Anemone0524
New member
nice pics- looks like a few more acquisitions and then it's time to let the sps jungle grow out.
mnml's rimless
- Thread starter mnml
- Start date
mnml
New member
Thanks Mike, the PB is one of my favorites :dance:
It's been a while since I went on a LFS circuit but I guess I better take advantage of it now before the baby is born. :lol:
I think I'm getting close to maxing out the real estate. Time to upgrade? :bigeyes:
Thanks a bunch, Chris. My wife and I are thrilled. Now if I can just convince her to set up a nano for the baby room.
mnml
New member
T5 to MH
T5 to MH
I've decided to make a change to my lighting. I love my PowerModule and all but I really do miss having the shimmer. Also, I've had better luck with SPS color in my older tank which had MH. So after looking around a bit, I found a good deal on a Giesemann Infiniti 2x250w + 4 54w T5s. The finish on this fixture is very nice, much more than what I expected. I hope to have this installed next week once my chiller arrives. Probably will hang onto my PM for a few months just to make sure I don't change my mind again.
Here are some pics
IceCap ballasts
T5 to MH
I've decided to make a change to my lighting. I love my PowerModule and all but I really do miss having the shimmer. Also, I've had better luck with SPS color in my older tank which had MH. So after looking around a bit, I found a good deal on a Giesemann Infiniti 2x250w + 4 54w T5s. The finish on this fixture is very nice, much more than what I expected. I hope to have this installed next week once my chiller arrives. Probably will hang onto my PM for a few months just to make sure I don't change my mind again.
Here are some pics
IceCap ballasts
ryanjiang
New member
Congrats Tran, Very nice fixture! Does the fixture has new look and come with icecap ballast by default? Somehow it looks different than I used to see before, maybe it is just angle of shot.
Will you hang it little higher than the PM to get better coverage and reduce the heat into tank?
Will you hang it little higher than the PM to get better coverage and reduce the heat into tank?
mnml
New member
Thanks Ryan
I'm not sure about the new look but the previous owner did switch the stock ballast for IceCaps. I'm not sure how high I will hang the light yet, probably lower. My PAR meter got delayed in transit so once I receive it in the mail, I will take some measurements and go from there. It'll be interesting to see what the difference in PAR will be. Heat was a concern for me but I purchased a 1/5 hp Teco chiller which be more than enough to handle the heat. It should arrive on Monday so I hope to have everything online by next weekend.
More updates soon...
I'm not sure about the new look but the previous owner did switch the stock ballast for IceCaps. I'm not sure how high I will hang the light yet, probably lower. My PAR meter got delayed in transit so once I receive it in the mail, I will take some measurements and go from there. It'll be interesting to see what the difference in PAR will be. Heat was a concern for me but I purchased a 1/5 hp Teco chiller which be more than enough to handle the heat. It should arrive on Monday so I hope to have everything online by next weekend.
More updates soon...
ryanjiang
New member
Cool ! Myself also thinking to get a Par meter. Considering we love this hobby so much and may enjoy it for many years, it will be good investment.
If I am in your shoes, I will try 10K Aqualine (AB) 250W and supplement with 4+ ATI blue +. These are best from each technology and the PAR will beat the powermodule for sure. The AB 10K bulb is expensive but it is PAR monster and has almost same par as XM 10K but less yellow than XM 10K, it is famous for its long life esp. on electronic ballast so the ROI is good.
If you look at this thread in SPS forum some of the best color obtained from 10K MH, I think people prefer high kevin bulb because people prefer bluer look and often brown their coral by too much light from 10K. But since you can have stong supplement from T5 blue +, why not try this combo and see if you can get enough blue look as you like and still have best of 10K MH which is strong PAR and the full spectrum all over the map.
Anyway keep us posted, looking forward to see your PAR numbers.
If I am in your shoes, I will try 10K Aqualine (AB) 250W and supplement with 4+ ATI blue +. These are best from each technology and the PAR will beat the powermodule for sure. The AB 10K bulb is expensive but it is PAR monster and has almost same par as XM 10K but less yellow than XM 10K, it is famous for its long life esp. on electronic ballast so the ROI is good.
If you look at this thread in SPS forum some of the best color obtained from 10K MH, I think people prefer high kevin bulb because people prefer bluer look and often brown their coral by too much light from 10K. But since you can have stong supplement from T5 blue +, why not try this combo and see if you can get enough blue look as you like and still have best of 10K MH which is strong PAR and the full spectrum all over the map.
Anyway keep us posted, looking forward to see your PAR numbers.
Anemone0524
New member
wow I can't believe you gave up the PM Tran! Everyone loves the PM. But I do honestly agree with you that the MH shimmer is unbeatable. Can't wait to see your tank with the increased PAR and i'm staying tuned for the updated PAR numbers.
That is the exact same Giesemann fixture I was planning on going with. Great design.
That is the exact same Giesemann fixture I was planning on going with. Great design.
ryanjiang
New member
Evc is nice I have seen a 120g sps under two 250 evc, look similar to proper driven radium, his sticks have very nice color, forget to ask growth though.
Interested to what amount of par you can get from evc.
mikedege
You kidding me or what?
Great tank, I'm getting ready to setup my new tank which is similar dimension to yours. btw, what was the final T5 bulb selection that you used and liked the most? My new setup will be 8 bulb also.
Also, My current tank is MH 250w DE, I've tried all diff kinds of bulbs. evc/aqualine/reeflux/phoenix/etc...
My personal preference was the Aqualine I thought it was the best looking 20K, I personally didnt like the evc at all, it seemed wayyyy too blue, where as the aqualine seemed perfect.(personal prefernce of coarse, but I actually do like a blue look) I also really really liked to phoenix 14K for a slightly whiter look. But comparing it to another 14K bulb I tried, I would almost say the Phoenix 14K should be called a 17.5K!
hope this helps, tagging along.
-Mike
Also, My current tank is MH 250w DE, I've tried all diff kinds of bulbs. evc/aqualine/reeflux/phoenix/etc...
My personal preference was the Aqualine I thought it was the best looking 20K, I personally didnt like the evc at all, it seemed wayyyy too blue, where as the aqualine seemed perfect.(personal prefernce of coarse, but I actually do like a blue look) I also really really liked to phoenix 14K for a slightly whiter look. But comparing it to another 14K bulb I tried, I would almost say the Phoenix 14K should be called a 17.5K!
hope this helps, tagging along.
-Mike
mnml
New member
Thanks, I can't wait to see the shimmer in the tank.
Great tank, I'm getting ready to setup my new tank which is similar dimension to yours. btw, what was the final T5 bulb selection that you used and liked the most? My new setup will be 8 bulb also.
Also, My current tank is MH 250w DE, I've tried all diff kinds of bulbs. evc/aqualine/reeflux/phoenix/etc...
My personal preference was the Aqualine I thought it was the best looking 20K, I personally didnt like the evc at all, it seemed wayyyy too blue, where as the aqualine seemed perfect.(personal prefernce of coarse, but I actually do like a blue look) I also really really liked to phoenix 14K for a slightly whiter look. But comparing it to another 14K bulb I tried, I would almost say the Phoenix 14K should be called a 17.5K!
hope this helps, tagging along.
-Mike
Hi Mike,
Thanks for advice. Another reefer told me that the EVC was quite blue and he felt it didn't need any supplements as well. It seems the Phoexnix 14K are very popular so that's probably going to be my next bulb to test out. I'm going to try the EVC 20K with 2 blue+, 1 fiji purple, 1 Actinic+ first. If the EVC turns out to be too blue for my taste, I may opt for Phoenix 14K with 3 blue+, 1 fiji purple.
Did you run any T5s supplements with your Phoenix 14K?
My current T5 combo is:
front
blue+
blue+
fiji purple
blue+
aquablue special
blue+
aquablue special
blue+
It's a nice white-blue color.
I use to run
front
blue+
blue+
fiji purple
blue+
aquablue special
blue+
blue+
blue+
which gave a blue-white look. I've noticed better growth with having the extra white bulb.
