Changing lighting setup, all Lumenarc users please chime in.

[want2reef]

SunnyX

Did you notice the temp of your tank go up any, since going over to SE's.

Thanks

 

[Creetin]

Oh i thought you are running 400 watters. I never like the 250's.
I am in mich if you want to check out what 400's would look like you are welcome to stop by.
I am about a 45 minute drive from you, and you could make a day of iyt and visit lfs in the area.
400's rule in the luminarcs. You dropped your wattage over 125 watts by going with the 250's. 400's are much better in spread and light they throw out. I have a 5 hr period because they are too bright. I am switching back to a AB12k or xm 20k.

 

[ThunderousTalon]

no change in color with bulb adjustments? they are a far cry from pee yellow. i do have both bulbs, ph14 150 over my 17 cube, and xm10k 250 over my 75

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6746140#post6746140 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by want2reef
SunnyX

Did you notice the temp of your tank go up any, since going over to SE's.

Thanks

Actually the temp of my tank has gone down by 1.5 degrees, I have had to add a second heater.

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6746142#post6746142 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Creetin
Oh i thought you are running 400 watters. I never like the 250's.
I am in mich if you want to check out what 400's would look like you are welcome to stop by.
I am about a 45 minute drive from you, and you could make a day of iyt and visit lfs in the area.
400's rule in the luminarcs. You dropped your wattage over 125 watts by going with the 250's. 400's are much better in spread and light they throw out. I have a 5 hr period because they are too bright. I am switching back to a AB12k or xm 20k.

Could I use the same sockets and cord for the Lumenarc if I go the 400W route?

 

[CRO22O]

for what it is worth i switched from 250 phoenix in roIII in my 120 to luminarc mini's with reeflux 10k and i was un sure at first, but it is growing on me.

all you would have to do is change bulb and ballast to 400 if that's what you decide

chris

 

[SunnyX]

XM 10K 250W- 137 PAR M58
XM 10K 400W- 172 PAR M59

Coralvue ReefLux 10K 250W- 70 PAR M58
- 86 PAR on Ice cap ballast electronic

Phoenix 14K 250W- 73 PAR on Ice cap ballast electronic
Phoenix 14K 250W- 88 PAR On HQI ballast

Iwasaki 140K 175W- 86 PAR on Ice cap ballast electronic

I really cant wait until they come out with the Iwasaki 14 in 250W, The PAR on that bulb should be great. From what I hear it should be out sometime in june.

 

[Creetin]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6747129#post6747129 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SunnyX
Could I use the same sockets and cord for the Lumenarc if I go the 400W route?

Yep. Just change the ballast.
The overall lighting area a 400 watter throws out is better. IMO
I had spots in my tank where it was dim, and when i switched the 400's light up all the area's that were dim from the 250's.

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6747768#post6747768 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Creetin
Yep. Just change the ballast.
The overall lighting area a 400 watter throws out is better. IMO
I had spots in my tank where it was dim, and when i switched the 400's light up all the area's that were dim from the 250's.

It all depends on the bulb.
There are some 250W that put out more PAR than the 400W.
I think im just going to add another VHO and see what happens.

 

[Chip Douglas]

I'm not sure if this has been said yet or not, but if you switch to the Lumenarc reflectors, I would cut your lighting back to just a few hours a day and build it back up to whatever light cycle you're running now...slowly. Lumenarcs direct pretty much all the light straight down into the tank, whereas the 'spider' reflectors have a lot of light that escapes out. This new intensity can be potentially damaging to corals that aren't used to it, and you could end up with some bleaching SPS. That's just my $0.02

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6747842#post6747842 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Chip Douglas
I'm not sure if this has been said yet or not, but if you switch to the Lumenarc reflectors, I would cut your lighting back to just a few hours a day and build it back up to whatever light cycle you're running now...slowly. Lumenarcs direct pretty much all the light straight down into the tank, whereas the 'spider' reflectors have a lot of light that escapes out. This new intensity can be potentially damaging to corals that aren't used to it, and you could end up with some bleaching SPS. That's just my $0.02

I was actually running ROIII's, which have a much hotter spot than the Lumeracs. I am running the lighting the same photoperiod as before, with no noticable difference in coral health.

 

[Chip Douglas]

Well I'm a Lumenarc Mini user, so I chimed in with my experience with them, and a friend that also used the large Lumenarcs. If you're sticking with the ROIII then disregard what I said

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6748016#post6748016 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Chip Douglas
Well I'm a Lumenarc Mini user, so I chimed in with my experience with them, and a friend that also used the large Lumenarcs. If you're sticking with the ROIII then disregard what I said

I said I WAS(past tense) running the ROIII and am now running the LMIII's.


One thing that sucks about the XM 10k is it is so low in the 440-460nm range. Thats what made the Pheonix so good.

 

[Chip Douglas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6748065#post6748065 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SunnyX
I said I WAS(past tense) running the ROIII and am now running the LMIII's.


One thing that sucks about the XM 10k is it is so low in the 440-460nm range. Thats what made the Pheonix so good.

My mistake, I read that all wrong. I thought you were using basic reflectors and trying to decide between ROIII or Lumenarcs.

Yeah, I really do not like our XM 10k's...I think we're going to switch to Coralvue Reeflux 10k's. I talked to a guy yesterday who said we should have no problem running them on our PFO standard ballasts. Even with twho VHO actinics running, the XM 10k's wash out the tank.

 

[SunnyX]

Something strange happened today, one of the XM bulbs appears much whiter and brighter. The other bulb is yellowed out and a new bulb with a extra slot for my VHO's should be here tomorrow.

Hopefully once the new bulb is installed it will appear as it should.

 

[SunnyX]

Ok, after adding the extra VHO and replacing the bad XM bulb, I can now say that the tank is at least twice and bright and has better color than the oid ROIII setup/Pheonix 14K.

Pics to follow soon.

 

[Creetin]

Glad you are happy with them. They helped me alot, I was using spider reflectors before. After i replaced the reflectors there was a noticable difference.

 

[want2reef]

Wow twice as bright. Are your corals popping out more now?

 

[SunnyX]

The lighting support was made with aluminum stair edging(thanks PK1 for the idea).

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6772245#post6772245 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by want2reef
Wow twice as bright. Are your corals popping out more now?

Everything looks much better now.
Colors look good and the tank looks as if it outside under the sun.

I'm happy :smokin: