Am i making right decision on going from 2x150DE to 1x400SE ??

E-A-G-L-E-S · 12/26/2006, 11:55 AM

I currently have a 2x150W DE SunPod with Phoenix 14K's. I am looking to get mor light for my 58g(36"x18"-no center brace) SPS and clam reef.

I was thinking a 1x400W Radium or 1x400W Giesemann Coral(w/actin.) in either a Lumenmax II or Lumenarc Mini.

I want more PAR but i also really want tank to be brighter......

bureau13 · 12/26/2006, 12:36 PM

Will one lamp with a Lumenarc give you sufficient coverage out to the edges? I know they have good spread, but...

How deep is the tank? IMO 400W is a LOT of light. I have 250W HQI in a 36" deep tank...many people suggested 400W for me, but due to some particulars with my tank, I went with a 4 lamp fixture, and I have a Maxima on the sand bed (long story, but b*tchy maroon clown won't allow it anywhere else) and it seems happy as a...well, a clam

So I tend to think 400W is going to be overkill in anything but a REALLY deep tank.

You're also going to shock the crap out of everything if you're not careful, going from 150W to 400W.

jds

E-A-G-L-E-S · 12/26/2006, 12:53 PM

i was actually worried about overspread as the ycover 2'x2' extremely well and 3'x3' pretty well(supposedly enough for monti's on edge's at least?).....and my tank is only 18" wide

well...2x250W DE is expensive....i can get a 1x250W DE Gmann on HQI with 127 PAR(my 2-150W Phoenix's together make only 107 PAR)...but i don't know if that would be brighter to my eye, even in a Lumenarc mini DE reflector + i would need to place a actinic fixture on top of tank since the gmann is pure white
-or-
A 400W Radium on HQI makes 147 PAR and would need no actinic supp.
....for $375

either way i would slowly screen the tank for a while

what do you think?

Ti · 12/26/2006, 01:24 PM

You can try T5

E-A-G-L-E-S · 12/26/2006, 01:28 PM

I would but........can't sacrifice the shimmer

jamal-188 · 12/26/2006, 01:48 PM

I'd go with a 250 De in a Luman Max 3 reflector. I just got three of them and they are incredible compared to the reflectors in the sunpods and similar ESU type reflectors!

gcarroll · 12/26/2006, 02:30 PM

Personallly I think your best option is to add 2 t5 with good reflectors to your current lighting system. T5 is will increase your par and the exhisting MH will give you the shimmer you are looking for.

400 watt Radium in a Lumenmax reflector would be a waste because you will have a lot of spill over light being wasted.

2 - 250 watt DE would be awesome but I would not recomend the Lumenmax reflector. The RO III is a better option for an 18" wide tank. This will easily out-perform a single 400 watt on a tank with your dimensions.

gcarroll · 12/26/2006, 02:35 PM

oops!

E-A-G-L-E-S · 12/26/2006, 05:11 PM

well besides the $$ for a 2x250W DE set-up...don't you think i would run into heat problems with 500W halide on a 36"x18" 58g?

gcarroll · 12/26/2006, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by E-A-G-L-E-S
well besides the $$ for a 2x250W DE set-up...don't you think i would run into heat problems with 500W halide on a 36"x18" 58g?

You won't have heat problems if you have a 300g sump.

That is why I think the best option is going with your current lighting and adding a couple of T5 with SLS or IceCap reflectors.

E-A-G-L-E-S · 12/26/2006, 05:45 PM

I don't have a canopy though.

gcarroll · 12/26/2006, 05:53 PM

The single 400 watt is not the most efficient use of light. Will it work? Absolutely. If you don't mind the spill-over of light in the front and back of the tank then it is not a problem.

E-A-G-L-E-S · 12/26/2006, 06:03 PM

would a 250W DE Giesemann Coral in a lumenarc mini DE be a good option over my 2x150W DE Phoenix's?

According to Sanjay's results the Gmann on a HQI would put out 127 PAR and BOTH Phoenix's together only put out 107 PAR....or not any better?

....also, couldn't I put a shield extending from front and back of pendant down a couple inches to direct it more down and let the sides be so they can cover the 36"L as best as they can?

thanks for your help!

12/26/2006, 11:55 AM	#1
E-A-G-L-E-S Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lehigh Valley, PA Posts: 7,038	Am i making right decision on going from 2x150DE to 1x400SE ?? I currently have a 2x150W DE SunPod with Phoenix 14K's. I am looking to get mor light for my 58g(36"x18"-no center brace) SPS and clam reef. I was thinking a 1x400W Radium or 1x400W Giesemann Coral(w/actin.) in either a Lumenmax II or Lumenarc Mini. I want more PAR but i also really want tank to be brighter...... __________________ Smug Egotistical Contemptuous It's difficult to get a man to understand something that his salary requires him not to.

12/26/2006, 12:53 PM	#3
E-A-G-L-E-S Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lehigh Valley, PA Posts: 7,038	i was actually worried about overspread as the ycover 2'x2' extremely well and 3'x3' pretty well(supposedly enough for monti's on edge's at least?).....and my tank is only 18" wide well...2x250W DE is expensive....i can get a 1x250W DE Gmann on HQI with 127 PAR(my 2-150W Phoenix's together make only 107 PAR)...but i don't know if that would be brighter to my eye, even in a Lumenarc mini DE reflector + i would need to place a actinic fixture on top of tank since the gmann is pure white -or- A 400W Radium on HQI makes 147 PAR and would need no actinic supp. ....for $375 either way i would slowly screen the tank for a while what do you think? __________________ Smug Egotistical Contemptuous It's difficult to get a man to understand something that his salary requires him not to.

12/26/2006, 01:24 PM	#4
Ti Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 7,927	You can try T5 __________________ Hair algae is my Macro algae.

12/26/2006, 01:28 PM	#5
E-A-G-L-E-S Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lehigh Valley, PA Posts: 7,038	I would but........can't sacrifice the shimmer __________________ Smug Egotistical Contemptuous It's difficult to get a man to understand something that his salary requires him not to.

12/26/2006, 02:30 PM	#7
gcarroll Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Orange, CA Posts: 9,666	Personallly I think your best option is to add 2 t5 with good reflectors to your current lighting system. T5 is will increase your par and the exhisting MH will give you the shimmer you are looking for. 400 watt Radium in a Lumenmax reflector would be a waste because you will have a lot of spill over light being wasted. 2 - 250 watt DE would be awesome but I would not recomend the Lumenmax reflector. The RO III is a better option for an 18" wide tank. This will easily out-perform a single 400 watt on a tank with your dimensions. __________________ Greg Carroll I will be at REEF-A-PALOOZA! SPS = Stability Promotes Success Be wary of advice coming from those who will not show you the fruits of their success! Current Tank Info: building: 250g AGE Euro tank, Abyzz A200, Vertex Supra-G filtration, Ecotech Radion Pro LEDs, ...

12/26/2006, 12:36 PM	#2
bureau13 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: South Florida Posts: 1,936	Will one lamp with a Lumenarc give you sufficient coverage out to the edges? I know they have good spread, but... How deep is the tank? IMO 400W is a LOT of light. I have 250W HQI in a 36" deep tank...many people suggested 400W for me, but due to some particulars with my tank, I went with a 4 lamp fixture, and I have a Maxima on the sand bed (long story, but b*tchy maroon clown won't allow it anywhere else) and it seems happy as a...well, a clam So I tend to think 400W is going to be overkill in anything but a REALLY deep tank. You're also going to shock the crap out of everything if you're not careful, going from 150W to 400W. jds

12/26/2006, 01:48 PM	#6
jamal-188 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: PA Posts: 1,480	I'd go with a 250 De in a Luman Max 3 reflector. I just got three of them and they are incredible compared to the reflectors in the sunpods and similar ESU type reflectors!

12/26/2006, 02:35 PM	#8
gcarroll Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Orange, CA Posts: 9,666	oops! __________________ Greg Carroll I will be at REEF-A-PALOOZA! SPS = Stability Promotes Success Be wary of advice coming from those who will not show you the fruits of their success! Current Tank Info: building: 250g AGE Euro tank, Abyzz A200, Vertex Supra-G filtration, Ecotech Radion Pro LEDs, ...

12/26/2006, 05:11 PM	#9
E-A-G-L-E-S Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lehigh Valley, PA Posts: 7,038	well besides the $$ for a 2x250W DE set-up...don't you think i would run into heat problems with 500W halide on a 36"x18" 58g? __________________ Smug Egotistical Contemptuous It's difficult to get a man to understand something that his salary requires him not to.

12/26/2006, 05:45 PM	#11
E-A-G-L-E-S Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lehigh Valley, PA Posts: 7,038	I don't have a canopy though. __________________ Smug Egotistical Contemptuous It's difficult to get a man to understand something that his salary requires him not to.

12/26/2006, 05:53 PM	#12
gcarroll Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Orange, CA Posts: 9,666	The single 400 watt is not the most efficient use of light. Will it work? Absolutely. If you don't mind the spill-over of light in the front and back of the tank then it is not a problem. __________________ Greg Carroll I will be at REEF-A-PALOOZA! SPS = Stability Promotes Success Be wary of advice coming from those who will not show you the fruits of their success! Current Tank Info: building: 250g AGE Euro tank, Abyzz A200, Vertex Supra-G filtration, Ecotech Radion Pro LEDs, ...

12/26/2006, 06:03 PM	#13
E-A-G-L-E-S Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lehigh Valley, PA Posts: 7,038	would a 250W DE Giesemann Coral in a lumenarc mini DE be a good option over my 2x150W DE Phoenix's? According to Sanjay's results the Gmann on a HQI would put out 127 PAR and BOTH Phoenix's together only put out 107 PAR....or not any better? ....also, couldn't I put a shield extending from front and back of pendant down a couple inches to direct it more down and let the sides be so they can cover the 36"L as best as they can? thanks for your help! __________________ Smug Egotistical Contemptuous It's difficult to get a man to understand something that his salary requires him not to.