1st post in new MH forum

time for a change in lighting on my reef tank

recently found a source of what look to be quality reflectors
and more importantly a brand of MH lamps I recognise
desicion made

2 x 250 watt lamps, reflectors, ballasts, lamp holders etc already purchased
the images where taken using temporary wiring in order to fire them up and check they work etc








going to either, build a stainless steel support or a couple of wall brackets to suspend these reflectors ( not decided yet, but hanging kit is included with the reflector)

Lamps are XM brand, 14K which I have often seen mentioned on the www as being OK

Steve

 

Oh man!!!!

I think this will put your reef over the edge. I know there will be a coloration shift in a direction you will like.

Do you think you will have any heat issues. I have no idea what the ambient temperature is there.

 

Thank you Cheryl

heat issues, certainly, but I am already running a chiller even with T5 x 6 lamp , so I believe I will be OK
I will run these with the reflector about 10 inches off the water surface, (which will put lamp 12 - 14 inches away from topr of water) which should help, and if chiller seems like its always on as a result, I will assist with a floor mounted fan directed across top of tank, so should be OK

Steve

 

Thank you Casey

The future so bright
I gotta wear shades

 

Well, you've been talking about this long enough... Sounds like you still need to figure out the canopy design though? Man, we won't see these in action for another few months ;D

j/k (I hope ) Congrats Steve!

 

Thanks m2434
I just put 2 new Geisseman 14k Aquablue in my T5 set up
so thats 9 months or so before I can discard that canopy LOL

Just not seen what I needed up until yesterday in terms of reflectors or imported lamps
plenty of MH available, but it was either local produce or imported Aqua medic blue line - crazy prices , they wanted 1000 rmb per lamp
which is 150 USD just for a lamp
local produce lamps, 200 - 250 rmb
these XMs I got cost 350 rmb , which is reasonable IMO when I check the www for prices

Steve

 

Geez, you'd think all the bubs would be made in China by now

 

True, but
products made in China, for China market have different sets of standards
and factories have different licences

products made for export are supposed to leave the country (true occasionally items do side step, and I have found aquarium heaters with 3 pin UK plugs for example in the local market)

which means although Aqua Medic have their range of chillers made at the Hai Lea factory in Zhongshan
you cannot officially by Aqua Medic chillers in China, unless they are imported

Hai Lea only have a licence to OEM for Aqua Medic for export items
but they can sell own brand chillers domestically

thus 2 shops in the aquarium market
one is Hai Lea stockist and a 1/4 HP chiller cost me 1400 rmb
the other stocks imported Aqua Medic product and a 1/4 HP chiller costs
2700 rmb

yet we both know, these products where almost certainly put together by the same people on different days
now there may be some difference in the quality of components specificed by Aqua Medic and Hai Lea may be able to use lower standard parts for their own brand
but the majority of costs comes from the fact the product had to exit China and then return (officially) and thus there is an import tax applied

thats the theory anyway
in all probability some of these imported goods, never left China at all, and arrived at the various vendors Via the side door.
and for that reason alone, I never wanted to spend 150 bucks on a lamp supposedly from Germany, when I was not 100% certain that it had not infact arrived from a factory 2 hours down the road.

Steve

 

Congrats Steve! You have finally moved over from the "dark" side... Pun intended

But very good choice in my book!