I literally just installed the 36" fixture on my 120g, it made a huge difference. Now I have MH, T5, and XHO led for the best of all worlds. Great video, thanks!
The reason why the ReefBrite isn't as hot is because there are vents to release some heat and the wattage from their ballast is less, so therefore there is less heat also. The Radiums will most likely allow the corals to grow a bit more even under the 400W setting (not over driven). Metal halide is the best light for corals period. Thanks very much for the video!
Nice comparison Keith since you have been running MH for years now. I agree the reefbrites just seem to be a little more crisp. It’s what I’ll be using on my upcoming frag build next month. 👌
The old reflector is just a single piece metal design the reefbrite has a vented 2 layer design that lets air pass between the inner reflector and outer housing. Thus the big temperature difference when touching them. Still rather have metal halide or t-5 any day of the week vs led.
Hmmm - I think over 1 frag tank you should consider LEDs simply because (like Battlecorals) then you can sell frags that are conditioned to LED lighting. For the Par meter Seneye has the new spectrometer - it's more expensive than a PAR meter but I think it may be worth it for you - they are also developing a database of spectrums and PARs that reefers keep specific corals at (I am pretty sure you can log that) - not only for your customers but it would be useful to you to optimise growth and also minimise stress when transferring from one system to another. If I had a business like yours I would spend the money (I think it's about $1000 - 2x the price of a par meter).
Battlecorals' prime preference of all time to lit their frag tanks is a metal halide bulb. All vendors should have options with tanks lit by halides, T5s and LEDs to allow better acclimatization to their customers though. Metal halide lighting has been coming back in the last 2 years. Many myths like "heat transfer" and "high electricity consumption" as an excuse to use LEDs is starting to fall. There is no substitute for the quality of spectrum and uniformity of light tat halides offer.
Hmm, I don't know man after seeing all the light bleeding on your back wall I am starting to think it may more economically with energy and coverage to use one MH lamp on a 48"X36"X12" frag tank. You'd need a good amount of LED to coverage this area or use T5 supplementation. You could probably light triple the amount with those 4 fixtures!
How was the light bleed on the ReefBrites when mounted at 15"? Would you consider that height for a living room space or do you think they would need to lowered or encased in a cabinet ?
I have my Giessman halide fixtures 8" above my 187g display and there is some light bleed into the room so I would imagine the Reef Brites would bleed a bit at that height as well. But I don't like hoods since they retain heat.
Keith, glad to see your review on this fixture. If I was still maintaining a larger reef it's what I would still be using. I grew out my 120 gallon using the 36" fixture with the XHO's and select a watt ballast. My bulb choice was the 20k Radium. LOVED IT! i.postimg.cc/hjFZvPM6/20161230-175810.jpg BTW, the monti digi you see in the middle is yours. I bought a piece from you before you moved out of CT. After all these years, It's still going strong today and been fragged multiple times over.
Great ReefBrite MH/XHO product review, Keith. MH are indeed the gold standard in reef keeping. Looking forward to seeing the side-by-side comparison play out. Out of curiosity, did you do try the all blue vs the 50:50 to see if it gave you more pop/growth?
I kno your a halide guy and I gotta say I understand why your results are amazing. I would like to see you try some LEDs over one of them so I could get your opinion and see what you can do with them
I think especially in Europe the fact that Halide light fixtures have gone the way of the dinosaurs is that that the EU’s emphasis is on reducing unnecessary energy waste as the oil reserves dwindle ie for the same par levels a LED fixture uses less than half of the energy - you have not been able to manufacture incandescent light bulbs for instance in Europe for about 10 years - hell after 2025 if you live in Europe you won’t be able to buy a new petrol or diesel (Only) powered car just hybrids or pure electric! ☹️
There are companies selling halides in Europe. Do a search. Metal halides are coming back in the hobby big time. People are realizing how bad is to actually spend that high amount of money to begin with buying LED fixtures and change them just because there will always be a new "update" LED fixture and so on. LED is a market scam.
Alex Correa - yep after 15 years reefing, you can use led with success , just it will cost you a bomb. I see people spending 6 grand to light their tanks, 6 grand ! When really some halides and T5 you could do for 1 grand. And no one keeps the same led units for more than 4 years, so they never see the magic 50,000 hours of life span. Heat is the killer for halide in my house, I run it in winter :) they difference in coral growth and colour is amazing
I literally just installed the 36" fixture on my 120g, it made a huge difference. Now I have MH, T5, and XHO led for the best of all worlds. Great video, thanks!
The reason why the ReefBrite isn't as hot is because there are vents to release some heat and the wattage from their ballast is less, so therefore there is less heat also.
The Radiums will most likely allow the corals to grow a bit more even under the 400W setting (not over driven).
Metal halide is the best light for corals period.
Thanks very much for the video!
I want to go back to halides.
Let’s get BRS to carry some metal halides. They’re definitely making a comeback.
I’m currently in the market for a nice looking fixture.
I don’t care what anybody says, you just can’t beat a good MH fixture! The xho’s are just the cherry on the top. Great video.
I can't argue with that thinking :)
Great vid! Loved hearing your perspective as a die hard halide fan
Nice comparison Keith since you have been running MH for years now. I agree the reefbrites just seem to be a little more crisp. It’s what I’ll be using on my upcoming frag build next month. 👌
Love everything Reefbrite has
The old reflector is just a single piece metal design the reefbrite has a vented 2 layer design that lets air pass between the inner reflector and outer housing. Thus the big temperature difference when touching them. Still rather have metal halide or t-5 any day of the week vs led.
My first fixture was a MH, turn to Leds and never saw the same results than the MH, 4 year using a Radion G4 Pro and want to switch to MH again
I recall Tulio say that the cooler fixture is because of the superior reflector it has. Less light is absorbed and turned to heat.
Hi would you use reef rights with radion gen 5s , or do you think it would mess with the Ab+ program
How are the twin arc bulbs? You still use this halides?
How do these ReefBrites compare to regular Metal Halides 2 yrs later?
I like them a lot
Hmmm - I think over 1 frag tank you should consider LEDs simply because (like Battlecorals) then you can sell frags that are conditioned to LED lighting.
For the Par meter Seneye has the new spectrometer - it's more expensive than a PAR meter but I think it may be worth it for you - they are also developing a database of spectrums and PARs that reefers keep specific corals at (I am pretty sure you can log that) - not only for your customers but it would be useful to you to optimise growth and also minimise stress when transferring from one system to another. If I had a business like yours I would spend the money (I think it's about $1000 - 2x the price of a par meter).
I am leaning towards having an LED frag tank plumbed into my new display tank. And a PAR meter is on the radar as well :)
@@ReefBum That would be great to have that LED frag tank. The Seneye Spectra is the name of it so it goes beyond PAR ;)
Battlecorals' prime preference of all time to lit their frag tanks is a metal halide bulb. All vendors should have options with tanks lit by halides, T5s and LEDs to allow better acclimatization to their customers though. Metal halide lighting has been coming back in the last 2 years. Many myths like "heat transfer" and "high electricity consumption" as an excuse to use LEDs is starting to fall. There is no substitute for the quality of spectrum and uniformity of light tat halides offer.
Hmm, I don't know man after seeing all the light bleeding on your back wall I am starting to think it may more economically with energy and coverage to use one MH lamp on a 48"X36"X12" frag tank. You'd need a good amount of LED to coverage this area or use T5 supplementation. You could probably light triple the amount with those 4 fixtures!
They should make 150w fixtures like these xho
How was the light bleed on the ReefBrites when mounted at 15"? Would you consider that height for a living room space or do you think they would need to lowered or encased in a cabinet ?
I have my Giessman halide fixtures 8" above my 187g display and there is some light bleed into the room so I would imagine the Reef Brites would bleed a bit at that height as well. But I don't like hoods since they retain heat.
Would one of the Reef Brite XHO pendants be enough for a standard 40 gallon breeder 36x18x16 with emphasis on SPS?
Those fixtures are 14" long. I would recommend 1 per 24" of tank length so 1 over 36" will be less than ideal.
Thanks for the response
Why you not put them on your main tank?
I already have some halide fixtures on that tank and do not want to spend the extra $$ on new halide fixtures :)
Keith, glad to see your review on this fixture. If I was still maintaining a larger reef it's what I would still be using. I grew out my 120 gallon using the 36" fixture with the XHO's and select a watt ballast. My bulb choice was the 20k Radium. LOVED IT!
i.postimg.cc/hjFZvPM6/20161230-175810.jpg
BTW, the monti digi you see in the middle is yours. I bought a piece from you before you moved out of CT. After all these years, It's still going strong today and been fragged multiple times over.
Todd, thanks for sharing. Great to hear the monti is still going strong after so many years!
There are different wattage of halides for different size tanks. 150W for smaller tanks, like 40gal. A 75 gal would have something like 175W or 250W.
Great ReefBrite MH/XHO product review, Keith. MH are indeed the gold standard in reef keeping. Looking forward to seeing the side-by-side comparison play out.
Out of curiosity, did you do try the all blue vs the 50:50 to see if it gave you more pop/growth?
I have not, but that is something to consider.
I kno your a halide guy and I gotta say I understand why your results are amazing. I would like to see you try some LEDs over one of them so I could get your opinion and see what you can do with them
I will be using LEDs for my new tank build :)
I think especially in Europe the fact that Halide light fixtures have gone the way of the dinosaurs is that that the EU’s emphasis is on reducing unnecessary energy waste as the oil reserves dwindle ie for the same par levels a LED fixture uses less than half of the energy - you have not been able to manufacture incandescent light bulbs for instance in Europe for about 10 years - hell after 2025 if you live in Europe you won’t be able to buy a new petrol or diesel (Only) powered car just hybrids or pure electric! ☹️
There are companies selling halides in Europe. Do a search. Metal halides are coming back in the hobby big time. People are realizing how bad is to actually spend that high amount of money to begin with buying LED fixtures and change them just because there will always be a new "update" LED fixture and so on. LED is a market scam.
Alex Correa - yep after 15 years reefing, you can use led with success , just it will cost you a bomb. I see people spending 6 grand to light their tanks, 6 grand ! When really some halides and T5 you could do for 1 grand. And no one keeps the same led units for more than 4 years, so they never see the magic 50,000 hours of life span. Heat is the killer for halide in my house, I run it in winter :) they difference in coral growth and colour is amazing