seeking guidance from all the MH users out there

[Trevor W]

No I don't have lights still piecing the last few things together.

After finally getting my house sorted out due to the long crappy story of why I had to shut my previous tank down which turned out to not be an issue with my tank but rather a issue with the plumbing in my home, I was then away alot for work this past summer and just put the tank on the back burner till now.

Thanks for all the info. I was planning to start with one reflector with a mogul base and get a 250W/400W multi setting ballast.

So I am guessing that regardless of if I go with the Lumenmax 2 or elite I should be getting close to the same coverage from each. I have also read that the elite can be bad for spotlighting when compared to other reflectors.

From what I can tell these are the only reflectors that I can find forsale online here in Canada jl was carrying the hamiltons but everything says backordered so i assume they just dont carry them anymore. So it looks like ill be going with goreef and one of the reflectors and ballast combos. Just not sure which one to get.

http://www.goreef.com/Metal-Halide-L...00W-Mogul.html

OR

http://www.goreef.com/Metal-Halide-L...00W-Mogul.html

[H2o2]

JLs can still order u those Hamiltons as Jeff just brought the Bimini 150 w DE in for me for my nano that I am building . Its says backorder so they don't carry the inventory

[whatcaneyedo]

If what they say is true about the phoenix bulbs I wouldn't be making any long term decisions based on them. I quite like my LumenMax 3s which I have been using for several years but lately I've been wishing I had 2s so that I could try out Radium bulbs.

[TimT]

Here is an article on some reflectors.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2009/1/review

I use both the LumenArc 3 and the LumenBright 3 in 4' wide tanks. I prefer the LumenArc 3 as the spread is better. If I was doing a 3' x 2' tank I would do a 400 se in a LumenArc 3 with a couple of T5HO or LED strips at 24" above tank.

The ReefBrite Hybrid looks interesting as well but I don't think you would get enough spread for a 36" long tank with a single one. I think 2 x 250w would work well in that tank but it depends on your budget and monthly power bill etc.

Cheers,
Tim

[Myka]

Originally Posted by Myka

The LumenMax are about as good a reflector as you can get as far as spread goes, so that's a really good option for the single bulb setup.

Originally Posted by TimT

I use both the LumenArc 3 and the LumenBright 3 in 4' wide tanks. I prefer the LumenArc 3 as the spread is better.

After reading Tim's reply, I realize I mentioned the wrong name. I must correct myself - I meant to refer to the LumenArc reflectors, not the LumenMax. LumenArc are about as good a reflector as you can get as far as spread goes, so that's a really good option for the single bulb setup.

Fwiw though, even without the best spread, you may still be happy as not even species needs really high light.

[Aquattro]

My 180 had 2 lumenarc, 1 lumenmax, didn't notice any real difference.

[Trevor W]

Originally Posted by Myka

[/i]Fwiw though, even without the best spread, you may still be happy as not even species needs really high light.

Yea I have seen a few tanks where they only used one halide and although it wasn't extremely dark on the edges it gave the aquascape a really appealing look. So I had it in my head to try it out but I didn,t want it to be really dark and have a really harsh spotlight effect just a more subtle fade if that makes sense.

[Trevor W]

Originally Posted by H2o2

JLs can still order u those Hamiltons as Jeff just brought the Bimini 150 w DE in for me for my nano that I am building . Its says backorder so they don't carry the inventory

Thanks for the info!

Originally Posted by whatcaneyedo

If what they say is true about the phoenix bulbs I wouldn't be making any long term decisions based on them. I quite like my LumenMax 3s which I have been using for several years but lately I've been wishing I had 2s so that I could try out Radium bulbs.

Yea I was really leaning towards mogul based reflectors so that I could try a wider variety of bulbs.

Originally Posted by TimT

Here is an article on some reflectors.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2009/1/review

I use both the LumenArc 3 and the LumenBright 3 in 4' wide tanks. I prefer the LumenArc 3 as the spread is better. If I was doing a 3' x 2' tank I would do a 400 se in a LumenArc 3 with a couple of T5HO or LED strips at 24" above tank.

The ReefBrite Hybrid looks interesting as well but I don't think you would get enough spread for a 36" long tank with a single one. I think 2 x 250w would work well in that tank but it depends on your budget and monthly power bill etc.

Cheers,
Tim

Thanks for the link. I have seen lots about the LumenArc and LumenBright reflectors but have yet to find somewhere that supplies them in Canada.

The Reefbrite hybrids are really nice fixtures!