No love for MH?

DSC reef · Feb 21, 2019

Geez oreo, seriously why do you keep going? I'm all about healthy debate and truly believe that amazing tanks can be lit by any light source but at least @jda has a proven tank to bring to the table. It really seems you just like to argue for arguments sake while accomplishing nothing and getting in the last "graph". Enough already. I like seeing graphs to a point but I like seeing tank even more. We just went to my friends house that has a large tank lit by multiple reef breeders photons and it looked amazing so I'm not biased.

Jay Norris · Feb 21, 2019

jda said:
I just use MH. Nothing else. No LED. No T5. They are just on/off for 10 hours. I would challenge anybody who has actually had a tank to show me how diverting any of these resources (wattage, money, etc.) to another source would make my tank better. I have tried. I have stacks of unused LED ranging from Black Box to Radions, T5s sitting unused. I don't believe in the "best of both worlds" paradigm either in life or in this hobby - I go all in, all the way, or don't do stuff. "Best of both worlds" did not work for Hannah Montana who was never quite a good enough pop star nor had a normal kids life - just middling at both. Rather than adding 200-300w of T5s, I will just add another halide and squeeze them closer together.

Oreo - you get a tank yet? Wondering if you opinions have changed with some tangible experience. With all of your internet knowledge, you could be really helpful with a few years of actual reefing. I am not trying to bash you any more than I already have, but just curious where you are today, really.

Good for you, I am happy for your success with only M/H, as they are so simple to use and do a good job of growing and coloring corals.

Jay Norris · Feb 21, 2019

topjimmy said:
I agree. I just can't stand the disco separated colors, maybe I am just more susceptible to seeing it. Regardless I don't care what someone puts over their tank. Use what you like, I've seen plenty of great tanks lit by all the different sources and combinations.

Hi, what lights do you use that give you the Disco Ball effect? I never had that problem with the LED's I use, and I really notice, and hate the Disco Ball effect.

DSC reef · Feb 21, 2019

Jay Norris said:
Hi, what lights do you use that give you the Disco Ball effect? I never had that problem with the LED's I use, and I really notice, and hate the Disco Ball effect.

I would actually be interested in seeing the mitras in person, heard it truly is a great light. We went with kessil on my wife's nano because I like the blending. I can't stand too see multiple colors on the sand bed.

Jay Norris · Feb 21, 2019

jda said:
I don't push anything. I don't care what people use over their tank. Almost everything that I post is from actual experience is using this stuff, talking with biologists in the field, attending MACNA, etc. When I don't have experience with something, I try and say so since I believe that it is super important for people to know where the posts are coming from - I sometimes forget and I hate when I do this.

Everyones skill level is different. I agree complete. This is why it is so important to see what skill they have so that you can judge how to take their input.

Only people who don't have experience think that experience does not matter. Failing miserably is a great way to get really relatively relevant experience.

Hi, some people can have a ton of experience, and still not get it, just because you have been doing something for a long time, does not make you a master of that craft.

Jay Norris · Feb 21, 2019

DSC reef said:
Geez oreo, seriously why do you keep going? I'm all about healthy debate and truly believe that amazing tanks can be lit by any light source but at least @jda has a proven tank to bring to the table. It really seems you just like to argue for arguments sake while accomplishing nothing and getting in the last "graph". Enough already. I like seeing graphs to a point but I like seeing tank even more. We just went to my friends house that has a large tank lit by multiple reef breeders photons and it looked amazing so I'm not biased.

I really think it's the other way around in this case, as someone is constantly stating M/H's are the best all round lighting, they are the easiest to use, but with all the improvements in LED technology, the last couple years, there is no longer an advantage for either light source, unless you live in a very cold or very warm climate. Both LED's and M/H's grow corals amazingly well, same with the coloration, so now it's just what you prefer, as neither one is better then the other, for growing corals.

Jay Norris · Feb 21, 2019

DSC reef said:
I would actually be interested in seeing the mitras in person, heard it truly is a great light. We went with kessil on my wife's nano because I like the blending. I can't stand too see multiple colors on the sand bed.

Hi, neither can I, that is the main reason I went with the Mitra's over the Radions, as they are initially about the same price, until you need to add the diffusers to the Radions. The great thing about the Mitras, is the Parabolic Reflectors they use in their housing, an awful lot like the Lumentek reflectors I used with my M/H's when I used them. If you ever come to Miami, I would be glad to show you my system, just PM me before you leave for Miami.

topjimmy · Feb 21, 2019

Jay Norris said:
Hi, what lights do you use that give you the Disco Ball effect? I never had that problem with the LED's I use, and I really notice, and hate the Disco Ball effect.

I had a diy led system personally, but I see it in every led lit tank. Usually on the sand and sometimes higher up when it hits rock or coral. I see the individual colors of each led like a little ball of light zipping around. I think that it is from the way that the water movement at the surface amplifies the individual led for a split second. I'm amazed not everyone can see it.

MnFish1 · Feb 21, 2019

DSC reef said:
I would actually be interested in seeing the mitras in person, heard it truly is a great light. We went with kessil on my wife's nano because I like the blending. I can't stand too see multiple colors on the sand bed.

Interesting - I dont see this disco ball effect with my Radions - perhaps its because I have a lot of flow going over the surface of the water so the light is even more diffused? IDK.

DSC reef · Feb 21, 2019

MnFish1 said:
Interesting - I dont see this disco ball effect with my Radions - perhaps its because I have a lot of flow going over the surface of the water so the light is even more diffused? IDK.

It could be all in the settings, depth of tank, etc. Radions were worse than hydras, even at reefapalooza. Looking forward to seeing what the kessil does on my wife's tank but the halides are definitely going on the big tank.

leepink23 · Feb 21, 2019

DSC reef said:
It could be all in the settings, depth of tank, etc. Radions were worse than hydras, even at reefapalooza. Looking forward to seeing what the kessil does on my wife's tank but the halides are definitely going on the big tank.

Radions with diffuser IMO is as good as my current halides. Without the diffuser not as good.

120reefkeeper · Feb 21, 2019

Just here for the comments. [emoji23][emoji23]

Jay Norris · Feb 21, 2019

DSC reef said:
It could be all in the settings, depth of tank, etc. Radions were worse than hydras, even at reefapalooza. Looking forward to seeing what the kessil does on my wife's tank but the halides are definitely going on the big tank.

Hi Kessils are good lights ,but not in the same ballpark as the Mitra's, Radions, or even the new Orpheks, and what type of M/H are you using on the bigger tank?

RCS82 · Feb 21, 2019

Jay Norris said:
Hi Kessils are good lights ,but not in the same ballpark as the Mitra's, Radions, or even the new Orpheks, and what type of M/H are you using on the bigger tank?

I would totally put a 360x in the same ballpark as a xr15.

Bpb · Feb 21, 2019

I’d be thrilled to use a 150 watt Bimini sun fixture over a nano tank. That would look awesome.

DSC reef · Feb 21, 2019

Jay Norris said:
Hi Kessils are good lights ,but not in the same ballpark as the Mitra's, Radions, or even the new Orpheks, and what type of M/H are you using on the bigger tank?

3x 250 watt radiums on M80 ballasts and 4x 80watt T5 and reef brite XHO blue strips. I've seen kessils light amazing tanks so I would put them with the big names.

RCS82 · Feb 21, 2019

DSC reef said:
3x 250 watt radiums on M80 ballasts and 4x 80watt T5 and reef brite XHO blue strips. I've seen kessils light amazing tanks so I would put them with the big names.

That's what I plan for my new 200g coming up. Except I'll use my 14k bulbs still.
What pendants are you going with and what kind of T5 fixture or retrofit? Or is it a Giesemann Spectra?