Reef Brite MH Fan Club

[Syntax1235]

Here you go. Reef Brite 250w w/ Reef Brite ballast running Phoenix de 14k mounted 15” above the water surface.

Just mh

Right above the water line 1020
Right below the water line 840
6” below 560
12” below 400
18” below 250

Reef Brite mh x 4 reef Brite t5ho x 2 Reef Brite tech actinic led. T5 and led mounted 20” above water line, mh 15” above the surface.

Right above the water line 1230
Right below the water line 1090
6” 790
12” 545
18” 410

Numbers taken with apogee mq-510.

Did you see this Straight.Reefin? These are the real world numbers that you were looking for using your exact setup. Either call UWC or Tulio for questions and help, don't bother getting bogged down in threads that are full of confusing contradictory opinions.

 

[justingraham]

Did you see this Straight.Reefin? These are the real world numbers that you were looking for using your exact setup. Either call UWC or Tulio for questions and help, don't bother getting bogged down in threads that are full of confusing contradictory opinions.

These are roughly the numbers I get as well except I’m using single ended bulbs I have Reefbrite pendants and 250 watt ballast
Also at 24 inches I am getting 205 par if you have a deeper tank

 

[Straight.Reefin]

Well those numbers are pretty dang good!!!! I know UWC runs reefbrite ballasts, but syntax1235 do you run the reefbrite ballast also?

I have been talking to UWC also and he was a lot of help!!!

 

[Syntax1235]

Yes, I run 14k twin arcs as well. I don’t have a par meter though. I hope to borrow one from my Lfs soon.

 

[Straight.Reefin]

These are roughly the numbers I get as well except I’m using single ended bulbs I have Reefbrite pendants and 250 watt ballast
Also at 24 inches I am getting 205 par if you have a deeper tank

Do you run the reefbrite ballasts also?

 

[justingraham]

Yes and the Reefbrite bulb

 

[Straight.Reefin]

Yes and the Reefbrite bulb

Okay awesome good to know!

So I run the Phoenix 14k and the odyssey ballast

I’m just confused now cause some are saying you can’t get good or full par without the m80 ballasts and then some of you that are running the reefbrite ballasts are gettin good par results haha

 

[justingraham]

All I can say with certainty is that my par meter says I get 206 par on the bottom of the tank running the fixtures 13 inches over my water I have reefbrites ballast and reefbrites twin arc 14k bulb

 

[Straight.Reefin]

I’m going to post my par results and the picture of my tank later today

 

[Syntax1235]

I just borrowed an mq-500 par meter from my lfs and took these measurements... Lights are mounted 12 inches above the top frame of my tank, standard 180. I'm using reefbrite 250 watt ballasts with their 14k twin-arc SE bulbs, about two months old. My lfs said the meter was calibrated for LED's so I don't know how that translates to the mh light. These numbers seem to make sense compared to UWC's numbers since he is using a DE bulb that has a higher par from what I understand.

Numbers are MH only

Just above waters surface: 750
6 inches below: 400-450
12 inches below: 300
22 inches below: 175 -200

 

[Straight.Reefin]

Par results with Neptune par meter

Not sure if calibrated right since it’s not mine but I will try and find out

This is with lights 4 inches off of the water on my 29 inch deep tank

 

[Straight.Reefin]

 

[Syntax1235]

Looks similar to mine... I take it the middle is about 12 inches or so below the water? Specifically, the 381 and 371 reading?

 

[Straight.Reefin]

Looks similar to mine... I take it the middle is about 12 inches or so below the water? Specifically, the 381 and 371 reading?

Yeah about 12-14 inches below water st those spots

 

[Straight.Reefin]

Looks similar to mine... I take it the middle is about 12 inches or so below the water? Specifically, the 381 and 371 reading?

But the problem is your lights are 12 inches above the water and you are roughly getting the same readings as I am but my lights are 4 inches above the water!!!

So either I need to switch out my ballasts

Or I need to switch out the ballasts and my bulbs to all reefbrite

Or maybe just switch out ballasts and keep my Phoenix bulbs

 

[Syntax1235]

If your lights are 4 inches above the water you are going to have heat-related issues. You are running on the assumption that your par meter is working correctly, just putting it out there that it could be a hardware issue.

Try raising your lights and see if your readings change, they may be similar.

 

[Straight.Reefin]

If your lights are 4 inches above the water you are going to have heat-related issues. You are running on the assumption that your par meter is working correctly, just putting it out there that it could be a hardware issue.

Try raising your lights and see if your readings change, they may be similar.

No they were way less when I did it the other day and that’s why I dropped them from 8 inches to 4 inches....that is why I started this post because I was shocked at how low my par was

As for the par meter not working correctly or not being calibrated correctly I have no idea, I got it from my good friend Corey dale from budmans corals, but I’ll ask him

As for temp it goes from 78.1-79.1 all day

 

[sfg]

Anyone here run their RB pendants without the glass shields? Do they serve a purpose outside of keeping salt creep off the fixture?

I’m 13” of the water line.

 

[Ike]

Anyone here run their RB pendants without the glass shields? Do they serve a purpose outside of keeping salt creep off the fixture?

I’m 13” of the water line.

For SE, not much, but it will help with corrosion to leave them on.

 

[sfg]

For SE, not much, but it will help with corrosion to leave them on.

Corrosion? Where would this be, on the reflectors?

Reason I ask is The glass doesn’t get overspray or salt creep at all. If anything it’s gets dusty and it’s a PITA to remove the fixture out of the canopy and then remove the glass to clean so I was thinking I would just leave them off. They are SE pendants