New Lumen Bright Reflector. ... any info on them

[jknecht]

Thanks for the info JR (BTW your tank looks amazing). I am only using them for the look so I guess it won't hurt to do it. Next question. I've always liked running the Phoenix 14K DE bulbs and it seems everyone running the LumenBright's are running Reeflux SE bulbs. Should I make the switch to SE or stick with DE? I know it's personal preference. Anyone running Phoenix 14K bulbs in their LumenBright? For reference I'm running the new style IceCap 250W Ballasts.

[JRaquatics]

No problem and thanks for the complement. I have always been a fan of SE bulbs. I like the wide range of choices SE bulbs have as compared to double ended bulbs. With the Icecap you can go either way and get great results.

[RobynT]

Great information Marc!!
Just reading the information you posted I went from being totally lost to having a basic understanding of MH. I feel that the information you provided was very easy to understand and I'm hoping that you will sticky it somewhere for others down the road since they probably won't find it within this thread very easily.

Now a few more questions. I am going to be upgrading into a 210 gallon tank soon and I've been told that I need to use 400W for the depth of the tank. (I presently have LPS and SPS both.) I have really admired the tank pics with the Reeflux bulbs and it seems to me that many of those posters use the Coralvue ballast. Is that a conincidence? So ideally I would use three lights across the 6' tank length with LB reflectors, a dual 400 ballast and a single 400 ballast? Has anyone used a 250 in the middle for a different look and is it totally weird looking? Input is always welcome!

[melev]

Robyn - that information is on my site. I just copied it from there to a post for you. If you like, you can bookmark it and share that link with others when the need arises.

If you plan to use Lumenbright reflectors, you'll probably not need 400w bulbs and ballasts. I'm using 250w bulbs over my 30" tall tank, with a 400w bulb in the center ONLY because it is a 20,000K bulb with lower PAR. By increasing the wattage, the PAR of that bulb is closer to the PAR of the two lower wattage 10,000K bulbs.



I think the reason people are using the ReefLux bulbs with Coralvue ballasts is because that is what the mfg is recommending to get the proper color out of their bulbs. I'm still an IceCap guy...

[AcroporAddict]

You guys are going to bankrupt me!

I was all nice and settled with my current setup, and then I read this thread, and was drawn to the Reef Specialty website and coralvue/Reeflux setups. So Mike at Reef Specialty has some of my money now.

Here is my setup: Oceanic 120 Tech Series Tank (48 x 24 x 25) with mostly SPS. Current lighting is 2 x 250 watt HQIs with Phoenix 14K bulbs and 4 x 54 watt actinics. I have about 65 species of SPS in the tank, and they are growing, but I am not getting the color rendition I want.

I just ordered two 400 watt SE CoralVue dimmable ballasts, with LumenBrite mini pendants and 12K Reeflux bulbs. I have the ability to adjust the height of the minis.

I have 724 watts over the tank now, but I know watts are not a good comarison, and that these new 400 watt minis are going to raise the PAR of the reef quite a bit.

Is this setup appropriate and doable for my tank? I would appreciate any advice about acclimating my tank to the new lights. Hopefully I'll have them by Friday.

Thank you.
Dave

[ganjero]

Originally posted by melev
Robyn - that information is on my site. I just copied it from there to a post for you. If you like, you can bookmark it and share that link with others when the need arises.

If you plan to use Lumenbright reflectors, you'll probably not need 400w bulbs and ballasts. I'm using 250w bulbs over my 30" tall tank, with a 400w bulb in the center ONLY because it is a 20,000K bulb with lower PAR. By increasing the wattage, the PAR of that bulb is closer to the PAR of the two lower wattage 10,000K bulbs.



I think the reason people are using the ReefLux bulbs with Coralvue ballasts is because that is what the mfg is recommending to get the proper color out of their bulbs. I'm still an IceCap guy...

You use the glass cover on your reflector even though you SE bulbs, right?

[melev]

Originally posted by AcroporAddict
You guys are going to bankrupt me!

I was all nice and settled with my current setup, and then I read this thread, and was drawn to the Reef Specialty website and coralvue/Reeflux setups. So Mike at Reef Specialty has some of my money now.

Here is my setup: Oceanic 120 Tech Series Tank (48 x 24 x 25) with mostly SPS. Current lighting is 2 x 250 watt HQIs with Phoenix 14K bulbs and 4 x 54 watt actinics. I have about 65 species of SPS in the tank, and they are growing, but I am not getting the color rendition I want.

I just ordered two 400 watt SE CoralVue dimmable ballasts, with LumenBrite mini pendants and 12K Reeflux bulbs. I have the ability to adjust the height of the minis.

I have 724 watts over the tank now, but I know watts are not a good comarison, and that these new 400 watt minis are going to raise the PAR of the reef quite a bit.

Is this setup appropriate and doable for my tank? I would appreciate any advice about acclimating my tank to the new lights. Hopefully I'll have them by Friday.

Thank you.
Dave

Since your tank is already established, when you install your new reflectors and lights, make sure they are high enough off the water as recommended in the article in this month's Reefkeeping Magazine.

I would only run each MH bulb 4 hours a day for the first week, then add 30 minutes for the next week, and repeat weekly until you reach the full photo period. You really may discover the MH only need to be on 6 hours per day, max.

You can run your T5s the rest of the photo period so the tank can still be enjoyed.

[melev]

Originally posted by ganjero
You use the glass cover on your reflector even though you SE bulbs, right?

Yes, the glass that came with the reflectors. I wanted the glass well before I ever ordered my new reflectors, knowing that I wanted them to stay clean. Since they cost a lot, I didn't want any type of salt damage to reduce their lifespan.

I expected to lose a little bit of PAR, but considering how much more I was gaining, it wouldn't be of any concern. And from my PAR measurements with the prior reflectors, I was able to test with 1/4" glass and then 1/4" acrylic and the drop off was minimal. Hardly worth mentioning.

[RobynT]

Thanks again for the information!
So if I was to go with three 250W it would make the most sense to use a dual 250W ballast and one single 250W ballast?

[kuyatwo]

Originally posted by RobynT
Thanks again for the information!
So if I was to go with three 250W it would make the most sense to use a dual 250W ballast and one single 250W ballast?

depends on how you want to run your setup with a dual ballast setup once you turn it on both bulbs turn on. i stager my mh setup so not to much power drain when they fire up so i run a ballast for each bulb with each turning on 30 min from each other. also consider if that ballast burns out you are down two mh till you get it replaced istead of just one

[RobynT]

Do ballasts "burn out" very often? One thing that I was considering was the ability to plug in the lights into my Reefkeeper two (two available light spots.) Is there usually a cost savings to buying the dual ballast vs two singles? Also, is it preferable to buy the dimmable ballasts?

[JRaquatics]

I always prefer to use single ballasts. This way if something happens to one you will still have lights on the the tank till it gets replaced of repaired.

[ganjero]

Originally posted by melev
Yes, the glass that came with the reflectors. I wanted the glass well before I ever ordered my new reflectors, knowing that I wanted them to stay clean. Since they cost a lot, I didn't want any type of salt damage to reduce their lifespan.

I expected to lose a little bit of PAR, but considering how much more I was gaining, it wouldn't be of any concern. And from my PAR measurements with the prior reflectors, I was able to test with 1/4" glass and then 1/4" acrylic and the drop off was minimal. Hardly worth mentioning.

Where did you get the glass for the SE version?

[naprestsleep]

Originally posted by ganjero
Where did you get the glass for the SE version?

It comes with the pendants for both the SE and DE bulbs

[naprestsleep]

Has anyone had issue with the Coralvue ballast causing interference on their TVs? I got an older apartment and it seems like there is some "snow" on the TV when ever the ballast is on. They are on different outlets but knowing the wiring probably the same circuit.

[ganjero]

Originally posted by naprestsleep
It comes with the pendants for both the SE and DE bulbs

From What store? The ones that I got didnt come with the glass.

[JRaquatics]

Originally posted by ganjero
From What store? The ones that I got didnt come with the glass.

All LB pendants come with the glass shield. Reef Specialty ships them all pendent out with the glass, and they can not be purchased separately and all pendents should be sold with the glass.

http://www.reefspecialty.com/lightin...s-c-14_28.html

[dja1980]

PENDANT being the key word. It's possible that some people are confused that there is a pendant version and the original unfinished reflector available.

[seawandrr]

I have an interesting challenge, and would appreciate some advice.

My tank is 96 x 32 x 30.

Bulbs would be 400w, 12k Reeflux on CV ballasts.

It's acrylic, and the issue comes from the configuration of the top cut-outs for access.

It's a peninsula style tank, and will be viewable from 3 sides, so no cheating and shifting the light forward with the back darker/higher with a rock wall or such.

The opening closest to the short viewing side is 32" x 22"

The opening towards the overflow end of the tank is 37" x 22"


Thus neither opening is capable of taking 2 x the large LB's in the long dimension. (40 vs 32, and 40 vs 37)

So, a few questions... on the 37" x 22" opening, how bad is it to have the edge of the reflector overlap the acrylic top by 1.5" on each side (if the large LB's are placed edge to edge)

On the shorter opening, I can't even do a Large and Small LB without 2" of overlap on each side (20" + 16" = 36")

Comments on the wisdom of having a 400w, 12k bulb in LB's, over acrylic bracing?

So... possible options:

1. No overlap with Light mover - 2 x large LB on a light mover (one each opening), with T5's to supplement and keep the non-lit-at-that-moment part of the tank bright

2. No overlap, fixed - 1 large and 1 small in the large opening, 2 small in the small opening.

3. Overlap - fixed - 2 x L in the big opening, 1 L and 1 S in the small opening... 1.5" and 2" of overlap in each, on each end.

Any place I'm using the small LB's, I'm worried about side to side coverage on a 32" wide tank. For example, in option 2, the front 4' of the tank, would have 2 x small LB's centered right next to each other and touching, over a 48" by 32" area.

Any place I have overloap, I'm worried about frying the acrylic.

Comments/Advice?

[JRaquatics]

Mike (acropora nut) 500 gal has 2 reflectors directly above the acrylic braces and is getting great penetration even when dirty. I would be to concerned about the braces. You might want to consider staggering the Large LB and the smalls having the larges over the braces. I would suggest giving Mike at Reef Specialty a call and talk to him about how he has his lighting set up. He has altered his lighting numerous times with the Larges and the small LBs to get optimal lighing to his SPS tank.

Originally posted by seawandrr
I have an interesting challenge, and would appreciate some advice.

My tank is 96 x 32 x 30.

Bulbs would be 400w, 12k Reeflux on CV ballasts.

It's acrylic, and the issue comes from the configuration of the top cut-outs for access.

It's a peninsula style tank, and will be viewable from 3 sides, so no cheating and shifting the light forward with the back darker/higher with a rock wall or such.

The opening closest to the short viewing side is 32" x 22"

The opening towards the overflow end of the tank is 37" x 22"


Thus neither opening is capable of taking 2 x the large LB's in the long dimension. (40 vs 32, and 40 vs 37)

So, a few questions... on the 37" x 22" opening, how bad is it to have the edge of the reflector overlap the acrylic top by 1.5" on each side (if the large LB's are placed edge to edge)

On the shorter opening, I can't even do a Large and Small LB without 2" of overlap on each side (20" + 16" = 36")

Comments on the wisdom of having a 400w, 12k bulb in LB's, over acrylic bracing?

So... possible options:

1. No overlap with Light mover - 2 x large LB on a light mover (one each opening), with T5's to supplement and keep the non-lit-at-that-moment part of the tank bright

2. No overlap, fixed - 1 large and 1 small in the large opening, 2 small in the small opening.

3. Overlap - fixed - 2 x L in the big opening, 1 L and 1 S in the small opening... 1.5" and 2" of overlap in each, on each end.

Any place I'm using the small LB's, I'm worried about side to side coverage on a 32" wide tank. For example, in option 2, the front 4' of the tank, would have 2 x small LB's centered right next to each other and touching, over a 48" by 32" area.

Any place I have overloap, I'm worried about frying the acrylic.

Comments/Advice?

[bubbletip2]

Originally posted by JRaquatics
Mike (acropora nut) 500 gal has 2 reflectors directly above the acrylic braces and is getting great penetration even when dirty. I would be to concerned about the braces. You might want to consider staggering the Large LB and the smalls having the larges over the braces. I would suggest giving Mike at Reef Specialty a call and talk to him about how he has his lighting set up. He has altered his lighting numerous times with the Larges and the small LBs to get optimal lighing to his SPS tank.

Agreed! Braces do not cut out much light - especially acrylic ones as light passes through. We were quite surprised to see little loss of PAR even under a 1" thick dirty acrylic brace that was a foot and a half wide.

[chrissreef]

Does anyone supply Starphire glass covers for NON pendants? I bought my reflectors b4 the LB pendants were available... and I really don't want splash spots on my NASA grade LB reflective surface!

If no, any tips on mounting a glass cover?

[JRaquatics]

Splashing shouldn't be a concern since the reflectors have to be mounted so high. Chris The problem you face is there isn't any venting for your reflectors and the reflector itself is not strong enough IMO to hold a pane of glass.

[seawandrr]

Good to know... so it sounds like no issues, especially with how high you can mount the LB's, with heat damage to the acrylic?

Originally posted by bubbletip2
Agreed! Braces do not cut out much light - especially acrylic ones as light passes through. We were quite surprised to see little loss of PAR even under a 1" thick dirty acrylic brace that was a foot and a half wide.

[chrissreef]

oh trust me...I'll make a big splash... it's not a matter of "how" but "when" =)

I'll take a picture - I can maybe mount it without touching the actual reflector.