Vertex Illumina Club

they say your neighbours will know when your new light fixture has arrived here is the proof
outside.jpg

yes the light is over my tank, it is a little higher than it will be when build complete, but you get the picture, other units have regular lighting on i have vertex on 100% white, blue and royal
 
they say your neighbours will know when your new light fixture has arrived here is the proof
outside.jpg

yes the light is over my tank, it is a little higher than it will be when build complete, but you get the picture, other units have regular lighting on i have vertex on 100% white, blue and royal

Priceless! LOVE IT!

You definitely got a new light...might want to get a pair of welding goggles to protect your eyes too! :)
 
Dimensions?

Dimensions?

What is the width of the Illumina 200 fixture? I assume all the different length fixtures are the same height and width?
 
They are all the same except they get longer or shorter. Anything over 24" you will end up with more ballasts and more cords to plug in. See the Vertex site for exact details.
 
What is the width of the Illumina 200 fixture? I assume all the different length fixtures are the same height and width?

The width is always 30cm/12"; lengths are in increments of 30cm/12". Height is at the heighest less than 2". A very sleek design.
 
Would a 24" Illuima 200 look right over a 46" x 30.5" x 16.5" tank or should I get a 36" fixture? Those that have either fixture I would appreciate the input. Thanks. These Fixtures seem like the best ones out there for the features and looks.
 
Would a 24" Illuima 200 look right over a 46" x 30.5" x 16.5" tank or should I get a 36" fixture? Those that have either fixture I would appreciate the input. Thanks. These Fixtures seem like the best ones out there for the features and looks.

If you are doing sps, I would go for the 36". The 24" would leave the ends in a bit too little light for sps, but lps would do well.
 
The cloud program doesn't turn off the lights, it reduces the output. In nature clouds don't make it really dark, they soften the light. You still have the same photoperiod, just not the same intensity throughout.

I would experiement a bit and see what I like.

I beg to differ...
<a href=http://s1131.photobucket.com/albums/m547/AGYDAL/?action=view&current=2011-04-08195430.jpg target=_blank><img src=http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m547/AGYDAL/2011-04-08195430.jpg border=0 alt=></a>
 
I beg to differ...
<a href=http://s1131.photobucket.com/albums/m547/AGYDAL/?action=view&current=2011-04-08195430.jpg target=_blank><img src=http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m547/AGYDAL/2011-04-08195430.jpg border=0 alt=></a>

What I meant is, it is not an on-off switch that makes a flashing effect. It dims the light via procent, but you can, of course, dim to 100%, which is dimmed out, but not off. Some tight semantics.
 
Would Vertex users please describe their light programs for me. I am having a hard time with many SPS. I realize that SPS should not RTN STN from light, either too much or too little but that is what I am dealing with and have been since I started this tank from scratch and switched from MH/T5 to LED.
A little background
I have 3 tanks. I have 6 years experience, I certainly dont know it all but I didnt fall off the wagon yesterday either. My 90g frag table is crowded with frags and colonies that I trade and sell, all SPS, many of the same species that are that are suffering in my DT.
I run full zeo on both tanks, the parameters are the same alk 8, calc 390-410, same temp and salinity. The tanks are not connected, they are separate systems but the husbandry is the same. Sump for DT is in the basement beside the Frag tank. All dosing is dont at the same time, same for WC and media changes like Zeolites and Carbon.
The largest difference is that the Frag tank runs 2 x ATI powermodule 48" 6 bulb with a mixture of ati bulbs. I get good growth and excellent (if pale because of Zeo) colour.
Not looking for the usual, "check your alk" comments as I am well past that stage. All parameters are stable and have been for months. Vertex CA reactors, same RODI water, Same salt for WC.

What I am looking for is some advice on what I may be doing wrong with my Vertex.
I already have a ATI 5' 8 bulb on order as I cant lose any more SPS.

Lighting
10am - 6pm White 50% RB 50% Blue 30%
6pm the whites dim down to 15% and the Blues ramp up to actinic level for evening viewing up to 11:59pm then the moonlights come on
from 12am to 10am

What am I doing wrong??

Dwayne
 
Dwayne,

when I changed over to Vertex LEDs, the brightness was too much for my corals. I ran the whites at 50% and still use this as my base, but let it run to 80% for a few minutes in the afternoon, after which it drops back slowly to 50%. I find this good for the corals. Blues are slowly ramped-up to 100% and kept there for 8 hours, then ramped down to 0%, esentially the same for the royals, except they come on 1 hours before and burn one our later than the whites. A total for 13 hours light.

I'm am questioning the need to run the blue/royal at 100%. They are not bright to us, but to the corals for sure. 80% may be a better high level. My tank is deep at 70cm/30", but I run a 260 unit.

As to corals not rtn/stn-ing from light, I must differ! Yes, too much light can cause both of these conditions. Stress is stress. As I am not experiencing coral death from the LEDs, it MAY lie in the mix. I have whites at about 50% of the blues. You may wish to reduce the whites to 25%. The corals are growing from the blue spectrum, not the white. They do not utilize light above 500nm. Just how deep is this problem tank?
 
Thanks for the input. The whites are maxing out at 50% right now but three weeks ago they were at 70%, I brought them down as a test to stop the RTN. I mislead you on the blue and RB, they never hit 100% but do get up to 80% during the day. I am going on memory here but no not 100% at any time. I will try to do a fancy pic like other people have done here for you to look at. Several pieces do look better since going to more blue and less white but I continue to struggle with 30% of my pieces looking in poor health with poor PE.
Example, I have many Millis and hairy SPS. One Milli has poor PE and the skin looks strained then a foot to the right there is a pink milli that is happy as can be and shaggy. I will post some pics for you

Dwayne
 
I just ordered a Reef Savvy 48x28x20 tank, should I go with the 36" (900) or 48" (1200) length model? If these lights ever come to the US retail market, do you think it will drop the prices significantly? I suppose competition would increase at that point anyway. Thanks.
 
Id go with the 48'' although the 36'' would probably work.

I doubt that these light prices will ever drop significantly like other fixtures might. Vertex will always be striving for top of the line technology and to be the leader in LED fixtures and programmable technology.. The Illumina will always be one of the most expensive fixtures.

Much like high end fixtures from Geisseman ELos, and Sfiligoi have not had large price drops over the years.
 
on a 48" tank with 2 islands why cant one use 2 12" units separately?

thanks

You could but you would almost be at the price of a 36" unit by purchasing 2 12's. You would not be able to get the travelling cloud effect either. You are paying for 2 separate timers and housings so it gets pricey quick.

IMHO, the Vetex should be bought 12" shorter than the tank dimensions for the best possible look and overage. Any wider and it is wasted overspill. In fact, my 24" unit is actually a hair under 26" wide.
 
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