Metal halide reflector and ballast reviews

In the latest article of Advanced Aquarist, Sanjay Joshi compares three of the new electronic metal halide ballasts. The performance results from the Lumatek and Galaxy ballasts are almost identical that purchasing either one would be dollars well spent.
Here is the article link.


Sanjay Joshi also did a review on the four big name metal halide reflectors. For tanks wider than 30", the Sunlight Supply LumenMax (large) would provide the best light spread and good amounts of PAR. For tanks under 30" wide and taller than 24", the Sunligt Supply LumenMax Elite would be the best choice because it has the highest PAR values and and less PAR lost than the CoralVue Lumen Bright.
Here is the article link.

Total Incident PPFD on a given Surface area

		Total Incident Light
Reflector	Distance:	3x3 Area	2x2 Area	1x1 Area	Maximum PPFD:
LumenMax Elite	24"	33229	26138	13571	711
	30"	29080	21735	10219	519
LumenBrite	24"	35700	28214	13473	669
	30"	31586	22171	9361	444
LumenArc III	24"	28147	18544	7299	349
	30"	22645	13660	4890	222
LumenMax (Large)	24"	32886	21954	8391	383
	30"	27630	17202	6159	270

Percent of PPFD lost from 24" to 30" from the lamp

	3x3' Area	2x2' Area	1x1' Area
LumenMax Elite	12.48	16.8	24.6
LumenBrite	11.5	21.4	30.5
Lumenarc III	19.5	26.3	33.0
LumenMax (large)	15.9	21.6	26.6

Lumen Bright Hybrid Lighting Unit Combines MH, T5 and LED

A new hybrid lighting unit that pairs CoralVue Lumen Bright Metal Halide reflectors with two banks of T5s and LEDs for moon lighting. This combination is not a radically new idea, but it is the first time that a reflector of this calibre (e.g. Lumen Bright, Lumenarc, Lumen Max) has been integrated with supplementary light sources at a commercial level.



The T5's are angled, reducing light spill from the halide and directing the T5’s output into the tank. A total of four T5 tubes are used (two on each side of the Lumen Brights) and the ballasts are integrated inside the unit. Metal Halide ballasts are sold separately, but this a good thing given the bulb-ballast preferences each aquarist has. The pendant / hood is not the most attractive, but skinned in a wood box shell and you have a simple, relatively plug-and-play floating canopy with enough light intensity for any Acropora. No word on price yet.