Opinions on MH lighting please.

[corrado007]

I have a 48" 90gal glass tank with softies, LPS, and 1 SPS birdsnest frag. Currently I only have 2x65w 10,000k PC and 2x65w actinic PC. I'm trying to decide what the best Metal Halide setup would be for my tank. Price IS an issue for me but I still want a quality setup so I need to find a compromise. Also, I'd like to have the option of keeping clams, an anemone, and more SPS in the future.

So far I'm thinking of doing a retrofit setup with two 250w MH double ended lamps and an electronic ballast. I really like the blue tint of 14k lamps. I would build a canopy with integrated fans and no back to deal with the heat.

I've been told that it's a good idea to supplement with VHOs or T-5s as well to reduce the shock to the animals when the halides come on and go off.

Also, is it best to get individual ballasts for the MH lamps or one dual ballast for both of them?

I'd really appreciate any input and experiences you all have.
Thank You.

[Dagrape]

2 250W MH would be good. I would use 2 separate balasts just in case one ever fails then you at least still have 1 MH running. If your dual ballast malfunctioned you would be without any MH light.

I also think that the PC's would work for suppliments.

[Loverotties]

Dependes on what type of clams.(2)400w, you can do anything.

[Wiskey]

Originally Posted by Dagrape

2 250W MH would be good. I would use 2 separate balasts just in case one ever fails then you at least still have 1 MH running. If your dual ballast malfunctioned you would be without any MH light.

I also think that the PC's would work for suppliments.

Agreed.

Can you use your current 4*55W PC setup as the Atinics?

Might save you some money

Whiskey

[corrado007]

2 250W MH would be good. I would use 2 separate balasts just in case one ever fails then you at least still have 1 MH running. If your dual ballast malfunctioned you would be without any MH light.

I also think that the PC's would work for suppliments.

I'm glad to hear that I'm not barking up the wrong tree. I thought the same thing about two separate ballasts for the two lamps but wasn't sure since I know so little about MH setups. As far as the supplemental lights, I've heard that VHO give a better glow & bring out the color in the corals better and just behind them would be t-5s. Is that so?

Dependes on what type of clams.(2)400w, you can do anything.

Honestly, if my only real limitation would be in a slightly more limited selection of clams I'd prefer to go with the two 250s just to save on energy and have a little less heat produced. I don't want to have to get a chiller if I can keep the tank cool enough with fans. I'll have to keep my fingers crossed on that one though.

Originally Posted by Wiskey

Agreed.

Can you use your current 4*55W PC setup as the Atinics?

Might save you some money

Whiskey

I like your thinking. Unfortunately my current 4x65w PCs are a JBJ fixture, not retrofit. I think I may be better off selling them and putting that cash into the new supplemental lights rather than tearing the components out to try to get them to fit around the MH lamps/reflectors, especially if VHO or t-5 would be better. Does that seem reasonable?

Thanks for your help by the way everyone, keep it coming. I'm learning a lot here.

[Wiskey]

I like your thinking. Unfortunately my current 4x65w PCs are a JBJ fixture, not retrofit. I think I may be better off selling them and putting that cash into the new supplemental lights rather than tearing the components out to try to get them to fit around the MH lamps/reflectors, especially if VHO or t-5 would be better. Does that seem reasonable?

Thanks for your help by the way everyone, keep it coming. I'm learning a lot here.

If it were me and I were setting up lighting from scratch (and didn't have a room full of junk to pick from ) then I would get the 2*54W Tek T5 retro for my atinics, and I would run atinic Blue bulbs over true atinic (because there nearly double the output) The reason I mention the Tek retro specifically is the reflectors,.. the individual parabolic reflectors advertize 3X the light delivered to the tank over regular flat reflectors, this is especially important when the bulbs are high up like they tend to be when using them to SUPP MH.

Whiskey

[corrado007]

Originally Posted by Wiskey

If it were me and I were setting up lighting from scratch (and didn't have a room full of junk to pick from ) then I would get the 2*54W Tek T5 retro for my atinics, and I would run atinic Blue bulbs over true atinic (because there nearly double the output) The reason I mention the Tek retro specifically is the reflectors,.. the individual parabolic reflectors advertize 3X the light delivered to the tank over regular flat reflectors, this is especially important when the bulbs are high up like they tend to be when using them to SUPP MH.

Whiskey

So you'd go with T-5s over VHO. I'm not sure I understand what you mean when you say

I would run atinic Blue bulbs over true atinic (because there nearly double the output)

Running blue bulbs instead of true actinic? Am I understanding right? I'm a bit lost on that part.

[Wiskey]

Originally Posted by corrado007

So you'd go with T-5s over VHO.

No doubt T5's use less power and with the right reflectors put out more light

I'm not sure I understand what you mean when you say Running blue bulbs instead of true actinic? Am I understanding right? I'm a bit lost on that part.

Check this out, this test was done the same way on some different bulbs:

Originally Posted by Par data

ATI

Sun Pro 357
Aquablue 336
Blue Plus 311
Actinic 137

D&D/Giesemann

Midday 325
Aquablue 324
Actinic Plus 264
Pure Actinic 157

The "Atinic Plus" is what other MFG's would call "Atinic Blue", it puts out 264,.. when the "Pure Atinic" (other MFG's would call "True Atinic" puts out only 157.

Same deal with ATI!
Atinic 137
Blue Plus (Atinic blue)=311

Whiskey

[corrado007]

Forgive me, I know so little about lighting. I've always just has a set of PCs on the tank and never looked into anything else until now. So, am I looking at the PAR (photosynthetically avaliable radiation) of these various bulbs in the list you provided? If that is the case then I see that the actinics produce significantly less light that is beneficial to the corals growth but I thought that with supplemental lighting we're just trying to add visible color to enhance the appearance of the corals and that the MH already provide adequate PAR? Am I way off here?
TEACH ME! I wanna learn.
Seriously, thanks for being so helpful.

[Wiskey]

I've got to jet right now, and won't be back tonight,.. but I'll try my best to remember to check this thread tomorrow (Shoot me a PM if I don't remember)

Whiskey

[corrado007]

I'm going to bump my own post here. I've already ordered the the MH ballasts and I know what bulbs and reflectors I'm going to order and just want to hold off so I can combine shipping with the supplemental actinics I need to order.

So, back to the discussion. Should I be looking at T-5 or VHO strictly for color supplementation on my 90gal. I have plenty of PAR from the halides. From what I gather so far T-5s are more popular since they are newer, have more bulb options, create less heat, and cost less to run. But, can they make the corals color pop like VHO can? If so, how many bulbs would I need? I was planning on 2x 46.5" 110W VHO bulbs before I started thinking about T-5s.
ANY suggestions or experiences would be appreciated. I'd like to hear everyone's ideas.
Thanks.