MH T5 request for recommendations

[mandarin417]

MH T5 request for recommendations

I am putting up a new tank and want to use a MH T5 setup at this time. The tank is 36†wide 30†from front to back and 27†tall. I plan to have a mixed corals tank but really don’t expect it to be dominated by SPS – I do like the color varieties and shelf like montiporas and plan to incorporate them in the system. I am also sort of hooked on the “tropical forest†landscape look of soft coral polyps, zoas and mushrooms.

I picked up a very nice used Hamilton fixture with a single ended halide socket in the middle and with 4 T5 lamps. I have a switchable electronic ballast than can run both 250W and 400W lamps.

With my mixed tank approach, may I ask for your recommendations on what T5 lamps I should be using in this system and recommended wattage and brand on the MH lamp?

I may be muddying the waters on this request but I also have access to a pair of new AI Hydra 52’s and also have been considering them for the system with T5 supplements as an alternative to the MH T5 combo.

I would really appreciate your thoughts,

Bob (manadrin417)

 

[jedimasterben]

What ballast is it for the MH? You select your bulb based on the ballast.

For T5, that will depend on what MH bulb and what kind of look you want to have (more blue, less blue, etc).

 

[mandarin417]

Hi Jedimasterben,

I have a Lumatek Electronic Ballast with is switchable allowing me to run a 250, 250SL, 400 or 400SL watt metal halide lamp. I bought that ballast purposely so I could have the flexibility to run either a 250W or 40W lamp in the fixture.

Thanks,

Bob

 

[jedimasterben]

I can't really find any data for the ANSI designation for that ballast, especially since it has so many settings. I do know that the Radium 20K will run decently on the 250SL setting (as the '250w' Radium is actually 270w), and any other M80/HQI-type bulbs should run on that setting, as well. http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-03/sj/index.php

I wouldn't bother using a 400w bulb, even on a 27" tall tank, since you have four T5.

I would recommend the 250w Radium for the halide, which when run properly is a nice blue tone (not overly blue like you usually see them run on improper ballasts), and then for the T5 if you want to keep around the same look, use either two ATI Coral Plus and Blue Plus or two Giesemann Aquablue Coral and Actinic Blue.