The Reef Central Corner Club Thread - Page 82

reefscape15 · 09/01/2009, 02:08 PM

I have an XM 20k 250watt SE bulb, and Nova Extreme 24" T-5 fixture over my tank with UVL 12k, ATI Reef Blue 10k, UVL 460nm actinic, and ATI 420nm Super Actinic. I do like this color combo, but the 20k does tend to wash out the colors a bit. I think I'll most likely stick with XM, but try the 15k for MH next time around. The T-5 combo though is on point! Very crips, not too blue, and I get GREAT colors from reds, oranges and purples, and the greens and blues are very bright! When I had my 20gal up and running, I switched the bulbs out from the stock 2-10k Current and 2-460nm Current bulbs, and I couldn't believe the difference! Here's a couple pics just as visual reference. I wish I had a couple to compare to the stock bulb pics, but you can see from these, just how much of a variety of color they bring out.

Husky_1 · 09/01/2009, 06:52 PM

Very nice, which of the bulbs do you think brings out the reds the best?I was trying to read the Red pigment link before, but i had a hard time understanding what wave length is good for making red fluores?

reefscape15 · 09/01/2009, 07:40 PM

I'm not too sure what brought out the reds, but I'd guess the 12k if anything. I'm a huge fan of the oranges and reds, which are kind of harder to find than most other colors, but they are so worth the extra $! I have a small colony of Aussie Acan Echinatta "Orange Crush" that I got as one polyp for $25, but now it's got at least 8 new polyps, and the orange is like nothing I've ever seen before! I'll get some nice pics of that one when I get the better camera back. Lots of pics are on the way!

Husky_1 · 09/01/2009, 07:55 PM

I am with you, I have an orange digitata that I could not give up even though most of the colony could not be taken off the rock...Then I have an Acan, who knows the name, that is red. I have seen it nice and bright when it was being stored in a friends tank during my rebuild. He has one of the fixtures, so I guess I should ask him what he has..Not really sure why I did not think of it..

reefscape15 · 09/01/2009, 08:20 PM

Well, you get building what you think is the best, and it's never going to look quite like anybody elses tank. The reds and oranges really don't look all that bad at the bottom of the tank in this pic, but the upper part of the tank with the 250watt 20k does seem washed out a bit. I still have the same T-5 combo FYI

reefscape15 · 09/01/2009, 08:21 PM

Oops, forgot the pic!

reefscape15 · 09/01/2009, 08:22 PM

The Acan looks 100 times better in person!

Husky_1 · 09/01/2009, 08:34 PM

That thing looks gorgeous as it is.

reefscape15 · 09/01/2009, 09:37 PM

I'll get some better pics, but here's probably my best pic that shows off the best of all the colors in my tank:

I never get pics that are as clear as this, and I just love this one! Pretty much, the War Coral, and the Acan are just as bright as anything else that I have in there, so this is pretty much what my bulb combo gives me.

popsicle · 09/01/2009, 09:53 PM

Beautiful! I can't wait to be able to start putting corals in mine!

reefscape15 · 09/01/2009, 10:05 PM

Welcome popsicle! Always nice to see a new face on this thread! And thank you for the comment. The above pics are probably some of the best that I have so far, but a better camera is on the way back to me soon! Pics will be posted soon!

McLovit · 09/01/2009, 10:27 PM

reefscape15, i saw that you are thinking about moving to 14k XM for better reds/oranges, have you seen this link which compares side by side pics of different MH strengths, then supplemented with the same actinic's?

http://www.cnidarianreef.com/lamps.cfm

I know that every tank is different but my eyes are being drawn to some of the 10k-12k MH and the Hamilton 13k for natural reds/oranges. The CV 15k looks great by itself, but when adding actinic's, it is too blue.

PS: your tank looks great!

reefscape15 · 09/02/2009, 06:04 AM

Thanks for the link, and the props on the tank! I haven't seen that, but checking it out now.

reefscape15 · 09/02/2009, 06:39 AM

I'm kind of liking the CoralVue 12k for bringing out nice colors in everything. I honestly don't think that bulb test is really all that great. It looks like it was made over the course of a month or so. I think all of those bulbs could have been tested over the course of a few days max, even with the different ballasts. Also, the camera position changes on almost every pic, so you're getting different amounts of glare in the camera. It's very nice that someone took the time to do these tests, but IMO it could have been done a lot better.

McLovit · 09/02/2009, 10:21 AM

reefscape15, ya i did notice the subtle angle changes on the camera too. It is quite surprising and overwhelming, when purchasing first round of bulbs, to just how different they all are. It has certainly pushed me away from 20k MH, b/c it just too blue. My lighting set up is exactly like yours with regard to 4x39 and 250 MH.

Thanx for your input. McL

Husky_1 · 09/02/2009, 10:31 AM

Are you guys using Double or Single Ended?

McLovit · 09/02/2009, 11:57 AM

Husky_1, we are both using Mogul (singles). I have the housing and haven't actually purchased my bulbs yet, but I'm leaning towards 10-14k's.

boret · 09/02/2009, 01:24 PM

I am using 20K Radium 400W in my 92 and it doesn't look anything like the pictures. It is very difficult to get a real representation of the actual look with a camera, even taking RAW pictures it always comes out with more blue hue that I can see with the naked eye. I find the that 20k I have, provides a extremely nice, crisp white color, with enough pop out of the coral fluorescence. On top of that I supplement it with 4 Super Actinic bulbs and still find the coloration very nice.

McLovit · 09/02/2009, 02:32 PM

boret what about the red/orange colors? From what i recall, all the pics i have seen of yours, is nice!

Husky_1 · 09/02/2009, 02:54 PM

Anyone looking to tradelumenarc mini's, your SE fixture for my DE fixture?

boret · 09/02/2009, 03:55 PM

I will update pics soon and you guys can be the judges.

reefscape15 · 09/02/2009, 03:59 PM

I have a SE homemade fixture. I just made a quick one out of wood and some reflective Duct Seal Tape for reflection. I have a pretty large piece of a Cable Tray cover, about 3'x18", that is nice thin aluminum. I'm going to make a Lumenarc of my own, and spray the inside with Chrome paint to make for a more reflective surface. I can't go with Raduim bulbs because I have a magnetic ballast.

Husky_1 · 09/02/2009, 06:02 PM

Reef, great idea, I can tell you that you may need to use the chrome tape again though, I tried the chrome paint on a motorcycle project and it did not exactly look like a mirror, but then again I sprayed it outside.

McLovit · 09/02/2009, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by boret
I will update pics soon and you guys can be the judges.

Can you do it with only your MH and then supplemented?

McL

boret · 09/02/2009, 07:48 PM

Make sure the paint can take the high temperature!

09/01/2009, 02:08 PM	#2026
reefscape15 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elmira Heights, NY Posts: 2,812	I have an XM 20k 250watt SE bulb, and Nova Extreme 24" T-5 fixture over my tank with UVL 12k, ATI Reef Blue 10k, UVL 460nm actinic, and ATI 420nm Super Actinic. I do like this color combo, but the 20k does tend to wash out the colors a bit. I think I'll most likely stick with XM, but try the 15k for MH next time around. The T-5 combo though is on point! Very crips, not too blue, and I get GREAT colors from reds, oranges and purples, and the greens and blues are very bright! When I had my 20gal up and running, I switched the bulbs out from the stock 2-10k Current and 2-460nm Current bulbs, and I couldn't believe the difference! Here's a couple pics just as visual reference. I wish I had a couple to compare to the stock bulb pics, but you can see from these, just how much of a variety of color they bring out. __________________ A new beginning........... JIM Current Tank Info: 5g standard softie/zoa tank, just starting a 20H

09/01/2009, 06:52 PM	#2027
Husky_1 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: South FL Posts: 1,541	Very nice, which of the bulbs do you think brings out the reds the best?I was trying to read the Red pigment link before, but i had a hard time understanding what wave length is good for making red fluores? __________________ Out of the hobby, but thinking of rejoining Current Tank Info: 92 Reef, 10 Reef

09/01/2009, 07:40 PM	#2028
reefscape15 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elmira Heights, NY Posts: 2,812	I'm not too sure what brought out the reds, but I'd guess the 12k if anything. I'm a huge fan of the oranges and reds, which are kind of harder to find than most other colors, but they are so worth the extra $! I have a small colony of Aussie Acan Echinatta "Orange Crush" that I got as one polyp for $25, but now it's got at least 8 new polyps, and the orange is like nothing I've ever seen before! I'll get some nice pics of that one when I get the better camera back. Lots of pics are on the way! __________________ A new beginning........... JIM Current Tank Info: 5g standard softie/zoa tank, just starting a 20H

09/01/2009, 07:55 PM	#2029
Husky_1 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: South FL Posts: 1,541	I am with you, I have an orange digitata that I could not give up even though most of the colony could not be taken off the rock...Then I have an Acan, who knows the name, that is red. I have seen it nice and bright when it was being stored in a friends tank during my rebuild. He has one of the fixtures, so I guess I should ask him what he has..Not really sure why I did not think of it.. __________________ Out of the hobby, but thinking of rejoining Current Tank Info: 92 Reef, 10 Reef

09/01/2009, 08:20 PM	#2030
reefscape15 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elmira Heights, NY Posts: 2,812	Well, you get building what you think is the best, and it's never going to look quite like anybody elses tank. The reds and oranges really don't look all that bad at the bottom of the tank in this pic, but the upper part of the tank with the 250watt 20k does seem washed out a bit. I still have the same T-5 combo FYI __________________ A new beginning........... JIM Current Tank Info: 5g standard softie/zoa tank, just starting a 20H

09/01/2009, 08:21 PM	#2031
reefscape15 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elmira Heights, NY Posts: 2,812	Oops, forgot the pic! __________________ A new beginning........... JIM Current Tank Info: 5g standard softie/zoa tank, just starting a 20H

09/01/2009, 08:22 PM	#2032
reefscape15 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elmira Heights, NY Posts: 2,812	The Acan looks 100 times better in person! __________________ A new beginning........... JIM Current Tank Info: 5g standard softie/zoa tank, just starting a 20H

09/01/2009, 08:34 PM	#2033
Husky_1 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: South FL Posts: 1,541	That thing looks gorgeous as it is. __________________ Out of the hobby, but thinking of rejoining Current Tank Info: 92 Reef, 10 Reef

09/01/2009, 09:37 PM	#2034
reefscape15 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elmira Heights, NY Posts: 2,812	I'll get some better pics, but here's probably my best pic that shows off the best of all the colors in my tank: I never get pics that are as clear as this, and I just love this one! Pretty much, the War Coral, and the Acan are just as bright as anything else that I have in there, so this is pretty much what my bulb combo gives me. __________________ A new beginning........... JIM Current Tank Info: 5g standard softie/zoa tank, just starting a 20H

09/01/2009, 09:53 PM	#2035
popsicle Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Airdrie, Alberta Posts: 34	Beautiful! I can't wait to be able to start putting corals in mine! __________________ Lysa :) Current Tank Info: 90 gallon mixed reef, 29 gallon quarantine

09/01/2009, 10:05 PM	#2036
reefscape15 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elmira Heights, NY Posts: 2,812	Welcome popsicle! Always nice to see a new face on this thread! And thank you for the comment. The above pics are probably some of the best that I have so far, but a better camera is on the way back to me soon! Pics will be posted soon! __________________ A new beginning........... JIM Current Tank Info: 5g standard softie/zoa tank, just starting a 20H

09/01/2009, 10:27 PM	#2037
McLovit Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: portland, Oregon Posts: 40	reefscape15, i saw that you are thinking about moving to 14k XM for better reds/oranges, have you seen this link which compares side by side pics of different MH strengths, then supplemented with the same actinic's? http://www.cnidarianreef.com/lamps.cfm I know that every tank is different but my eyes are being drawn to some of the 10k-12k MH and the Hamilton 13k for natural reds/oranges. The CV 15k looks great by itself, but when adding actinic's, it is too blue. PS: your tank looks great!

09/02/2009, 06:04 AM	#2038
reefscape15 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elmira Heights, NY Posts: 2,812	Thanks for the link, and the props on the tank! I haven't seen that, but checking it out now. __________________ A new beginning........... JIM Current Tank Info: 5g standard softie/zoa tank, just starting a 20H

09/02/2009, 06:39 AM	#2039
reefscape15 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elmira Heights, NY Posts: 2,812	I'm kind of liking the CoralVue 12k for bringing out nice colors in everything. I honestly don't think that bulb test is really all that great. It looks like it was made over the course of a month or so. I think all of those bulbs could have been tested over the course of a few days max, even with the different ballasts. Also, the camera position changes on almost every pic, so you're getting different amounts of glare in the camera. It's very nice that someone took the time to do these tests, but IMO it could have been done a lot better. __________________ A new beginning........... JIM Current Tank Info: 5g standard softie/zoa tank, just starting a 20H

09/02/2009, 10:21 AM	#2040
McLovit Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: portland, Oregon Posts: 40	reefscape15, ya i did notice the subtle angle changes on the camera too. It is quite surprising and overwhelming, when purchasing first round of bulbs, to just how different they all are. It has certainly pushed me away from 20k MH, b/c it just too blue. My lighting set up is exactly like yours with regard to 4x39 and 250 MH. Thanx for your input. McL

09/02/2009, 10:31 AM	#2041
Husky_1 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: South FL Posts: 1,541	Are you guys using Double or Single Ended? __________________ Out of the hobby, but thinking of rejoining Current Tank Info: 92 Reef, 10 Reef

09/02/2009, 11:57 AM	#2042
McLovit Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: portland, Oregon Posts: 40	Husky_1, we are both using Mogul (singles). I have the housing and haven't actually purchased my bulbs yet, but I'm leaning towards 10-14k's.

09/02/2009, 01:24 PM	#2043
boret Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Fairfax, VA - USA Posts: 548	I am using 20K Radium 400W in my 92 and it doesn't look anything like the pictures. It is very difficult to get a real representation of the actual look with a camera, even taking RAW pictures it always comes out with more blue hue that I can see with the naked eye. I find the that 20k I have, provides a extremely nice, crisp white color, with enough pop out of the coral fluorescence. On top of that I supplement it with 4 Super Actinic bulbs and still find the coloration very nice. __________________ Reef Central Corner Club. Visit my Home Page for build thread. Current Tank Info: 92g Corner Reef Tank

09/02/2009, 02:32 PM	#2044
McLovit Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: portland, Oregon Posts: 40	boret what about the red/orange colors? From what i recall, all the pics i have seen of yours, is nice!

09/02/2009, 02:54 PM	#2045
Husky_1 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: South FL Posts: 1,541	Anyone looking to tradelumenarc mini's, your SE fixture for my DE fixture? __________________ Out of the hobby, but thinking of rejoining Current Tank Info: 92 Reef, 10 Reef

09/02/2009, 03:55 PM	#2046
boret Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Fairfax, VA - USA Posts: 548	I will update pics soon and you guys can be the judges. __________________ Reef Central Corner Club. Visit my Home Page for build thread. Current Tank Info: 92g Corner Reef Tank

09/02/2009, 03:59 PM	#2047
reefscape15 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elmira Heights, NY Posts: 2,812	I have a SE homemade fixture. I just made a quick one out of wood and some reflective Duct Seal Tape for reflection. I have a pretty large piece of a Cable Tray cover, about 3'x18", that is nice thin aluminum. I'm going to make a Lumenarc of my own, and spray the inside with Chrome paint to make for a more reflective surface. I can't go with Raduim bulbs because I have a magnetic ballast. __________________ A new beginning........... JIM Current Tank Info: 5g standard softie/zoa tank, just starting a 20H

09/02/2009, 06:02 PM	#2048
Husky_1 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: South FL Posts: 1,541	Reef, great idea, I can tell you that you may need to use the chrome tape again though, I tried the chrome paint on a motorcycle project and it did not exactly look like a mirror, but then again I sprayed it outside. __________________ Out of the hobby, but thinking of rejoining Current Tank Info: 92 Reef, 10 Reef

09/02/2009, 07:48 PM	#2050
boret Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Fairfax, VA - USA Posts: 548	Make sure the paint can take the high temperature! __________________ Reef Central Corner Club. Visit my Home Page for build thread. Current Tank Info: 92g Corner Reef Tank