Red Sea Max S400 Metal Halide Lighting

[Gonzo74]

I am looking into a boost in lighting for my Red Sea Max S400 but only know as much about Metal Halides as I have been reading about.

Can someone with experience tell me some more about this? I have found a halide housing unit that would fit in between both my AI Hydra 26 HDs.

What bulb if any should I put in it?

Will this really help with growth and coloration?

Has anyone done this with a Red Sea tank?

Any recommendations for hardware?

Thank you!

 

[RJKain-777]

Add another hydra 26hd and some T5 lighting. You’ll get much better results

 

[C. Eymann]

I am looking into a boost in lighting for my Red Sea Max S400 but only know as much about Metal Halides as I have been reading about.

Can someone with experience tell me some more about this? I have found a halide housing unit that would fit in between both my AI Hydra 26 HDs.

What bulb if any should I put in it?

Will this really help with growth and coloration?

Has anyone done this with a Red Sea tank?

Any recommendations for hardware?

Thank you!

Metal halide loyalist here,

Will it help with growth? absolutely! coloration?, more than likely yes.

What is the reflector unit made to hold? screw in ? or double ended ?

How many watts are you looking to run? Do you have a ballast yet?

 

[Gonzo74]

It is double ended. What is a ballast?

here is a link. If you have a better recommendation, I am all ears.

 

[Gonzo74]

It is double ended. What is a ballast?

here is a link. If you have a better recommendation, I am all ears.

Bimini Sun Double Ended (HQI) Metal Halide Reflector - Hamilton

The Bimini Sun Reflector is an awesome low-profile metal halide reflector that is great for nano tanks. Two Models Available 150W DE 250W DE Compact European design, super low profile Double Ended HQI tank mount reflector Durable German hammer tone, mirror finish, corrosion proof anodized...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[Gonzo74]

Add another hydra 26hd and some T5 lighting. You’ll get much better results

Not too impressed with Hydras so I don’t want to add another. T5s are not an option unless they make some that are 12 inches long and can fit in between my two Hydras.

 

[Reefcowboy]

Not trying to make this an led vs halide thread as we are tired of them. Just want to say people hanging to their mhs arent newbies but probably the ones who have been in the hobby for the longest with very accomplished tanks.

Halides will give you tremendous results. I just bought enough halide bulbs to keep me using my fixture for the next 4 years or so. If you are willing to give it a try, and you have a double ended fixture, I would try the phoenix 14k. It brings a light similar to a mid day sunlit reef

 

[C. Eymann]

Well that is just the reflector pendant, you will need to buy a ballast, bulb availability isnt what it used to be back in the day but a lot of people like pheonix double ended bulbs, so you would want to buy the ballast that runs them best.
Running the right ballast paired with the right bulb is crucial for getting the results halides are known for.


With most 150w DE bulbs you are going to want a magnetic HQI ballast, not a electronic one, look for the designation M81 , if going 250w look for designation M80

 

[Gonzo74]

Well that is just the reflector pendant, you will need to buy a ballast, bulb availability isnt what it used to be back in the day but a lot of people like pheonix double ended bulbs, so you would want to buy the ballast that runs them best.
Running the right ballast paired with the right bulb is crucial for getting the results halides are known for.


With most 150w DE bulbs you are going to want a magnetic HQI ballast, not a electronic one, look for the designation M81 , if going 250w look for designation M80

Thanks for the advice. Would you go with 14K or 20K or what? How would you acclimate?

 

[Gonzo74]

Thanks for the advice. Would you go with 14K or 20K or what? How would you acclimate?

Why not electronic? I just researched and did not see many magnetic ones. Also, read they are loud and my wife won’t have that since the tank is in the living room.

Are electric just not worth it?

 

[C. Eymann]

Thanks for the advice. Would you go with 14K or 20K or what? How would you acclimate?

Kelvin temps on bulbs is personal choice, as far as acclimation I can not give much advice on what adjustments you will want to make on your LEDs, because like I said I am a halide loyalist, very limited knowledge with LEDs, but I'm teaching myself.

my common sense says turn down overall intensity of the hydras for a few days and ramp back up slowly?

You will see a pickup in growth, Sanjay Joshi he reported a 25% decrease in growth rate after he switched to LED, but sounds like you are going for the best of both worlds, rock on man!

 

[C. Eymann]

Why not electronic? I just researched and did not see many magnetic ones. Also, read they are loud and my wife won’t have that since the tank is in the living room.

Are electric just not worth it?

I know some people get good results with running double ended bulbs on electronic, but I always get the best bang with them running on magnetic HQI

Do you already have the pendant? if not there are some other decent compact options for SE halides, many more bulb options that run good on electronic.

This is an excellent read on halides, problem is some of the bulbs in the study are not available anymore.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-03/sj/index.php

 

[Gonzo74]

I know some people get good results with running double ended bulbs on electronic, but I always get the best bang with them running on magnetic HQI

Do you already have the pendant? if not there are some other decent compact options for SE halides, many more bulb options that run good on electronic.

This is an excellent read on halides, problem is some of the bulbs in the study are not available anymore.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-03/sj/index.php

I don’t have the pendant yet. Was just eyeballing it.

 

[C. Eymann]

Not trying to make this an led vs halide thread as we are tired of them. Just want to say people hanging to their mhs arent newbies but probably the ones who have been in the hobby for the longest with very accomplished tanks.

Halides will give you tremendous results. I just bought enough halide bulbs to keep me using my fixture for the next 4 years or so. If you are willing to give it a try, and you have a double ended fixture, I would try the phoenix 14k. It brings a light similar to a mid day sunlit reef

+ 1 to the Phoenix 14k, probably one of the best double ended bulbs on the market right now. Their color resembles that of radiums running on M80 ballasts.

Agree this should not turn into another halide vs LED thread, too many out there already

 

[Gonzo74]

If anyone has any links or recommendations to any all in one packages for halides, I would appreciate it. Would need to be between 12-18 inches long tops, since I want to run it in between my Hydras.

 

[Gonzo74]

+ 1 to the Phoenix 14k, probably one of the best double ended bulbs on the market right now. Their color resembles that of radiums running on M80 ballasts.

Agree this should not turn into another halide vs LED thread, too many out there already

Why I want both!!

 

[VR28man]

Bimini Sun Double Ended (HQI) Metal Halide Reflector - Hamilton

The Bimini Sun Reflector is an awesome low-profile metal halide reflector that is great for nano tanks. Two Models Available 150W DE 250W DE Compact European design, super low profile Double Ended HQI tank mount reflector Durable German hammer tone, mirror finish, corrosion proof anodized...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

This is supposedly a good fixture.

But if you get it, get the fixture, ballast, and bulb all together. Their bulbs and ballasts are good.

Bimini Sun System - Only 2.5" Tall - The Sleekest, Most Low Profile MH Reflector Available

hamiltontechnology.com

 

[Reefcowboy]

Gonzo,

What kind of corals do you have? Can you share a bit about your tank? What dont you like about your current lighting?

 

[Gonzo74]

I have a mix of coral. SPS up high and LPS and softies mid to sand bed. My lights just don’t feel like they penetrate very far and also they don’t have the clarity and color as the halides I see when I go to a LFS. I buy coral at LFS under halides and then come home and it looks like a totally different coral.

I am just looking to enhance my current system, not replace it.

 

[JoshH]

This is supposedly a good fixture.

But if you get it, get the fixture, ballast, and bulb all together. Their bulbs and ballasts are good.

Bimini Sun System - Only 2.5" Tall - The Sleekest, Most Low Profile MH Reflector Available

hamiltontechnology.com

I wonder what the light spread is on the 150W version. Anyone know if I'd get away with 2 or would I need 3 on a 5 foot long 30" wide 17" deep tank?