Lumenbright mini Or Lumenmax Elite

[Jkraft136]

Which would be your choice on 2 reflectors for a 75g then for a 120g down the road? I keep getting mixed reviews.

 

[jiriki]

lumenbright mini requires a fairly high mount. Bulb to water surface is around 16" I think if I remember that correctly. But it puts out a punch and can penetrate to the bottom very well.

Lumenmax Elite has a bigger spread and is mounted a bit closer to the water. I don't think you can go wrong with either. I personally like my Lumenbright Minis (diy version).

 

[RokleM]

Good advice from jiriki. I picked up a LumenMax Elite for my new 93 (currently over the sump) and have been pretty impressed with it so far. Hollback and a number of other have the LumenBright. It will be hard to go wrong either way honestly, with the main variable of how high you want them mounted.

 

[Jkraft136]

Well these gonna be free hanging so the mount height doesnt matter. Jiriki you made Diy minis? Any pics?

 

[jh2pizza]

search the DIY forum. There is a long thread on DIY reflectors.

 

[jh2pizza]

Here ya go.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1434493

Aquatic Tech sells the material that is much heavier than a tube.

 

[Jkraft136]

Ok so i got til saturday to decide

 

[jiriki]

Here's my DIY light setup.

 

[Jkraft136]

Very nice. I wish i was handy enough to do something like that

 

[jiriki]

Despite not being manufacture perfect, it's actually very surprising how well it works.

 

[Jkraft136]

Do you happen to remember the cost of doing it yourself?

Also where did you get those plant hangers at? Looks like a good idea for hanging my lights

 

[jiriki]

I got the plant hangers from Home Depot by the empty plant pots.

With the purchase of a riveter and mogul socket and plug connector, guessing around $50 each.

 

[Jkraft136]

Wow thats a nice price. Do you do any freelance work

 

[stevereef]

Question - how many inches from the bulb to the water would you say?

 

[jh2pizza]

Mine are 11" off the water with both Lumenmax2 and Elites. I got more even light with the Lumenmax2 than I did with the Elites. The Elite seemed to have a hot spot in the center when Bill and I were testing them with the PAR meter.

 

[RokleM]

Yup, I ended up keeping my Lumenmax2 over my 100g. The Lumenmax elite is a great reflector, very intense in the middle, but doesn't have hardly any spread.

 

[UWUALineman]

I have 3 Elites over my 210G and I am very happy with them. As mentioned in prevous posts, this is an exceptional reflector for a 2x2 area, however, anything else and you will need a different reflector due to lack of spread.. Mine are mounted rougly 16'' from the surface. In a 30'' deep tank in the hotspot I am pushing 400 par on the sandbed. My SPS are getting slammed with light and they doing qute well.