Thinking of switching to MH from T5

[andyvalk]

So I bought a new tank a year ago and went with T5 lighting - the ATI Powermodule 4x24W with all ATI bulbs. The tank is an Oceanic 45g tech. I am upgrading to a 60g cube since the Oceanic presents all sorts of problems with it's huge center overflow and weird shape for flow, plus the enormous trim makes it very difficult to clean the glass.

Anyway, I miss the shimmer of the MH. Plus my corals just don't seem to thrive like they did under MH lighting. I was running 2 blue plus, 1 KZ purple, and 1 aquablue special. I swapped one of the Blue plus for an ATI actinic (less par) and still my LPS seems washed out unless it's all the way on the bottom near a ledge, and my SPS are not colorful either.

I cannot add LED supplements for shimmer. I have also raised the fixture from ~6" off the water to ~12" and still have the same issues. I don't think I want to go to full LEDs, so i may go back to MH. If I am running a predominately LPS tank with some SPS near the top, is 150W enough on this 24" deep tank?

Also, what are good reflectors and ballasts? I had the JBJ nano cube before, so I never really knew what MH was good. Thanks!

[Reef264]

I would do a 250w for a 24" deep tank.

[alton]

Friend of mine had this size tank with a Lumenbrite mini pendant with 250w MH

[ReLPSef]

+1. A 250W pendant will work.

[danderso]

Another vote for 250. I have a 250 over my 65

[Metal Man 1221]

Well running the bulb combo you are Im not surprised . Have you tried using more than one ABS?

My combo:
Front to back
-ATI Aquablue special
-ATI True actinic
-ATI Blue Plus
-ATI Aquablue Special

I get good color and coral growth with this combo. Even the corals on the sand bed look good and grow quite well.

[stevedola]

if youre looking for mh over a 2ft cube theres only real option imo, a lumenbright mini with a 250mh radium bulb on bluewave3 ballast. i only had 3 issues with that setup on my cube...appearance of the big reflector, no dusk-dawn effect unless retrofited, and slight heat. color of radiums are great and coverage is perfect...if u vould fix the other issues its a great setup.

[andyvalk]

Originally Posted by Metal Man 1221

Well running the bulb combo you are Im not surprised . Have you tried using more than one ABS?

My combo:
Front to back
-ATI Aquablue special
-ATI True actinic
-ATI Blue Plus
-ATI Aquablue Special

I get good color and coral growth with this combo. Even the corals on the sand bed look good and grow quite well.

My thought was the corals are getting too much light, since they fade out unless I put them lower. The SPS were bleaching. So adding another daylight isn't going to help I don't think?

[stevedola]

I dont see how it could be too much light from a 4x24w setup. I have 8 bulbs 4" off the water on my cube and achieve good color and growth but wouldnt do any less than what I have now.

to answer your original question, a 250w would be better served over a 24" deep tank.

[andyvalk]

Originally Posted by stevedola

I dont see how it could be too much light from a 4x24w setup. I have 8 bulbs 4" off the water on my cube and achieve good color and growth but wouldnt do any less than what I have now.

to answer your original question, a 250w would be better served over a 24" deep tank.

That is a single-ended bulb? And what color temperature are you talking about? Last, the Blue Wave 3 is no longer available, but they do have the Galaxy ballast. Any thoughts on that?

[stevedola]

the galaxy ballast is nice but pushes at a different voltage. I was told that the radium bulb (20k on box but more like a 17k)is supposed to operate at the same voltage as a 250w HQI ballast which is why I went with the bluewaveIII. A lot of people do use the galaxy but the color of the bulb is more blue than with the BW3 ballast whhich creates a crisper blue/white. Either way the radium bulb is killer and has good par readings. I took par readings and have them somewhere on my computer at home...it was something like 120 on the SB near the edges with that reflector setup. I loved the bulb/reflector combo but its in my living room and I have a rimless tank...the look was messyish and wife always thought it was too big to look at in the livingroom. If you could deal with the big dome and add a couple LED blue strips for dusk/dawn effect its a killa setup.

and btw they do still carry the BW3 ballast at certain online retailers
http://www.aquasythe.com/Products/Bl...S-BW3-250.aspx

[andyvalk]

I have a rimless cube as well. I could just build a wooden box that surrounds the pendant if necessary...I just built a custom stand (at my father's woodworking company) for the tank which would have been $5k for a paying customer. I could match it to the stand.

Anyway, the Blue Wave 3 ballast says it's supposed to fire DE bulbs, not SE. Is that an issue?

[stevedola]

here was the PAR before I switched to AI SOL Blue (dumb move on my part-IMO) I have the predisposition to be a lemming and get caught up in fads instead of sticking with what I know. I guess being steadfast to your convictions is a learned behavior (for me anyways).

[stevedola]

color blue under the radium

color green/pink


just a sweet color given off by the radium bulbs. I guess thats why most people love them.

[stevedola]

I never had an issue with the ballast running SE bulbs. The only issue I had is that the reflector's socket wire was waaaaaaaaaaaay to long and caused issues until I cut it down to 6ft. They gave me something like 12ft wire to attach to the ballast wire and it would make it flicker and cut out. I shortened the wires and it worked flawlessly for almost 1 1/2yrs.

[andyvalk]

Originally Posted by stevedola

I never had an issue with the ballast running SE bulbs. The only issue I had is that the reflector's socket wire was waaaaaaaaaaaay to long and caused issues until I cut it down to 6ft. They gave me something like 12ft wire to attach to the ballast wire and it would make it flicker and cut out. I shortened the wires and it worked flawlessly for almost 1 1/2yrs.

Not sure I am following you...are you saying because of the longer cord and the distance traveled that the thing didn't fire properly? Is it as simple as cutting the cord down? I'd rather not get involved in modifying something that is discontinued and likely not supported by a warranty anymore...

[stevedola]

I built a custom stand for my cube too! at the time I had my tank made they didnt have all these mass produced 2ft cube tanks with stand so I built one. If you could build a housing for the reflector then you could make the outside look more presentable. The problem would be that theres no where to rest the canopy on a rimless tank. Maybe you could attach it to a couple 90 deg 1" rigid steel conduit like they do for those LED lights.

pic of my tank/stand all shiney and new back in the day

[stevedola]

Originally Posted by andyvalk

Not sure I am following you...are you saying because of the longer cord and the distance traveled that the thing didn't fire properly? Is it as simple as cutting the cord down? I'd rather not get involved in modifying something that is discontinued and likely not supported by a warranty anymore...

The only modification needed was cutting the wire down a couple of feet and connecting the wires like you would any other ballast to the reflector socket. but if you feel better using the galaxy then do as you see fit. no worries.

[andyvalk]

I actually already made matching wood brackets that are L shaped that will screw into the wall, and have the wire hangers for the current T5's. I can use these with a wooden box surrounding the pendant if need be.

I actually went with an oversized stand that could accommodate a 40g breeder sump, my 5 gallon ATO tank, and all of my equipment. I am tired of small sumps and cramped space and crap outside the stand. I will post pics over on the BRS when I get it in my house this weekend.

Did you ever sell your light setup? How do you like the two MP10's? That is what I am going to run as well.

[sanchoy]

MH IMO is still the top of the line best artificial lighting source for corals. especially sps.. The led fab is decent, but in deeper tanks.. MH is still the king.

[andyvalk]

Your picture just showed up in the post...love that overflow. The tank looks good!

[stevedola]

pic with the light over it.

[stevedola]

MP10s? you ask how I like them?>? They are awesome! I run them on the back wall but thats because I hate them on the side with wires hanging. The corals sway so nicely now.

Ive had alot of issues with this tank and the smaller water volumn but after I got my DOser and the ATI light, things are finally starting to shape up. LEDs fried almost all my tank and broke my heart. I started the rebuild process last november and its been going well since then. Nothing is ever easy, at least anything worth while.

[andyvalk]

Originally Posted by stevedola

MP10s? you ask how I like them?>? They are awesome! I run them on the back wall but thats because I hate them on the side with wires hanging. The corals sway so nicely now.

Ive had alot of issues with this tank and the smaller water volumn but after I got my DOser and the ATI light, things are finally starting to shape up. LEDs fried almost all my tank and broke my heart. I started the rebuild process last november and its been going well since then. Nothing is ever easy, at least anything worth while.

I meant how you like them on this tank...I know they are awesome! Anyway, I have two of them already...do you find they work better on the back, or is that just because of the looks?

I was going to run mine on the sides in anti-sync, but I suppose I would run them on sync if they were on the back wall.

So you are running the ATI now...why didn't you go back to the MH? Was it just looks? How are you liking the T5? What bulbs are you using? And what would you suggest on a 4 bulb fixture?

[stevedola]

I love the pair of mp10wes on this tank. I run them on reefcrest antisync about 80%. WIth the 6045 I have in there it doesnt give me any dead spots. the water moves nicely around all my rock.

I am running the ATI 8x24w sunpower which I purchased in Nov.2011. I really like it. Ive always liked T5s because of the full coverage, dusk/dawn, customability of the color bulbs and the ATI fixtures have great par.
I didnt go back with the MH setup mainly because of the 3 reasons I stated before. I switched to LEDs to save on electric(minimal savings) and get the amazing par that everyone was raving about (bad spot lighting - IMO). I will say that the actinics on LEDs are amazing and the dimable control is very nice and for that reason I just couldnt go back to having no duskdawn when I gave up on my AI Sol. The MH reflector was obtrusive and an eyesore when sitting on the couch watching TV. The ATI fixture is so close to the water and sleek its barely noticable. If I had a fish room and could create something to run the MH+LED actinics then I would have prolly gone that way but for my application I am more than happy with it.

My bulbs in my fixture are:
4 blue +
2 purple +
1 aquablue special
1 UVL sunpower ----> thinking about switching out to a KZ New Gen which is (similar to a ABS) or a ATI COral Plus bulb.

For a 4 bulb I would prolly go 2 blue + and 2 KZ New Generations but Ive heard good things about the coral plue bulb. Its all how much blue you want in your tank.