Cube lighting
- Thread starter AfAqua
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pjf
Premium Member
Call Lumenarc Designer or Get 2 Rectangular Fixtures
Call Lumenarc Designer or Get 2 Rectangular Fixtures
Here are my conclusions after reading the reflector material:
• In the 175w/400w SE category, the Lumenarc 3 ($130) is currently on top (Part 1, March 2003). Two Lumenarcs will produce a rectangular pattern.
• In the 250w SE category, the “Small Diamond Light†(Lumenarc A3 Mini?) appears to have a desirable lower peak under the bulb but was not thoroughly tested for coverage of a 3’ x 3’ area (Part 3, March 2004).
• The 250w/400w DE reflectors tested by Joshi were from Icecap and PFO. Both are expensive ($180) and are barely adequate for 3’ x 3’ coverage at a height of 12†(Part 5, February 2006).
• The seandanekind thread (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=980648) tested the Sunlight Supply Lumen Max 3 DE 250w ($165) at 24†above the surface so it is not comparable to the 12†coverage tests. It has a rectangular pattern with two distinct peaks.
• The Regent DIY 150w DE reflector may be the cheapest solution in a 4x150w configuration (Part 3, March 2004).
• No tests are available for the widely anticipated Lumenarc 250w DE ($95) (http://www.reefexotics.com/lumenarc.htm).
I think your 2 best options (in additional to hahnmeister's great find) are:
1. Custom Twin-Bulb Option. Call Daniel Ghiglieri of Pacific Garden Supply (415-444-5550). He designed the Lumenarcs and will be glad to manufacture a fixture for you with two individually controllable bulbs similar to the Sfiligoi Infinity Twin and the Giesemann Nova II. He wants to strike back at his competitors who are “copying his design.†This will give you a square coverage with a low-high output adjustment. If this works, you will be asked to write the next “Aquarist Guru†guest article.
2. Mainstream Option. You can treat your cube tank as two rectangular halves. Provide two 3-foot long rectangular fixtures, one over each half. The two rectangular fixtures may be T5-HO, 2xMH or combined. You will have no lack of choices here.
Call Lumenarc Designer or Get 2 Rectangular Fixtures
Here are my conclusions after reading the reflector material:
• In the 175w/400w SE category, the Lumenarc 3 ($130) is currently on top (Part 1, March 2003). Two Lumenarcs will produce a rectangular pattern.
• In the 250w SE category, the “Small Diamond Light†(Lumenarc A3 Mini?) appears to have a desirable lower peak under the bulb but was not thoroughly tested for coverage of a 3’ x 3’ area (Part 3, March 2004).
• The 250w/400w DE reflectors tested by Joshi were from Icecap and PFO. Both are expensive ($180) and are barely adequate for 3’ x 3’ coverage at a height of 12†(Part 5, February 2006).
• The seandanekind thread (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=980648) tested the Sunlight Supply Lumen Max 3 DE 250w ($165) at 24†above the surface so it is not comparable to the 12†coverage tests. It has a rectangular pattern with two distinct peaks.
• The Regent DIY 150w DE reflector may be the cheapest solution in a 4x150w configuration (Part 3, March 2004).
• No tests are available for the widely anticipated Lumenarc 250w DE ($95) (http://www.reefexotics.com/lumenarc.htm).
I think your 2 best options (in additional to hahnmeister's great find) are:
1. Custom Twin-Bulb Option. Call Daniel Ghiglieri of Pacific Garden Supply (415-444-5550). He designed the Lumenarcs and will be glad to manufacture a fixture for you with two individually controllable bulbs similar to the Sfiligoi Infinity Twin and the Giesemann Nova II. He wants to strike back at his competitors who are “copying his design.†This will give you a square coverage with a low-high output adjustment. If this works, you will be asked to write the next “Aquarist Guru†guest article.
2. Mainstream Option. You can treat your cube tank as two rectangular halves. Provide two 3-foot long rectangular fixtures, one over each half. The two rectangular fixtures may be T5-HO, 2xMH or combined. You will have no lack of choices here.
Thanks pjf and hahnmeister. You guys have certainly gone the extra mile and then some.
After spending some time on the links in the previous posts I certainly got the impression that the LA3 and it's baby brother are right on the money.
I'll contact Daniel and report back.
With the dawn to dusk (hereafter referred to as D2D to go with my C2C and BB) scenario in mind, I wonder if a three light (MH) and supplemental actinics might be worth investigating.
After spending some time on the links in the previous posts I certainly got the impression that the LA3 and it's baby brother are right on the money.
I'll contact Daniel and report back.
With the dawn to dusk (hereafter referred to as D2D to go with my C2C and BB) scenario in mind, I wonder if a three light (MH) and supplemental actinics might be worth investigating.
pjf
Premium Member
I forget that you are in South Africa. Here’s a contact email for Pacific Garden Supply if you want to pursue a Lumenarc with two bulbs: sales@pacificgardensupply.com. The Sfiligoi Infinity Twin and the Giesemann Nova II suggested by hahnmeister are excellent if styling is important.
You photoperiod chart is excellent for dawn to dusk lighting. You can accomplish this type of overlapping photoperiods by:
• Building a custom hood with lights of your choosing or
• Buying two rectangular fixtures that combine MH and T5 lights.
Good luck!
You photoperiod chart is excellent for dawn to dusk lighting. You can accomplish this type of overlapping photoperiods by:
• Building a custom hood with lights of your choosing or
• Buying two rectangular fixtures that combine MH and T5 lights.
Good luck!
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
At one time I did have dual 250wattDEs running in PFO mini-pendants on my 60cube. It worked rather well now that I look back... but the single 400watt lumenarc3 400 was plenty for what I wanted.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
Yeah... it worked rather well. I had a 10,000K and a 20,000K side-by-side. The only thing I would suggest is that the bluer bulb should be a step up in wattage... a 10,000K will totally overpower the output of a 20,000K of the same wattage unless used at seperate times. Thats why I went back to using a single 400watter even though it makes color selection a little tougher. Luckily, I found some bulbs I like... otherwise I usually hate running single halides or halide only systems. A better option for me would to have used a 150wattDE 10,000K and a 250wattDE 20,000K... but I was using what I had around at the time.
I only mention it because combining two bulbs into a single larger fixture may be no better than using two smaller reflectors. The light you lose from having two bulbs overlapping on each other may not be as good of an idea as just having seperate, smaller reflectors.
I only mention it because combining two bulbs into a single larger fixture may be no better than using two smaller reflectors. The light you lose from having two bulbs overlapping on each other may not be as good of an idea as just having seperate, smaller reflectors.
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