Convince me to change to MH ??

[tinman]

Ok so i have got this itch to try metal halide for a while. I currently use radion g3 pro for lighting and color and growth is nice under this light ..

So i was offered a like new giesseman infinity fixture for a good deal and after much deliberation i jumped on it and it would be comming in this week

Now changing to MH would mean some work for me .. Its 4 plugs ( if i go with it ill be getting reefbrite so 4th plug) and 4 mechanical timers .. And then comes how the coral would respond to the new light .. They are in their peak health right now and im kinda skeptical to disturb it...


So anyone going to convince me to change to mh/t5 and ditch my radions ??




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[dgagvgeg]

I say, if it ain't broke don't try to fix it
..but i am a noob what do i know? Lol

 

[1jwampler]

I can't convince you to change, but, this may be a reason to stay with your Radion. When I sold my house in 2006, I got out of the hobby. I started with VHOs in the 90s, memory may be bad it may have just been standard actinic bulbs. In the quest to grow coral before LEDs I upgraded to more and more VHOs then to MH. Ended up with 3 400W MHs over a 365 8' tank, did a fantastic job of growing coral. But then came summer and the 1.5HP chiller, and the $200/mos extra ComEd bill each month. Tank was beautiful, compliments may have been worth it. But... when I moved, I sold it and didn't look back. When the AI SOLs came out, I saw a small tank and said,hay maybe I could get back in without the massive complexity of a chiller, and MHs,running against time and temperature and get close to the same results. I have to say even the SOLs did a very good job, maybe not as good as MH, but, no chillier, no heat issues, no $200 ComEd bill. I have shifted my focus, to a 150 and trying to get all the results of the old system, but, using DC pumps, LEDs, basement water exchange going almost 1"/mos of SPS on 3amps of power or ~$12.50/mos.

 

[anarchy]

I wont try to convince you but i love my halides and wont be going to leds anytime soon. Actually i have a hydra 26 sitting in the closet for 6 months and the only reason for having that is for a frag tank that ill set up...eventually. dt will forever be halides. Ive seen beautiful tanks lit by both lights. For heat i use a fan across the lights controlled by my apex and only get a .3 degree variation. Also the comed bill isnt very high running 2 250w

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[Aabjones888]

I love my halides, I've tried many LEDs and it's just not the same for me. Either way u go tho has been proven to produce beautiful corals.

 

[rockhead]

Go all t5s no big heat issue 2 plugs good colors , I have had halides and love them but I'm really liking the all t5 .

 

[ThePorkchopExpress]

Go all t5s no big heat issue 2 plugs good colors , I have had halides and love them but I'm really liking the all t5 .

i agree, if i was going to switch from LED, i'd go T5 mainly for the heat issues...even with LEDs during the summer my tank reaches 82-84 degrees on a real hot day and air blasting...with MH i'm almost certain you'd end up having to get a chiller...not to mention the amount of money you're going to be spending now on electric bills...but hey, you bought it already, no? kind of too late...if you're not concerned about heat or electricity then enjoy it

 

[tinman]

i agree, if i was going to switch from LED, i'd go T5 mainly for the heat issues...even with LEDs during the summer my tank reaches 82-84 degrees on a real hot day and air blasting...with MH i'm almost certain you'd end up having to get a chiller...not to mention the amount of money you're going to be spending now on electric bills...but hey, you bought it already, no? kind of too late...if you're not concerned about heat or electricity then enjoy it

Well yea i bought them already but like spartanman mentioned these foxtures are gold standard of mh/t5 out there and would def get my money baxk if i dont like them ... Or atleast most of what i paid

Heat i am concerned a bit but if i add a fan in the sump area it would most certainly be enough .. Mid summers may be a bit problem ..but i keep my apartment pretty cool so not sure ..

Electricity i think wont be that much of a hike, but not sure may be another $30 added to what i already pay ?

The most important concerns are how my corals are going to respond initially and im gonna miss the blue pop in the evenings and the controllability


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