No love for MH?

[naterealbig]

@naterealbig Well, there you go. I have not utilized the XHOs to compare. I believe there is far more blue in the XHOs then the UV Orpheks. The Orphek UVs are just that, UV LEDs that peak at around ~410nm. By themselves they are very dark but make corals glow. I think if I were going to run the LEDs by themselves I'd get one UV and a Blue from Orphek to run together. Some may want just two blues. The Reefbrite XHOs are probably pretty good lights but they sure are proud of them. I think the Reefbreeders and the Orpheks are about half the price of the XHOs.

For me it was also very important to not have to drill holes in my light fixture to add LEDs. I knew this was possible with the Orpheks because another member was using the blue versions on their 48" Giesemann Spectra. He showed me how to alter the mounts that come with the Orpheks to attach them without drilling holes in the Spectra. This was my first priority. If I couldn't add LEDs without drilling my expensive German fixture, I would not add LEDs.

I really like the idea of additional UV with the Orphek strips, but I think the XHO would be required to shine through the halide to add the blue highlight I'm looking for. Perhaps I will do both.... 2 x XHO RB strips and 2 x Orphek UV strips. I guess the compliment that they would offer might be dependent on the halide bulb used.

Any thoughts to the above combination with Ushio 14k halide bulbs in 250w or 400w version?. Am I able to dim the XHOs using the Apex?

Let me know your thoughts.....

 

[Jeremy Luke]

I do not know about those bulbs. I have only used 250w 20k Radiums driven at 300w. I can tell you with both Radiums, two 54w Blue+ T5s and two 54w true Actinic T5s all powered on it is still very easy to see the difference of when the LED bars are turned on and off when looking at the coral.

 

[jda]

You will get a lot of UV from the Halides. There is no need really to add in UV with diodes unless you like the look.

 

[MnFish1]

I can't stress enough how true this is. When I converted from MH to LED, suddenly my heaters actually *ran*. When I converted from VHO to LED, again, heaters actually ran.

Prior to that, my heaters were merely decorative units I placed in the tank in case something weird happened. My power usage on the lights went way down, but my heat power usage went from zero to alot, so, be aware of that in a colder area. You might actually use more power with LEDs.

Well - Its a good point - but either way - it takes a given amount of energy to heat a given amount of water a certain amount - so the cost would depend on which method of heating the water (MH or a heater - for example) is more efficient. My guess is that a heater in the water is more efficient. But I can see it both ways. Of course - with the heater - you dont have the benefit of the light. (i.e. the mH produces both light and heat)

I live in an area where its 'cold' in winter (but its not like we leave the windows open its -30 today) and 70 inside the house - and can be over 100 at times in the summer. So - for me - from a temperature standpoint (I don't want a chiller) - I had to ditch MH

 

[Jeremy Luke]

You will get a lot of UV from the Halides. There is no need really to add in UV with diodes unless you like the look.

Yeah, my corals didn't need the UV LED bars. I started with LED but changed to metal halide when I got the tank I have now and knew the tank would be SPS only. There is no denying the pop effect that only LED can produce, that's why I added the UV LED bars.

 

[jda]

Yeah, my corals didn't need the UV LED bars. I started with LED but changed to metal halide when I got the tank I have now and knew the tank would be SPS only. There is no denying the pop effect that only LED can produce, that's why I added the UV LED bars.

You are using the Orphek with the 410 and 430 nm diodes? Just curious because I cannot really see any ReefBrite XHOs when my Halides are on, so I don't use them. I might if I could see them.

 

[Jeremy Luke]

You are using the Orphek with the 410 and 430 nm diodes? Just curious because I cannot really see any ReefBrite XHOs when my Halides are on, so I don't use them. I might if I could see them.

That is correct. And with the Halides and T5s on, when you turn the LEDs on and off there is a noticeable difference in the color of the coral.

 

[Jeremy Luke]

I'm running Actinic and Blue+ T5s

 

[Reefs of Space]

Cebu Sun Hamilton Technology fixture (36" 2-175w + 2-96w PCs) I've been using the past 5 years. I retrofitted some diy led light bars(80w using 5w leds) in there. Plus 36w of blue light strips.

 

[MnFish1]

Cebu Sun Hamilton Technology fixture (36" 2-175w + 2-96w PCs) I've been using the past 5 years. I retrofitted some diy led light bars(80w using 5w leds) in there. Plus 36w of blue light strips.

Curious - if MH are 'the best' why do people need to add other lights to them. They should be enough. I would like an answer to this question - if you add enough LED (or turn them up enough - most people here seem to be using LED's at 30% ) can you mimic MH? But - I don't understand if MH (old fashioned) are 'the best' why people are adding other lights to them...Just a question... Especially your set up - where you're adding LEDs as well. It seems completely backward. this is not designed to be a critique - and if you like the look great - but why (otherwise)

 

[naterealbig]

You will get a lot of UV from the Halides. There is no need really to add in UV with diodes unless you like the look.

Welp. That's the thing - I like the look [emoji846]

 

[naterealbig]

You are using the Orphek with the 410 and 430 nm diodes? Just curious because I cannot really see any ReefBrite XHOs when my Halides are on, so I don't use them. I might if I could see them.

I definitely can see the LED supplementation, and there is nothing that I have seen that can replicate the fluorescence of a royal blue LED.

I want the pronounced pop that LEDs can produce, but with the complete spectrum of the halide bulbs. I'm looking for the best of both worlds - think daylight brightness and shimmer, but with some of the pop you can only get with all blues on an LED fixture.

 

[naterealbig]

That is correct. And with the Halides and T5s on, when you turn the LEDs on and off there is a noticeable difference in the color of the coral.

I have observed this as well. I think I will go with the Giesemann w Radium, + 2 Orphek UV strips, and 2 x XHO strips.

 

[MTBake]

This all comes down to personal preference, imo.

I have a 40 breeder with a 250w halide lighting two thirds of the tank. I added a Kessil 360we on one side of the tank help get rid of shadows on the outside of the corals.

I have a frag of the same acro directly under each light source. I've noticed minimal difference in color or growth over the past 5 months. The frag under the Kessil may even be growing faster.

 

[Reefs of Space]

Curious - if MH are 'the best' why do people need to add other lights to them. They should be enough. I would like an answer to this question - if you add enough LED (or turn them up enough - most people here seem to be using LED's at 30% ) can you mimic MH? But - I don't understand if MH (old fashioned) are 'the best' why people are adding other lights to them...Just a question... Especially your set up - where you're adding LEDs as well. It seems completely backward. this is not designed to be a critique - and if you like the look great - but why (otherwise)

I think every kind of lighting brings something to the table that the other is lacking. The more the better! I actually think I get better color with high par leds, but no shadowing with the halides is nice. I'm about to start a small AIO tank that I'm going to blast with a black box led light that I'm customizing.

 

[MnFish1]

I think every kind of lighting brings something to the table that the other is lacking. The more the better! I actually think I get better color with high par leds, but no shadowing with the halides is nice. I'm about to start a small AIO tank that I'm going to blast with a black box led light that I'm customizing.

Serious question - what is wrong with 'shadowing'?

 

[naterealbig]

Abd just for the record, I am not anti-LED. I think they are a very good lighting solution, and I have used Radions with success. When halides are no longer viable, i am confident I will be happy with them.

There are a couple reasons I'm going with halides, and they are a little different than the reasoning for most. I could care less about the heat - I have always been able to manage it with a fan and ambient temperature. I have seen many successful displays with these systems, and let's be honest - I will be truly happy if I can achieve the colors and growth that vendors like Battle Corals and WWC have achieved with LEDs, with my halides.

First, you get an overall brightness from halides, that is simply unmatched with any other lighting source. For a given PAR, halides emit brighter light. Nothing "glows" like a tank lit with halides. Nothing.

The second, and probably more popular reason, is the complete spectrum that a halide bulb offers. LEDs are getting close, but not 100% there. This translates into color rendition, and color development in corals that can't always be achieved with some of the missing spectrum portions of LEDs.

Lastly, it's just simple. I think 99% of the problems people experience with LEDs are because they can't stop fiddling with them. I pouch some bulbs I like, put them on a timer, grow awesome corals, done.

 

[MnFish1]

First, you get an overall brightness from halides, that is simply unmatched with any other lighting source. For a given PAR, halides emit brighter light. Nothing "glows" like a tank lit with halides. Nothing.

Lastly, it's just simple. I think 99% of the problems people experience with LEDs are because they can't stop fiddling with them. I pouch some bulbs I like, put them on a timer, grow awesome corals, done.

Isn't PAR a measure of 'brightness'? In a sense. I mean the greater the PAR - the brighter it should be?

I agree with you completely on the adjustment issue.

 

[Reefs of Space]

Serious question - what is wrong with 'shadowing'?

I guess it affects sps the most. Like when the underside of a birdsnest colony or forest fire digi looks bland or even bald with hardly any polyps. That's shadowing. Halides seem to really light up the darker areas better than leds. T5's do a good job too. That seems to be the main downside to strictly leds for me. Maybe if there were a way to discreetly light the tank from the front too, that would be nice.

 

[MnFish1]

I think every kind of lighting brings something to the table that the other is lacking. The more the better! I actually think I get better color with high par leds, but no shadowing with the halides is nice. I'm about to start a small AIO tank that I'm going to blast with a black box led light that I'm customizing.

Curious - are you using all of your lights on their maximum settings? - Many here would say that 'the more the better' is incorrect.