt in a 20x20 would work too.
Check my build thread for more info.

 

[rtparty]

If you can get ReefBrite, I really like their pendants that I run. I run 2*250w over my 120. The lights are a little too low because of my canopy but I get 30*24 spread easily. Lights are 9" off the water. On the new tank they will be raised to 12" off the water. This get me some extra space to get in the tank plus 32-36" spread. New tank is in my build thread.

I run Hamilton bulbs right now. They are great. I may try ReefBrite bulbs next bulb change to test them out.

 

[Yanir34]

Thank you all !
What do you think about Reef Brite MH hybrid fixture ?
Also ,i didn't decided yet what bulb i will install....14,000k or 20,000k ....i know that the 14,000k is littel "yellow" but i want to combine fast grow with vibrant color.
Is it possible ?

 

[MichaelP]

You will get plenty of PAR from the MH alone so I wouldn’t go crazy with led light bars just something to supplement for dawn/dusk. The MH will mostly drown out any supplant led/T5 color when they turn on. With that in mind I would say a 20k bulb for SE or 14k Phoenix for DE

 

[Yanir34]

The 20k have a more blue color , it will be fine for growth ?

 

[rtparty]

The 20k have a more blue color , it will be fine for growth ?

Yes, 20k is more blue than 14k. They will all grow coral just fine.

 

[jda]

Where are you located? If in the EU, then AquaMedic has a nice line of MH products - not really imported into the US anymore, but look at them.

250 bulbs are likely fine. Match the bulb to the ballats and fixture, but there are good choices in both single and double ended stuff - 20k Radium for SE on HQI, 20k Hamilton for SE on Regular 250w ballast and 14k Phoenix for DE 250w... among others. Giesemann has some nice bulbs too.

 

[Yanir34]

Thank you ,i am located in israel

 

[Spare time]

Hello reefers all over the world !
I'm setting up new SPS dominate tank next month and have debates about the type of lighning.
Tank will be 140 cm long , 75 cm wide , 55 cm high (maybe it will be 60 cm).
The main goal of this tank will be growing full sps collonies , health and vibrant colors .
I know that MH is the best lightning for SPS, and i'm new to this type of lightning (for the last 10 years i worked with hybrid T5 and led's).
What MH bulbs do you think that will be optimal ? 400w or 250w ?
Which company is the best ?
I thinking to combine 4 led strip's (reef brite) , what do you think ?
What about time schdule for MH bulb's ?
How high should i hang them above the water ?

Thanks for the reply's

Honestly, the t5 setup would probably be better than metal halides. With SPS dominant setups, you want to cover as much area with light as possible. MH and single puck LED's (think ai prime, a single kessil puck, etc.) are the worst option for SPS dominant tanks as you create intense shadowing and very uneven light distribution. If you go with MH, I STRONGLY suggest making it a hybrid with long LED bars or t5's. This isn't to critique metal halide performance, but rather that they are the wrong choice for a full SPS dominant tank (unless you mean only encrusting and not branching corals). Again, I am not saying one option grows coral better than another as light is simply light, but some are better for different styles of tanks.

 

[jda]

This is the first that I have heard of MH creating intense shadowing and uneven light distribution. Probably haven't used them, huh and going off of some talking points that other people have said? I don't use any supplemental lighting with my MH - just no need since they cover so well.

I don't know what is available in Isreal, so sorry. Some 16x16 SE pendants would be a good place to start... or if you want some sleeker fixtures, see if you can find some Gisemann Spectra or AquaMedic. Once you find some that you like, we can match up bulbs with ballasts.

 

[Yanir34]

Thanks i will update here

 

[biecacka]

I ran 2 250 watt Hamilton bulbs in the old lumenarc (22-22-9) reflectors on my48/48/24 cube and had great growth and light spread. There are a number of options out there but you can check out Hamilton technology as they sell bulbs and fixtures if you can’t find them local to you.

corey

 

[minus9]

Honestly, the t5 setup would probably be better than metal halides. With SPS dominant setups, you want to cover as much area with light as possible. MH and single puck LED's (think ai prime, a single kessil puck, etc.) are the worst option for SPS dominant tanks as you create intense shadowing and very uneven light distribution. If you go with MH, I STRONGLY suggest making it a hybrid with long LED bars or t5's. This isn't to critique metal halide performance, but rather that they are the wrong choice for a full SPS dominant tank (unless you mean only encrusting and not branching corals). Again, I am not saying one option grows coral better than another as light is simply light, but some are better for different styles of tanks.

Sorry, I’m with @jda on this, first time I’m hearing this about halides. If you’re looking for sleek fixtures, then Gieseman and AquaMedic are your choices. I believe Reef Brite has power options for Europe and other countries? Their hybrid pendant is an option.

 

[X-37B]

Honestly, the t5 setup would probably be better than metal halides. With SPS dominant setups, you want to cover as much area with light as possible. MH and single puck LED's (think ai prime, a single kessil puck, etc.) are the worst option for SPS dominant tanks as you create intense shadowing and very uneven light distribution. If you go with MH, I STRONGLY suggest making it a hybrid with long LED bars or t5's. This isn't to critique metal halide performance, but rather that they are the wrong choice for a full SPS dominant tank (unless you mean only encrusting and not branching corals). Again, I am not saying one option grows coral better than another as light is simply light, but some are better for different styles of tanks.

What, Halide systems are the wrong choice for full sps systems?
I added or3 light bars to my dual 250 watt halide system for blue supplementation only.
My system is 95% sps and there was no shadowing before or3's with more growth than I could keep up with.

 

[Big Smelly fish]

I have never seen or had shadowing,

beautiful tank 90’s reefer

You guys are making me want to go back to MH

 

[minus9]

I have never seen or had shadowing,

beautiful tank 90’s reefer

You guys are making me want to go back to MH

Do it! I'm going back.

 

[Big Smelly fish]

Do it! I'm going back.

I’ve been debating for the last few months, my best reefs where with MH.

 

[minus9]

I’ve been debating for the last few months, my best reefs where with MH.

I had single pendants over all my nanos in the 90’s, 150w to 175w. I’m using two Reef Brite pendants with Hamilton 14k SE. Acropora and clams!