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Not happy with the "look" of MH's

STEVE

By STEVE,
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STEVE Grandmaster Reefer

STEVE

ok....I know I'm close on the lights, but just cant seem to get the right look of the MH"s. I have tried Radium 20K's, and a 12K coral view...I am looking for the corals to "POP" with color. Is this possible with MH's or am I expecting too much. I saw a T-5 tank a couple of days ago, In person, and I loved the colors! If your MH tank lighting looks great, and you want to show it off, let me know.... I would love to come and look at it.

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STEVE Grandmaster Reefer

STEVE

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Thanks for the suggestions, but I would like to see a few tanks that have these setups on them, not just the ideas......:biggrin:

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BowieReefer84 Oracle Reefer

BowieReefer84

You should get plenty of "pop" with T12 vho actinic and 20k radium halides. I would look into water chemistry perhaps? I have seen many tanks in person running radiums with vho actinic, and it's one of the best setups there is imo.

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STEVE Grandmaster Reefer

STEVE

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I thought it would be too Bowie, but it just doesnt seem to have it. The Radiums are 3 weeks old, the T-12s are 3 weeks old. I have the MH's 8 inches off the water...(to the bulb) I have PAR readings as follows:

 

2" below water-610

 

11" down-310

 

Bottom-250

 

I'm running GFO/Carbon (changing every 10 days or so), all my parameters on water quality are fine: 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, 0-0.5 on Nitrate, Phos 0.03, Alk 8, Mag 1340, Calc 440. I do 20% water change every 10 days or so, I use Reef Crystals salt-.36/1.025ish, 76-78 degree of water temp.

 

 

The lighting just looks....blah...maybe just me being too anal? (Ron, dont say a word !!)

 

The tanks has only been up and running for 3 months. Everything looks ok, just to me the lighting.....well, I think you get the point.:wacko:

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BowieReefer84 Oracle Reefer

BowieReefer84

I thought it would be too Bowie, but it just doesnt seem to have it. The Radiums are 3 weeks old, the T-12s are 3 weeks old. I have the MH's 8 inches off the water...(to the bulb) I have PAR readings as follows:

 

2" below water-610

 

11" down-310

 

Bottom-250

 

I'm running GFO/Carbon (changing every 10 days or so), all my parameters on water quality are fine: 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, 0-0.5 on Nitrate, Phos 0.03, Alk 8, Mag 1340, Calc 440. I do 20% water change every 10 days or so, I use Reef Crystals salt-.36/1.025ish, 76-78 degree of water temp.

 

 

The lighting just looks....blah...maybe just me being too anal? (Ron, dont say a word !!)

 

The tanks has only been up and running for 3 months. Everything looks ok, just to me the lighting.....well, I think you get the point.wacko.gif

 

What are you testing your alk with? 8 is ok, but assuming it is accurate, and not measuring "higher" than it is. I read that the hanna checkers measure higher than salifert kits somewhere... So if you are getting 8 with a hanna it may actually be 7.something... Just a thought.

 

I saw this article where reef crystals mixed at 1.026 has an alk of 10-11. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2003201

 

Everytime you do a 20% water change you are getting a swing in your alk most likely.

 

What kind of corals do you have that you want more "pop" out of?

 

Also, 3 months is pretty new system if you are talking sps.

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Fazio92 Master Reefer

Fazio92

(edited)

I thought it would be too Bowie, but it just doesnt seem to have it. The Radiums are 3 weeks old, the T-12s are 3 weeks old. I have the MH's 8 inches off the water...(to the bulb) I have PAR readings as follows:

 

2" below water-610

 

11" down-310

 

Bottom-250

 

I'm running GFO/Carbon (changing every 10 days or so), all my parameters on water quality are fine: 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, 0-0.5 on Nitrate, Phos 0.03, Alk 8, Mag 1340, Calc 440. I do 20% water change every 10 days or so, I use Reef Crystals salt-.36/1.025ish, 76-78 degree of water temp.

 

 

The lighting just looks....blah...maybe just me being too anal? (Ron, dont say a word !!)

 

The tanks has only been up and running for 3 months. Everything looks ok, just to me the lighting.....well, I think you get the point.:wacko:

 

 

If you are running carbon constantly with a MH 8" above the water you may be bleaching the corals out. Sometimes the carbon can polish the water so much that it increases the intensity of the light hitting the corals; which they may not be use to. Just a thought, as this happened to me. Once i took off the carbon everything colored back up just nicely and i never used supplemental lighting, only halides.

 

-Anthony

 

How's this for "pop" with just a 400w SE halide:

IMG_6414.jpg

Edited by Fazio92
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Der ABT Oracle Reefer

Der ABT

20k radiums (only bulb ill use) and 2xt5 ati blue+

and here are some of my colors

IMG_1452.jpg

IMG_1441.jpg

IMG_0133.jpg

IMG_0123.jpg

 

alot depends on the corals you put in, water quality, etc.

 

how long is your lighting period?

how old are you bulbs etc

 

soo many questions its hard to anwser

 

if you really want pop like the glowing color pics add some blue LEDs for actinic and it will make a big difference (im in the process of doing that its just a slow process for me)

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dakotasreef Reefer

dakotasreef

I think there are a few things to consider.

 

You have only had those bulbs on there for 3 weeks, it's going to take longer for corals to acclimate. Secondly the tank is only 3 months old, it will take more time than that for the tank to stabilize. I would give it some more time, good things do not happen quickly. I would think with the radiums and vho's, you tank would have crazy color if everything is acclimated and happy.

 

What reflectors did you end up with, what wattage and what ballast.

 

I ran 400w radiums for 1 1/2 years and could not have been happier. Now when my led tank was on and the radiums were off, there was some extra pop to the corals. I never considered even adding supplements to the radiums, I think they're that good.

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OldReefer Grandmaster Reefer

OldReefer

Sorry I can't find pictures as examples, but just a thought...

 

Everybody doesn't like blue tanks. I am in that club.

 

The best color I ever had was with 10K XMs and lots of actinic. That provided the yellow and red spectrum for deep colors and the actinic for fluorescence.

 

A more modern approach would be 10K XMs with lots of Royal Blue LEDs on controllable ballasts so that you can dial in as much blue as you like.

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Big Country Grandmaster Reefer

Big Country

I think Steve still has the Lumenarcs for reflectors and Icecap Ballasts.

 

That might explain it, I run the Sunlight Supply bluewave HQI M80 ballasts that really drive the radiums, they look very blue when brand new but once they burn in for a couple days they have a very crisp white look to them. When I had a par meter awhile back I couldn't believe the difference in par between the lumenarc I had on my frag tank and my main tank, had a very abused lumenarc but it was putting out 1/3 of the par that my main tank was getting.

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tightline Master Reefer

tightline

You should get plenty of "pop" with T12 vho actinic and 20k radium halides. I would look into water chemistry perhaps? I have seen many tanks in person running radiums with vho actinic, and it's one of the best setups there is imo.

 

 

i have t12 setups for free any one intrested caps bulbs and ballests

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STEVE Grandmaster Reefer

STEVE

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Sorry for delay folks, been a busy day......I appreciate all the comments. Rocko, DER abt, If your open to a visitor, (since your pretty close) I would love to come by and take a look at you guys setups, Maybe on Sunday. PM me your open to that. Big Country, I have heard that about the M80 balasts. My Lumenarc Minis are not very clean, they are pretty old and stained. I did clean them the best I could. I have been kicking the idea around about purchasing new reflectors/ballast. I can only fit 16x16s or close to it on a 18" wide tank with canopy.

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STEVE Grandmaster Reefer

STEVE

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Big Country-You mentioned your had higher par readings with 20K Radiums. At what height above the water, and what reflectors?

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