Metal Halides Making a Come Back? Don’t call it a come back?

[braaap]

Back about 15 years ago Halides were popular. T5s were the new(ish) rage. Lots of people chose the T5s, as they didn't heat the tank up so much. I chose T5s and still have the TEK 8x54W system I bought used way back in the day. It's what I plan on using (until I can afford LEDs) when my 120G goes up. With the advent of LEDs, I cannot imagine that either Halides or T5s will ever make a comeback. LEDs have SO much more to offer then either of these choices.

T5s are still VERY popular. Some of the nicest tanks in the world use T5s. Some of the best fixtures ever made were T5 with LED retros. Something like a T5/Nanobox combo.

If I could find a slim fixture MH I would buy it immediately. But instead I have a ATI Dimmable with Nanobox arrays.

 

[A. grandis]

T5s are still VERY popular. Some of the nicest tanks in the world use T5s. Some of the best fixtures ever made were T5 with LED retros. Something like a T5/Nanobox combo.

If I could find a slim fixture MH I would buy it immediately. But instead I have a ATI Dimmable with Nanobox arrays.

Spectra - Giesemann Aquaristic

High-End Aquarium LED Beleuchtung, Aquarium Hybrid Beleuchtung und premium Aquarien. Handgefertigt und made in Germany

www.giesemann.de

Contact them and get your slim fixture. One of the best in existence.

 

[oreo54]

Please don't get me started!

That ship has ..sailed...

 

[A. grandis]

That ship has ..sailed...

What do you mean? You were never in that ship to start with.

 

[oreo54]

What do you mean? You were never in that ship to start with.

I was waiting for you to mention Moses bringing Radiums down from the mountain..

 

[Reefering1]

LET THERE BE LIGHT!!

 

[A. grandis]

I was waiting for you to mention Moses bringing Radiums down from the mountain..

I guess you have no more arguments nor additional graphics then.
If it's a matter of personal preferences, lets listen to those who at least have any experiences with the lights, right?
Do you think any of your posts can go against what Jake said?

 

[oreo54]

I guess you have no more arguments nor additional graphics then.

I said what I wanted to say. Arguing with zealots is fruitless..
Others can pick and choose what they want out of the discussion..

 

[A. grandis]

I said what I wanted to say. Arguing with zealots is fruitless..
Others can pick and choose what they want out of the discussion..

Yup, could you also be called a zealots in any way then?
Will that change any practical experiences or results?

 

[oreo54]

Yup, could you also be called a zealots in any way then?
Will that change any practical experiences or results?

I'm not a zealot in any sense of the word. Well AFAICT.
I have prefernces but those are my preferences. I have my beliefs and ideas but not always right or any one elese. I still work at it.


All lights have their pros and cons. What is "best" is user de-fineable.

Anyways since you requested pretty pictures.
Sanjays Iwasaki vs the ocean spectrum chart.

Underwater Light Field and its Comparison to Metal Halide Lighting

This article presents some data on the underwater light field on a reef and compares it to the artificial light field over our reef aquaria, along with discussion of other features of natural lighting that are often not simulated in our aquariums.

reefs.com

Conclusions​

This article presented a comparison of natural underwater light (based on specific data from natural waters) to the light over our aquariums. While there are variations to be expected in natural waters, the general shape of the spectral distribution underwater will be quite similar. Clearly there is a wide discrepancy between the spectral irradiance provided by MH and the natural under water light field. We know from experience that we can grow coral under all the 3 major classes of metal halide lamps 6500K, 10000K and 20000K, so the corals must either adapt to the spectrum or ignore the spectral quality. Unfortunately I do not have any definitive answers to this, hopefully further research will be able to provide more definitive answers.

 

[Reefing102]

T5s are still VERY popular. Some of the nicest tanks in the world use T5s. Some of the best fixtures ever made were T5 with LED retros. Something like a T5/Nanobox combo.

If I could find a slim fixture MH I would buy it immediately. But instead I have a ATI Dimmable with Nanobox arrays.

The best slim line metal halide would be from Geissman but you need to contact them directly to order for the US. They are towards the pricier side but look great and are a high quality fixture

 

[lbacha]

Halides and T5’s are a dying technology, they are being phased out in almost every other industry and governments are even banning them due to inefficiency. There will always be holdouts that stocked up on the technology but it won’t make a comeback with new reefers because it just won’t be available.

 

[A. grandis]

I'm not a zealot in any sense of the word. Well AFAICT.
I have prefernces but those are my preferences. I have my beliefs and ideas but not always right or any one elese. I still work at it.

You are still working on your right/wrong ideas for more than a decade.

All lights have their pros and cons. What is "best" is user de-fineable.

Pros and cons are indeed relative. If those cons in regards to halides' heat and costs, and their abilities of managing them, come to be the case. The point is that most of those cons were already debunked by many people in this forum and in podcasts for many different applications. Those are the so called "cons"? Personal preferences for their excuses. They all can be overruled, just like anything else.
The important focus in the conversations should be the corals and the results.

Anyways since you requested pretty pictures.
Sanjays Iwasaki vs the ocean spectrum chart.

Underwater Light Field and its Comparison to Metal Halide Lighting

This article presents some data on the underwater light field on a reef and compares it to the artificial light field over our reef aquaria, along with discussion of other features of natural lighting that are often not simulated in our aquariums.

reefs.com

One more example... thanks... will this graphic above change anything posted by the experiences and results from Iwasakis' users? Or it will only show a bunch of lines with interesting comparison by whatever instrument Sanjay have used?
Better... would any graphic showing any sun/LED comparison, even showing "closer relationship" than that, change the practical results so many have reported from their comparisons? Can all the comparisons using those instruments prove anything against results?
Do you think Jake would say that Iwaakis were the ultimate light for the corals if he didn't think so? I mean, he was sponsored by a LED company and used only LEDs at the time of that interview. Besides, Iwasakis weren't being produced anymore for years... He was basically saying the truth from his own personal experiences with both.

 

[A. grandis]

Halides and T5’s are a dying technology, they are being phased out in almost every other industry and governments are even banning them due to inefficiency. There will always be holdouts that stocked up on the technology but it won’t make a comeback with new reefers because it just won’t be available.

We already heard that script from BrS many years ago.

 

[lbacha]

We already heard that script from BrS.

What script? BRS doesn’t have much say in it. The lighting industry is huge and us aquarium keepers aren’t even on the radar for them. They are the ones that will be deciding the future of lighting not the aquarium industry. Halides won’t go away but it will be a very small group using them. Regulations and the lighting industry will be what drives led as the future (until they figure out the next light source)

The conversation isn’t about what is better (that’s anecdotal and opinion) as people use leds to successfully grow coral just like halides. The poll was about are halides making a comeback for that to happen new hobbiests would need to pick them over leds and that just won’t happen as they won’t be available to pick.

 

[A. grandis]

What script? BRS doesn’t have much say in it. The lighting industry is huge and us aquarium keepers aren’t even on the radar for them. They are the ones that will be deciding the future of lighting not the aquarium industry. Halides won’t go away but it will be a very small group using them. Regulations and the lighting industry will be what drives led as the future (until they figure out the next light source)

The conversation isn’t about what is better (that’s anecdotal and opinion) as people use leds to successfully grow coral just like halides. The poll was about are halides making a comeback for that to happen new hobbiests would need to pick them over leds and that just won’t happen as they won’t be available to pick.

We already know all about what you just wrote... millions of times...
Regulations are ONLY for household types of lamps, not for specified industries like the aquarium and horticulture. Lot's of rumors around...

 

[lbacha]

We already know all about what you just wrote... millions of times...
Regulations are ONLY for household types of lamps, not for specified industries like the aquarium and horticulture. Lot's of rumors around...

I was responding to the poll, it’s clear you like halides which is a perfectly fine opinion to have. Go to radium’s website they are focusing on led technology. That is what I’m basing my statements on, the manufactures see leds as the future (political pressure is a big driver of that) so they will be focusing on that technology. To have an old technology like halides make a comeback like the poll suggests would take a change in the direction of the lighting industry. I would bet that most new reefers and many old have switched their houses over to led lighting that mindset will be why halides are going to struggle. I have been reefing for almost 30 years and halides were amazing, led lighting is ridiculously overpriced in my opinion vs what halides were but that doesn’t change the fact they are here to stay until the next lighting technology replaces them. The author of this poll stated this wasn’t about which is better just about do we think halides are making a comeback. My opinion is they won’t be able to due to the shift in the industry.

 

[A. grandis]

I was responding to the poll, it’s clear you like halides which is a perfectly fine opinion to have. Go to radium’s website they are focusing on led technology. That is what I’m basing my statements on, the manufactures see leds as the future (political pressure is a big driver of that) so they will be focusing on that technology. To have an old technology like halides make a comeback like the poll suggests would take a change in the direction of the lighting industry. I would bet that most new reefers and many old have switched their houses over to led lighting that mindset will be why halides are going to struggle. I have been reefing for almost 30 years and halides were amazing, led lighting is ridiculously overpriced in my opinion vs what halides were but that doesn’t change the fact they are here to stay until the next lighting technology replaces them. The author of this poll stated this wasn’t about which is better just about do we think halides are making a comeback. My opinion is they won’t be able to due to the shift in the industry.

Oh ok, I got it. Well, the answer is that we are in the possible beginning of a "come back" for halides IMO. The fact that Radium went back and decided to produce their lamps again and the fact that there is a brand new company on the market, Aqua Bright Solutions, tell us that there is still a significant demand for investment and for that growth to happen. Only time will tell. Only God knows.

 

[Reefering1]

Oh ok, I got it. Well, the answer is that we are in the possible beginning of a "come back" for halides IMO. The fact that Radium went back and decided to produce their lamps again and the fact that there is a brand new company on the market, Aqua Bright Solutions, tell us that there is still a significant demand for investment and for that growth to happen. Only time will tell. Only God knows.

And Moses, apparently ;-)

 

[braaap]

Spectra - Giesemann Aquaristic

High-End Aquarium LED Beleuchtung, Aquarium Hybrid Beleuchtung und premium Aquarien. Handgefertigt und made in Germany

www.giesemann.de

Contact them and get your slim fixture. One of the best in existence.

The best slim line metal halide would be from Geissman but you need to contact them directly to order for the US. They are towards the pricier side but look great and are a high quality fixture

Thanks. I have seen that one. But if I am getting MH I don't want T5s as well. But maybe I do? Hmmmm.