Upgrading Our Private Sun – Giesemann SPECTRA Metal Halide/T5 Hybrid Review

In my opinion, an aquarium system should be efficient and beautiful. What’s the use spending countless hours refining your aquascape design if the system is a convoluted mess?

Regardless of interior design skills, lighting fixtures are a notorious smudge on an otherwise flawless system design. For years, this visual smudge was unavoidable. Reef tanks require specific lighting, and as it happens, these fixtures weren’t always the sexiest.

That’s not how it is anymore (thankfully).

Nowadays, lighting fixtures of all designs are available in attractive, and dare I say it, desirable designs. Of course, this push toward enhanced aesthetics opened new risks for reefers. Specifically, low-quality fixtures outfitted in a “fashionable” casing.

So when it came time to update our lighting fixtures, I knew this shopping adventure would be trickier than originally thought. After browsing an array of brands, several issues popped up:

• Lighting fixtures were beautiful, but lacked the power and technology our tank requires.
• Fixtures were powerful, but unattractive.
• Marketing buzzwords and nonsensical technology/feature titles were confusing and misleading.

It didn’t take long to realize the lighting game is one with few winning, or quality, brands. With this realization, I decided to check out the latest inventory options from Giesemann Aquaristic.

And, as they say, the rest is history.

Specializing in Light & Design - Why I Chose SPECTRA Hybrid.

As I mentioned earlier, we were looking to replace our current lighting fixture. More specifically, lighting for our Red Sea REEFER 250 tank.

Up until this point, we employed the NanoBox LED/T5 Hybrid fixture as our primary light source. While more than capable of illuminating the tank, sometimes it’s nice to switch things up.

And after reading the SPECTRA Hybrid specs, I couldn’t resist giving it a try.

Spoiler Alert: Best decision ever!

Along with being made by one of the coolest aquarium lighting brands, the primary element that attracted me to this fixture isn’t an actual feature, but a method.

In my guide, Illuminating Reef Tank - Reef Tank Lighting Guide for Beginners, I talk about the intimate connection aquarium life has with the light spectrum. Crafting the underwater world you’ve only dreamed about requires more than stable water parameters. In the most simplified explanation, light spectrum type, quality and intensity is the key to unlocking reef tank potential.

Lighting is just one of the many topics ruled first by preferences and second by specs. For this tank setup, I stick to the more traditional standpoint:

Metal halide and T5’s are an explosive combination for coral development.

While I’m quick to embrace new technologies, and remain a big supporter of LED lights, the time-proven power of metal halide and T5s lighting is impossible to ignore or replace.

Ultimately, my decision to trust Giesemann Aquaristic is largely based in their refined use of metal halide and T5 lamps.

Okay, I know what you’re thinking. If that’s the only requirement, why not choose one of the many other suppliers who also sell hybrid fixtures?

Well, dear reefer, I’m glad you asked…

Luminous Legacy - Who is Giesemann Aquaristic?

Personally, I’ve known of Giesemann Aquaristic for years. Long before rippling through the consumer marketplace, they shined a spotlight on aquarium lighting advancements by releasing the first halogen metal vapor lamp made specifically for aquatics. Over the next 25 years, Giesemann would literally change the way we illuminate our tanks.

From modular lighting systems to constantly improving the design and features of fixtures, Giesemann drove innovation for both private and public aquariums. Few brands can say they literally changed the way we see our tanks, but with the development of advanced lighting setups, we’re able to replicate sunlight to a greater (and more fashionable) degree.

Regardless of your brand preferences, it’d be an injustice to your aquarium to not investigate the products offered by Giesemann Aquaristic.

If you can’t notice, I think highly of this brand. But they’re not what this review’s about. So, without further ado, let’s get to the juicy details of my experience with SPECTRA Hybrid.

Bright Lights and Brilliant Looks - SPECTRA Hybrid Design

Here’s the bottom line: SPECTRA Hybrid is a beautiful lighting fixture.

If you were to read its specification list, you’d likely assume the actual equipment would be bulky and unattractively industrial. But that’s not how Giesemann operates. They’ve truly mastered the art of intertwining style and substance.

For clarification, I originally wanted to order the silver fixture, which is the version commonly seen in promo materials and on their website. Unfortunately, their USA distributor, CoralVue, currently imports just the powder-coated black version.

A little frustrated, I placed my order and hoped for the best.

Even though I had my heart set on the sleek silver design, I was pleasantly surprised by the sophistication of the black design. While it’s not as “sharp” as the silver fixture, it seamlessly works with the interior design of my home and still offers a dash of high-tech chic that I was looking for.

If you’ve always lusted after the professional aesthetic of large corals farms, then you’ll love the attention to detail Giesemann put into the SPECTRA product line. It really does look as if it’s a pro-level lighting fixture. With clean lines and smartly designed lamp layout, you’ll actually enjoy this lighting fixture. In my home, it adds an interesting visual element to my space, which is a rare quality for most aquarium equipment.

The Spectrum of Optimized Performance - Integrated Tech

Reef tank lighting fixtures aren’t just responsible for holding bulbs. Remember, these devices are responsible for the distribution, focus and intensity of light needed by coral to survive.

I’ll never forget my first real life lesson in fixture design importance. Basically, I decided to use a cheap (aka, knockoff) version of a popular brand. Not only did it constantly fail, but its reflector design created excessive glare. Not to mention it was hot enough to fry an egg on it.

Needless to say, I realized the proverb, “you get what you pay for” is sometimes truer than we want to believe. If the only takeaway from this article you get, let it be this:

Reflector design = lighting intensity, quality, safety.

SPECTRA Hybrid Reflector Design

When you look at the bottom side of the fixture, notice the precise angles of its reflective surfaces. The engineering behind its shape, bulb placement and ventilation grids manipulates light output with razor precision. As light pours out from the bulbs, the glossy reflector spreads light into and throughout the aquarium.

Here’s what I immediately noticed:

• Absolutely even PAR distribution without any hot spots (mounted at 11" over water surface).
• Very nice shimmer, everything looks much more alive.
• The fixture generated much more heat.

Speaking of bulbs…

Bulb Bandwagon - SPECTRA Ballast & Bulb Preferences

Unlike other lighting fixtures I’ve ordered in the past, SPECTRA Hybrid doesn’t come with ballasts. At least, fixtures sold in the United States are missing this integral piece of equipment.

Never fear, fellow hobbyist, lighting ballasts are easily found and integrated with this system. Personally, I chose to go with the IceCap 400w Selectable Wattage Electronic Ballast. My reasoning is fairly straightforward:

Options and flexibility.

Even though I’m using 250w bulbs, I decided to go with this 400w ballast because I want to save money in the future. Since the IceCap 400w offers a 250w HQI mode, it’s perfect for my SPECTRA Hybrid. However, if I want to switch between bulbs and/or lighting fixtures in the future, I can. Best of all, this versatility is built into a single device. Plus, it’s only $25 more than its 250w counterpart.

So far, the IceCap 400w works great with this SPECTRA model. And I anticipate this won’t change anytime soon.

My preferred bulbs to use with the SPECTRA Hybrid

Before moving on, I wanted to touch on the bulbs currently used in the fixture. There’s no shortage on metal halide or T5 bulb options, but for this system, I specifically recommend using:

• Radium 20k - 250w Single Ended Mogul Bulb

In short, this is my go-to metal halide bulb. Not only are they surprisingly efficient, but they’ve been trusted by reefers for longer than I can remember. More importantly, however, I’ve personally had great experiences with these bulbs. When it comes to maximizing the lighting technology packed within the SPECTRA Hybrid, there’s really no competition. But I've heard very good things about the Giesemann Megachrome Blue 250w 21000K bulb as well and I can't wait to try them for our new setup, we'll share more info on this subject soon.

Notes for the Reefer - Tidbits You’ll Wanna Know

Instead of listing a laundry list of features and specs, here’s a breakdown of what matters most for the casual and pro hobbyist:

Heat Generation & Energy Use

There’s no way around it. No matter how advanced the SPECTRA Hybrid may be, heat distribution remains a real concern. Based on my experience, and that of other reefers, the ventilation features built into this version are impressive. But this hefty lighting system produces serious heat.

Thankfully, curtailing water temperature spikes is fairly simple. I’ve mounted the light at 11" inches over the water surface for a better PAR distribution, and added a compact Vornado 133 Compact Air Circulator Fan directly under the fixture. By connecting it to my APEX Controller, maintaining a safe and stable temperature was a breeze (a cool breeze, at that).

Because of its power, I was afraid our utility bills would skyrocket after a month of operation. Not because the SPECTRA Hybrid is a notorious energy zapper, but due to the previous fixture (NanoBox LED/T5 Hybrid) being such an efficient fixture.

To this day, our energy/utility bills haven’t changed. This means one of two things:

• Our utility company doesn’t pay attention.
• This fixture is powerful and energy efficient.

I’m leaning toward the second option.

Current Lighting Schedule: I run the metal halide bulbs only for 5 hours and the rest of the full 12 hours lighting schedule are T5s bulbs only.

SPECTRA Metal Halide/T5 Hybrid vs. NanoBox LED/T5 Hybrid

This is one of the most asked questions whenever I talk about making the switch. Let me first clarify that both fixtures are very quality and I was happy with my previous fixture.

Here’s what you will notice, however:

• Visible coral coloration is different between metal halide and LED systems and sure colors are not so fluorescent. But colors pop very nice as well I love it!
• Metal halide tends to bring out different hues in SPS corals, for example:
  • My reds appear more cherry-colored now.
  • Blues green and yellows are intensified (blue colors pop much “louder” than greens, which are only slightly more intense).
• SPS tissue becomes thicker/healthier looking, and this one is very noticeable:
  • After one month with the SPECTRA Hybrid, my SPS corals became thicker, fatty-looking tissue.
• SPS are showing about 30% higher rates of growth, but this can be related to my po4 levels that I've also recently adjusted. I can’t cleary attach this change to the fixture upgrade at this moment.

Installation Process

Coming from an engineering background, my friends never seem to believe me whenever I talk about how easy something is to install/construct. Another downside, I’m the first person they call to help set up anything from IKEA.

Bask in the Light of Genius Design - Final Thoughts

It’s difficult to perfectly encapsulate the actual impact SPECTRA Hybrid has had in our tank. I could craft an endless prose about its light spread. Or the cleverly designed casing and advanced lighting technologies, but ultimately it all points back to one simple fact:

In my opinion this lighting fixture is the best Metal Halide / T5 hybrid fixture for your reef tank on the market.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to update your current lighting fixture like we did, I can’t emphasize enough how its construction quality, performance metrics and versatility can improve your aquarium.

Have questions? Want to tell us about your experience with this fixture? Follow us on Facebook and send us a message with your questions, thoughts or ideas. On behalf of the entire Reef Hacks team,

Happy Reefing!

by Yuliya Ivanova for ReefHacks.