Ushio 7k 600 Watt Metal Halide Test

[X-37B]

I posted this in another thread and thought I would post it here as it will be an ongoing test.
Hamilton 20"x20" reflector.
Quantum electronic ballast.
Ushio 7K 600 Watt MH conversion bulb.
It will be run on my 36x24x12 frag system.
Replacing my 150 watt 14K de
Phoenix system.
Yes its overkill with alot of light spill over but its all I have to test it on currently.
If it pans out I will consider running two over my large upgrade.
They also make this bulb in a 400 watt if anyone is interested.
I already have 8 quantum 600 ballasts and the lamp.
These ballasts can be run at 50-75-100%.
I will be starting at 50%.
Run time to be 6 hrs to start.
The bulb has around 2000 hrs on it and I have a few new ones too.
Bulb is 28" off the surface and the fixture is at 25".
I have a dozen or so frags from my 120 and currently have no algae except what I clean off the glass every 4 days or so.
Tank has been up 14 months and I dose esv daily by hand and ez-trace elements.
The lamps at 50% or 300 watts and is very white with no yellowing at all.
Very little heat at 50%.
Here is a pic of the tank and of the spectral distribution of the lamp.
Lets hear all the good and bad. I can take it, lol.

 

[Bpb]

Love the visual appearance. That spectrum is nice. How are the par readings. Any effect on temp if hung that high?

 

[X-37B]

Love the visual appearance. That spectrum is nice. How are the par readings. Any effect on temp if hung that high?

Well its only on 50%.
I have run it on 100% and it is warm but it was also in an enclosed environment running hydro.
Not any hotter than the 150 de it replaced.
I am considering running 2 600's on my upgrade of 84x48x20.
It will depend on coverage and par.
I am looking for a used par meter as we speak.
May just have to buy new or rent one short term if available.

I will take pics tonight before the light goes off at 75% and 100% for comparison.

 

[X-37B]

I just got pics of all 3 settings.
First 50% 300 watts
Second 75% 450 watts
Third 100% 600 watts

 

[A. grandis]

The proper application for that pendant would be about half way down though. Efficiency using halides is also related to the distance from the water surface/ how deep the tank is/ wattage.
I appreciate the pictures showing the 3 settings!! Thanks for sharing, 90's reefer!!

 

[X-37B]

The proper application for that pendant would be about half way down though. Efficiency using halides is also related to the distance from the water surface/ how deep the tank is/ wattage.
I appreciate the pictures showing the 3 settings!! Thanks for sharing, 90's reefer!!

I will lower it in time.
I have run halides since the late 80's but never a 600.
I did not want to shock anything as it was under a 150 before.
Tanks only 12" deep too.
It also gives me a reason to get a par meter, lol.
I also need to check par on my 120 for reference.
All the corals were looking good.

 

[Hot2na]

To me the 50% setting looks appealing...I'd stick to that for a while and just lower the fixture a little like others have said...

 

[Big E]

What's the dimensions of that tank?

 

[X-37B]

What's the dimensions of that tank?

36x24x12

 

[A. grandis]

HiLUX GRO™ Horticulture Lamps​

Professional Grade Grow Lights
Professional growers will not use just any lamps to get just any results. They require specialty-grade lamps to maximize their growth and profits. This is why professionals choose USHIO, a Japanese specialty lighting manufacturer. The USHIO Hilux Gro™ professional-grade grow lights are manufactured at our European ISO 9001 certified factory and are used by a multitude of OEM’s and professionals worldwide.

The Hilux Gro™ series consist of single-ended and double-ended HPS (High Pressure Sodium) and MH (Metal Halide) lamps as well as the new LEC/CMH (Ceramic Metal Halide) lamp types designed for open-rated fixtures

The Single–Ended HPS (2100K) and Metal Halide (7000K) grow lights, up to 2100 micromol/s, are available in 400W, 600W, and 1000W versions.

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• 400W, 600W, 1000W SUPER high output MH with maximized output in both blue and red spectral range
• Conversion bulb to operate on ANSI coded HPS ballast
• SUPER MH bulb with maximum output in both blue and red spectrum
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HiLUX GRO™ Super Metal Halide Grow Light | Ushio America, Inc.

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www.ushio.com

https://www.ushio.com/files/specifications/hilux-gro-grow-lights.pdf

600W:

Ushio Conversion (High Pressure Sodium to Metal Halide) Bulb, 600 watts - 7,000 K

Ushio 600W Super MH Conversion Bulb

hydrobuilder.com

Quantum 600W Digital Ballast, 120/240V Dimmable

With the Quantum 600W Digital Dimmable Ballast you can achieve high-intensity illumination for your garden, which can be controlled as per your need.

growace.com

 

[A. grandis]

 

[A. grandis]

I will lower it in time.
I have run halides since the late 80's but never a 600.
I did not want to shock anything as it was under a 150 before.
Tanks only 12" deep too.
It also gives me a reason to get a par meter, lol.
I also need to check par on my 120 for reference.
All the corals were looking good.

That's a very interesting find. Why didn't you try the 400W instead? Because you already had the 600W ballast?
Does it look exactly like in the pictures. I'm asking because the the cameras, like in most cell phones, normally capture different colors. Pictures from my cell are normally much bluer than they should.
Keep us posted!!

 

[Mike konesky]

Happen to have a 600 sodium to compare par numbers? Spectrum will mess with readings I'm sure, just curious. 600 sodiums are beast.

 

[X-37B]

Happen to have a 600 sodium to compare par numbers? Spectrum will mess with readings I'm sure, just curious. 600 sodiums are beast.

For grows yes but I would not run them on a tank.

 

[Vette67]

Looks pretty cool. Hard to notice a brightness difference, but I'm sure that's the camera phone closing the aperture.

Following along.

 

[X-37B]

That's a very interesting find. Why didn't you try the 400W instead? Because you already had the 600W ballast?
Does it look exactly like in the pictures. I'm asking because the the cameras, like in most cell phones, normally capture different colors. Pictures from my cell are normally much bluer than they should.
Keep us posted!!

Yes exact bulb and ballast.
It looks just like the cell phone pic I took.
Very white like the giesemann 17.5K which is much whiter than the 14k phoenix.
I had a couple of the 600's from past grows 8+ years ago.
I was going through all of it when I saw the bulb and remembered how white it was.
I already have a bunch of the quantums so thats why.
I looked online and saw the 400's.
I am going to pic up a couple 400's most likely and a ballast once I get a par meter and will test both.
Looking at getting another 20x20 hamilton too.
The spectral output look good for these bulbs.

 

[X-37B]

Looks pretty cool. Hard to notice a brightness difference, but I'm sure that's the camera phone closing the aperture.

Following along.

Yeah hard to tell on the phone but in person they get brighter and hotter as you increase wattage.
The frag tank is in a seperate climate controlled room for our snakes so heat is really not an issue.
The room runs 80°f year round and so does the tank.

 

[KrisReef]

It’s going to be interesting to see how the coral start branching under these lights.

 

[X-37B]

It’s going to be interesting to see how the coral start branching under these lights.

Yes it will as I just fragged some more from my 120 for a comparison.
I have these from my 120.
Green slimeball anacropora
Purple stag
Green slimmer stag
Wild unknown stag
Paleta pink tip
German blue digi
Tubbs stalleta
Spongeodes
Wild milli?

 

[X-37B]

I lowered the fixture and centered it.
Fixture is 21" from the surface and
the lamp in now 24" from the surface.
I will keep it this high for now.
I will run it at 50%-300 watts for 2 weeks so 11 more days.
I will then turn it to 75%-450 watts for 2 weeks then 100%-600 watts.
I hope by then to have a par meter.
I will record par at all 3 settings then lower to desired range and light level if everything goes well.