Anyone Thinking of Dumping LEDS and going back to Halides

[Member No. 1]

Ok, there has been a ton of discussion/debate/fisk-a-cuffs whether or not LED is better than MH. I DON'T want to go there.

I'm here for MH/T5 info.
Current tank 120G SPS dominant and using 3 Radion G4 Pros running the AB+ lighting scheme. I went this route with this build. But I am not happy with the results. On the last tank, I was running (2) 250w HQI Phoenix 14k with (2) 54w T5. I've always ran MH/T5 combo. This was in an Aquamedic fixture.

I would like to upgrade to (4) T5 and a new fixture. I was looking at the Giesemann Infiniti HQI-DE/T5 2 x 250w / 4 x 54 watt but it's not available from any USA suppliers, but can be ordered directly then shipped. Not an option I want to try.

So I'm looking into the Hamilton 4 FT CEBU SUN SYSTEMS - 2 X 250 WATT & 4 X 54 WATT T5 HO with the electronic ballast option. But it's not HQI.

Any other fixtures to look at?

So, those of you running MH/T5 combo, thoughts on single end vs HQI and what single end lamp compares the closest to the Phoenix 14k? I know some will say the Radium 20k but I'm just afraid it will be to "blue".

TIA

[alton]

Giesemann Spectra Series would get my vote. Although I have not used this fixture, I helped some one with one and I love the fact it uses single ended so you can use Phoenix and Radium lamps. I have seen the 4' ones for sale used many times, once in a while you will see a 6'

[Member No. 1]

Alton,
Thanks for the reply. I'll have to look for a decent used Giesemann since I can't get new.
The Phoenix, as far as I know, is only available as double ended. If I do go the single ended route, I'm not sure what lamp I will use. The Radium is only available in 20K, and I'm a little apprehensive that it might be to "blue" for my tastes.

[alton]

The Radium is really not 20 K, it is 14 K. The 12K Reeflux lamp were bluer than the Radium. I ran both Phoenix 14K SE and Radium 20K at the same time using Lumen Brite Pendants and people could not tell the difference looking at my tank, and the Par meter read the same depending on the age of the lamps. I ran a Lumen Brite DE Pendant with Phoenix DE lamps and the Par was not as high as the SE lamps on my office tank.

[Member No. 1]

Alton,

Thanks for the reply. I might have to look into the Radiums then.

Anyone else running 20K Radiums care to post a tank shot?

Thanks

[greekspec]

Originally Posted by Member No. 1

Alton,

Thanks for the reply. I might have to look into the Radiums then.

Anyone else running 20K Radiums care to post a tank shot?

Thanks

call Coralvue they have some still I bought a 24" Infiniti off there ebay store for $300, before new years they had 48" for $600 which they were accepting less then that but took them down for some reason.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Giesemann-I...rdt=true&rt=nc

[Four drachma]

I have 4 Kessil A360 X and two 400 watt MHs on my 400 gal SPS dominant tank...I’ll always have LEDs for the viewing on my relaxing evenings. The MHs come on while I’m at work, they give my tank the growth it needs, but not very calming like the blue tones from my LEDs..I think a combo is the only way to get that.


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[Member No. 1]

Originally Posted by greekspec

call Coralvue they have some still I bought a 24" Infiniti off there ebay store for $300, before new years they had 48" for $600 which they were accepting less then that but took them down for some reason.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Giesemann-I...rdt=true&rt=nc

Thanks for the info!

[Sohal Tang Tim]

i DUMPED LED AND JUST WENT BACK TO T5 AND THE CORALS IN 24 HOURS WERE LOVING THE NEW LIGHT!! NO REGRETS...I do miss the shimmer but I will throw a reef brite on there and voila ! Of course Metal Halide was a riot and grew corals like weeds!

[paul17]

its good to here metal halide is still alive

[Reice0923]

I've been out the game too long. How long do the halide bulbs last

[reefdude135]

Originally Posted by Reice0923

I've been out the game too long. How long do the halide bulbs last

in my experience MH have a 12-16 month life cycle at close-to-full strength. Then , they gradually fall off, but not the rapid decline that is common the fluorescent bulbs. I've known people to use a single-ended MH bulbs for 3 years and it still had significant output.

YMMV.


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[ostrow]

Originally Posted by Member No. 1

Alton,

Thanks for the reply. I might have to look into the Radiums then.

Anyone else running 20K Radiums care to post a tank shot?

Thanks

No way it's too blue. You do want to use an hqi ballast with them (overdrive them). I switched from reeflux as well. I also run with dual super actinic vho, because I find it's not blue enough. With T5s it will be crisp white.

[Member No. 1]

Originally Posted by ostrow

No way it's too blue. You do want to use an hqi ballast with them (overdrive them). I switched from reeflux as well. I also run with dual super actinic vho, because I find it's not blue enough. With T5s it will be crisp white.

Thanks for the info.
I ended up getting the Giesemann that I was looking for. I'm running (2) 250W DE Phoenix 14K set on the HQI setting. This fixture also has (4) 54W T5s and I running (2) ATI Coral Plus and (2) ATI Pure Actinics.

With in 2 weeks, the corals colored up, growth took off, the overall appearance look so much better.
For reference, I had (3) Radion XR30 G4 Pro with diffusers running the AB+ at 80%.