Giesemann Lighting Club.

[VJV]

That is correct. I believe you are right too. I am dying to go for a Spectra as well, as it would be the cheapest way to light my 80inch long tank. I want to have a single fixture to minimize clutter. The 60'' Matrixx I would say is good for 60inches as the T5's coverage does not extend much beyond the length of the tubes. However, the T5's already put out a lot of heat so having a 72'' Spectra with 3x250w MH kind of scares me away from that...

 

[rtparty]

A 60" T5 easily covers 72". You will just have to be selective on what goes in the very edges of the tank. Move the rock work 6" off each side though and you're only having to light 68". Low light SPS or LPS will do just fine. For years I've run shorter fixtures than tank with little issue

 

[ReefCowboy]

A word of caution: I tried to run the original E5s in my Giesemann Matrix ii 8x80 dimmtec and they would only last a couple of weeks before they would die. The distributor sent me a replacement and the same thing happened. Than the ballast of the channel that was running them also died. Giesemann promptly sent me a new one but advised me against running the E5s on their unit. My !atrix was 6 months old at the time.


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Thank you for the heads up. Glad to hear spectra should be ok.

 

[VJV]

A 60" T5 easily covers 72". You will just have to be selective on what goes in the very edges of the tank. Move the rock work 6" off each side though and you're only having to light 68". Low light SPS or LPS will do just fine. For years I've run shorter fixtures than tank with little issue

Yes, but my tank is 80 inches and one of the ceramic rock structures is designed to sit flush to the overflow wall (it is a peninsula tank). So the rock work itself is a group of four islands that are 72'' in length. As you point out it covers 72'' assuming you do not have to light anything (or at least only low light stuff) on the 6'' that are left to each side of the 60'' fixture. I like units that run the entire length of the tank (or almost) and the 72'' Spectra would be the closest I could get (and the cheapest, as in Europe Giesemann units cost like half the price of the US. For reference, the largest Aurora Hybrid over here It would cost me 1.600eur, or roughly $US1.900). As a comparison, if I were to use Radion XR30's to get a decent coverage in my tank I would need at least 4, which would cost me over here Eur3.200 or 2x the Giesemann Aurora:fun5:

 

[gdemos]

I've been using my Spectra for about a year and a half. I've had Radions and an ATI dimmable Sunpower. The Spectra is the best light I've used of all these. Why?

No fans. Despite three 400w halides and four T5 bulbs I don't have any fans running and don't need them. It's a dead quiet fixture. I do run a chiller and if I didn't the water temp would increase. In fact my old chiller failed the other day and my water would get to about 82F. With chiller I'm steady at 78F.

Metal halide. My corals love the MH. They grow towards the bulbs. They don't grow towards the T5s.

It's simple. While I liked the tweaking options of the Radions it was a pain to dial in and I always felt a need to tweak. I have installed a pair of Kessils into my Spectra between the MH bulbs. I did this because I like the florescence that a very blue LED can give. Actinics come close to that, but not as much as LEDs. You use Reefbrite so you understand.

The fixture looks great. Of all the T5 or MH fixtures out there it has the best looking design.

It just works. I've had no problems. Haven't had to change a T5 ballast, but if I did it would be simple. As I mentioned, I installed a pair of Kessils into the Spectra. I've taken the thing apart as much as possible. It's built simply and like a tank.

I have not pulled the trigger yet. My drawback is heat. I got a basement sump with evap cooling fans, tank upstairs in-wall with lights in canopy.
tank can hit 82 if i am not running Central Air. Based on this, i do not think i can go MH without a chiller. Expensive proposition for a good 1/2hp chiller

What are you running for a Chiller

 

[Johnseye]

I have not pulled the trigger yet. My drawback is heat. I got a basement sump with evap cooling fans, tank upstairs in-wall with lights in canopy.
tank can hit 82 if i am not running Central Air. Based on this, i do not think i can go MH without a chiller. Expensive proposition for a good 1/2hp chiller

What are you running for a Chiller

Active Aqua Chiller, 1/2 HP. Bought it on Amazon for about $550. Looks exactly like the Aqua Euro chiller at Marine Depot but for less. You know it's the same model, just rebranded. And yes, you'll need a chiller for sure.

 

[gdemos]

Thanks i know nothing about chillers. The 1/2 hp unit i was directed to was over $1k


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[gdemos]

Active Aqua Chiller, 1/2 HP. Bought it on Amazon for about $550. Looks exactly like the Aqua Euro chiller at Marine Depot but for less. You know it's the same model, just rebranded. And yes, you'll need a chiller for sure.

thanks John - emailed you some Qs on Chiller

 

[Reefer525XL]

Selling my 3 months old Spectra if anybody is interest... Can be seen here http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2653109

 

[monkiboy]

i have a 48" spectra with new bulbs and ballasts and a bunch of other free new convenience extras with it at a silly low price if anyone is looking, thanks!

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2653282

 

[Punchanello]

Hi all,

looking at an Aurora over a 5x2x2 mixed tank. If you had the choice would you run the 1500mm over the 1200mm?

I'm also wondering what peoples T5 combo is. Never used T5 so at a loss.

Thanks!

 

[ChadOwens]

Just got a new Giesemann Aurora 60" and can't get it to turn on. One of my T5s broke in shipping so I only have 3 of 4 installed right now. Would this prevent the unit from turning on? I can't get the LEDs on or any bluetooth signal.

 

[Bronx19]

No, its rooted.

 

[ReefCowboy]

Soon will be starting my spectra project. Will be modifying the mesh-spacers to accomodate two Kessil A160's on the outside and a A360W in the middle. Will post pics once it get it going

 

[10Seconds]

Guess I should post here, just joined the club lest week with a Spectra 72". Love it so far.

 

[choss]

Soon will be starting my spectra project. Will be modifying the mesh-spacers to accomodate two Kessil A160's on the outside and a A360W in the middle. Will post pics once it get it going

Reef Cowboy - I'm excited to see this. Kessil + Spectra = awesome. My two favorite lights.

 

[ReefCowboy]

Reef Cowboy - I'm excited to see this. Kessil + Spectra = awesome. My two favorite lights.

Choss,

Some have done previously, but I find flaws with them since hey usually dont modify the mesh and therefore make it really tought to change bulbs later on.

I will try to make it so the mesh comes off from the top so the kessil lenses can be removed easily allowing the MH housing glass to slide freely.

Will use the kessils for dusk/dawn, bedore and after the halides go on/off.
Will also gry to run an EX5 on each side along with a blue + for blue supplementation.

I agree radiums for main lighting/kessils for blues cant be beat

 

[choss]

Choss,

Some have done previously, but I find flaws with them since hey usually dont modify the mesh and therefore make it really tought to change bulbs later on.

I will try to make it so the mesh comes off from the top so the kessil lenses can be removed easily allowing the MH housing glass to slide freely.

Will use the kessils for dusk/dawn, bedore and after the halides go on/off.
Will also gry to run an EX5 on each side along with a blue + for blue supplementation.

I agree radiums for main lighting/kessils for blues cant be beat

I'm running a spectra 24" unit and two kessils on my new build. But I'm simply adding the kessils to the sides to cover a 42" tank. I'm in mid build so I haven't tested this yet. excited to give it a try.

 

[10Seconds]

After a week of running my 72" Spectra, my 220 tank varies only .5 degree higher than previously per the Temp graph on my Apex. I put a fan in the canopy and the temp graph went back exactly to how it was before, up and down 1 degree. I was worried that I would need a chiller, and I still may in summer (its winter here now) but so far so good.

 

[Bronx19]

What s=is the better fixture, the Spectra or Infinity?