I've been pondering on the idea of switching back to MH because I don't love the LEDs I have and I feel like I'll get better results from MH. I have a 150 gallon cube though and I don't know what fixture I should go with. I'm thinking to get a pendant and two VHO or Reefbrite strips for actinic supplements.

I'm in a toss up between 250w or 400w, I have 3 160w Pacific Sun LEDs right now and they run at about 80% which puts me at about 384w, so one would help me save and another would put me slightly over but I'm convinced I'll have better results.

I'd also the pendant to just rest on the top of the canopy so it won't heat up as much inside of it, only thing is the top of the canopy is probably 18" above the water line. It might be too high up at 18", so I may have to mount it inside the canopy.

Thoughts or suggestions? No questions about LEDs please, stick just to MH discussion, thanks.
 
try a lumenbright reflector, i have them on my 200dd, 48x36 and coverage is great, with 250 radiums, par is 200 on the sandbed, and 600 near the top, reflector is about 16" from the top of tank


How many do you have? I'm really wondering if I can get away with one 250w. I'm not big on SPS so it may work well for me. Any actinic supplements?

I wish I had something to measure my PAR. I wonder if it's the lights that are no good or if I'm just being picky.
 

greg 45

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reefs4life I just switched out my old pendants for the Reef Brite . The lux almost tripled giving me much more needed light. Also purchased the 2 led strips that you can add later. Call and ask for Tullio or Joy they can help in you decision on what to purchase. Never going back to led's what happens in 5 year when they need to be replaced ????
 

vio

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I have one Pendant Hamilton Technology Metal Halide 400W Mogul Base, i broke the glass, i will give you for free, is new, also i will give you use Light Bulb (400 W) you may buy the Ballast that work on 400 W and 250 W, see if you like the change ( i got one Ballast from E-Bay = $ 90), i got 3 x 400 W MH and 180 LED (11 ch.) i build the LEDs in my tank (220 Gal.)
 
I have 2, because it's 48" wide on yours 1 will work ok, I do have 4 t5 to eliminate the shadowing

Ok thanks for the advice, I think I definitely want to try the 250w if it's enough juice for the tank. I just don't want to upset my Magnifica and have it wonder all over.

reefs4life I just switched out my old pendants for the Reef Brite . The lux almost tripled giving me much more needed light. Also purchased the 2 led strips that you can add later. Call and ask for Tullio or Joy they can help in you decision on what to purchase. Never going back to led's what happens in 5 year when they need to be replaced ????

How many watts are your running on what size tank? I'm trying to figure out if a 250w will suffice on an area 36" X 36" I'm pretty sure I've read people have done it but others have also put one 400w. You're saying you're never going back to LEDs now that you have your Reef Brite?

You could probably get away with 1 400w Radium on a Lumen bright reflector. And if you want more blue to pop add a couple of VHO's. they will be available soon.

Yeah I've read about people successfully running one MH on a 150 cube but I'd rather do a 250w if I can. Are you getting rid of your MHs?
 

greg 45

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My tanks are 4 foot by 8 foot . Each tank ( 3 ) has a light rail/ my 36 x 60 has 1 pendant with there blue leds. I would never spend the money on full leds as I owned 3 4x 150 pacific suns and 18 fathoms. Old tried and true methods work. I spend less electric running the metal halides and only have to replace 4 bulbs. After 5 year what do you do to replace the leds. I use the reef brite leds for supplement not growth . They are only on one unit as stated.
 
My tanks are 4 foot by 8 foot . Each tank ( 3 ) has a light rail/ my 36 x 60 has 1 pendant with there blue leds. I would never spend the money on full leds as I owned 3 4x 150 pacific suns and 18 fathoms. Old tried and true methods work. I spend less electric running the metal halides and only have to replace 4 bulbs. After 5 year what do you do to replace the leds. I use the reef brite leds for supplement not growth . They are only on one unit as stated.


What did you end up doing with your Pacific Suns (what I'm asking, did anyone buy them? LOL).

Also, how many watts are the MHs?

Wow a 36X60 lit by only one pendant? I assume you have some shadowing around the edges?
 

greg 45

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Not going to touch the pacific sun issue
The ReefBrite pendant packs plenty of punch for the size- there are no shadows
They replaced a magnum pendant that was over kill in size and poor lamp efficiency
They were also 400 watt same bulb is being used a radium.
My par meter was on loan so I had to use my phone lux meter.
After meeting Tullio & Joy at the rap show I was sold , My old fixture was 3000 lux compared to the bulb at the show was a 250 , I got a reading of 6000. After installing there ballast and there fixture the lux was over 8000 . This was impressive. I had the old square and 8 sided fixture no comparison.
 
Not going to touch the pacific sun issue
The ReefBrite pendant packs plenty of punch for the size- there are no shadows
They replaced a magnum pendant that was over kill in size and poor lamp efficiency
They were also 400 watt same bulb is being used a radium.
My par meter was on loan so I had to use my phone lux meter.
After meeting Tullio & Joy at the rap show I was sold , My old fixture was 3000 lux compared to the bulb at the show was a 250 , I got a reading of 6000. After installing there ballast and there fixture the lux was over 8000 . This was impressive. I had the old square and 8 sided fixture no comparison.



So you're saying that not only are you running metal halide pendant but it's a 250w bulbs which is putting out more lux than a 400w bulb? I have no par meter so I have no idea what kind of output the Pac Suns put out
 

greg 45

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No at the rap show I compared my old pendant 400 watt to there 250 watt display and the lux doubled. 3000 to 6000
At home from my old pendants and galaxy ballast on highest 400 setting / to there pendant and there ballast the lux went from 3000 to over 8000 lux
 

Jim

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Yeah I've read about people successfully running one MH on a 150 cube but I'd rather do a 250w if I can. Are you getting rid of your MHs?[/QUOTE]

No I'm not getting rid of my halides. If you are not keeping a lot of SPS you can definitely do one 250 but I would supplement with T-5 or Vho's. You'll only have the halide on for 6-7 hours...you will want a longer photo period.
 
No I'm not getting rid of my halides. If you are not keeping a lot of SPS you can definitely do one 250 but I would supplement with T-5 or Vho's. You'll only have the halide on for 6-7 hours...you will want a longer photo period.

Yeah I won't be keeping much SPS at all, maybe 10 pieces max, at the moment I have 5 different types and I'm pretty satisfied. I don't mind supplementing because I would like to do a sunlight/sunset transition anyways. Do you have moonlights with your setup?
 

BioMan

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After being a Kessil fanatic for the past few years I've gone to th T5s for my SPS tank. The shadows that the Kessil produced, I have 6 a350w over a 265, did great for soft coral but not SPS
 

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