solitude127
Proud user of IO Salt!
Glad you decided to rebuild, tank looks really good.
Is it about time to change the T5 light bulbs? Par meter readings
- Thread starter kangym
- Start date
Thanks Mike and Dom. The new lamp combo looks very blue, I really like the Purple+, it brings out the red color nicely.
No actinics at all, 6 blue+, 2 Purple+, 1 GE 6500 and 1 AB spec..
Reef_Matrix29
Water Lover
Any suggestions on a 5 Bulb combination that will give great PAR? Standard 75 gallon tank with plenty of SPS and one clam on the sand bed. Fixture is about 6 inches off the water...Aquactinics Tx5 fixture.
They have similar wave length, but blue+ gives much more PAR than actinics. IMO, blue+ works better than actinics for sps tank.
I am no Grimmer. But I will try 3 blue+, AB spec. and GE 6500k.
reefgeek31
New member
My dear friend this is the best news Ive had all year. I have always found inspirartion in your drive for this hobby matched by you ability. It is beautiful and I can not wait for it to muture!!! Congrats for your next totm! I know in my heart it is for sure to come!!!
Frogmanx82
New member
I worked out a schedule where I change 1 or 2 bulbs every 4 months. That way you can run your bulbs for 12 months but keep the average age to less than 8 months. With 10 bulbs you would do 3 or 4 every 4 months or 2-3 every 3 months. You just need to get enough bulbs so you can rotate some in, then back out to get the ages staggered. If you have some bulbs running less time you can figure that you already have some staggering of the effective age of the bulbs.
ChuckG
New member
Great thread.. I just read through all 21 pages wondering if this was going to be touched on and was surprised to see it asked at the very last post.. yours.
I am curious about the same but in a slightly different context, If you run the main lights 5 hrs per day, yet the blues (supplements) 11 hrs per day. Do the the main lights need to be replaced at 8-9 months like the supplement bulbs.
What has the most impact on PAR and possibly spectrum?
1) bulb age
2) on/off cycles
3) actual burn time
sfexplicit
New member
I do actually change my lamps that are run for longer. I don't know if it's necessary or not but it makes me feel better.
Thanks Abe. Hope you will be back to the hobby soon.
The ATI PM 10 bulbs unit is very heavy. I am too lazy to move it just to replace a few bulbs. Instead, you can lower the light fixture a few inches every 2-3 months to keep the PAR. The T5 PAR readings drop about 20 to 30% over 9 to 10 months. For me, 9 months, I will say it is about time to replace the bulbs.
LINCOLNZ34
Member
Very nice tank!! Wow
solitude127
Proud user of IO Salt!
Does anyone have PAR reading from a 6x24w PM or SP?
sahin
Ultimate Reefer
I would like to know the PAR results of either of those two as well. Thanks.
sahin
Ultimate Reefer
Progress report after seven months.
To review: Fixture is 4x24 TEK, no splash shield, fan on the label ends. Below is my pic from June. I've just plugged in and underlined the readings from today.
Wow, with a 4 bulb unit even having 225 on the sand bed is very good PAR. That is very encouraging. Many thanks for posting that.
What tubes are you using?
PS your tank is very nice, do you have a build thread?
dixiedog
New member
Thanks sahin. It's not much of a thread, but here it is: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1885758 I didn't bother to start the thread until the tank was a year old.
I've been running:
ATI blue +
Fiji purple
AT aquablue special
ATI blue +
... but I think I'd like to try something else in place of the Fiji purple this time around, maybe a UVL 75/25?
.
I've been running:
ATI blue +
Fiji purple
AT aquablue special
ATI blue +
... but I think I'd like to try something else in place of the Fiji purple this time around, maybe a UVL 75/25?
.
