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

[JRaquatics]

Originally posted by Flint&Eric
just an idea for those of you testing these reflectors out, as it's some info that would i know i would appreciate...

simmilar to spot light stat's, could you show the spread at different heights? e.g. @ 6inches 24in diameter. @12in 36in diameter etc...



also, are most of you using the regular LB's? with the more recent info, how do the mini's compare?

Mine are the mini LB. They are not so much spotlights as more of a directional light. These relfectors saturate more of the light in your tank than in the outside environment. The higher you raise the reflector the more spread you will receive. I personally like the reflectors as high as I can get them before I reduce par and bleed light outside my tank.

[Flint&Eric]

Originally posted by JRaquatics
Mine are the mini LB. They are not so much spotlights as more of a directional light. These relfectors saturate more of the light in your tank than in the outside environment. The higher you raise the reflector the more spread you will receive. I personally like the reflectors as high as I can get them before I reduce par and bleed light outside my tank.

i realize that, just trying to get #'s on spread...looking at images can only allow you infer so much.

[glxtrix]

well figure the minis are 16" wide....anything outside of 16" isnt really going to get much light unless you raise the reflector up. Most people raiing them 14-16" so they can get some more light spread rather than it being closer to the water where the light spread will be very little. I lucked out with mine beacuse the tank is only 55" long the reflectors fit in with only 1" space inbetween the canopy sides and the other reflectors. Hope this helps.

[JRaquatics]

Originally posted by Flint&Eric
i realize that, just trying to get #'s on spread...looking at images can only allow you infer so much.

Once Jim posts # that we got Saturday, you will see what the spread is.

[bubbletip2]

One of the things that confuses most people on here is the differences in controls as far as testing these reflectors out. I can understand wanting to know the numbers at different heights as every application is different. The problem here is that different bulbs, wattages , and ballasts get in the way of giving some concrete evidence in comparisons.

These three pics were all taken under the same reflector, same height, and on the same ballast. There is no crossover light to play into the results so you can see exactly what the bulb is giving off.

Glixtrix, if you have the time can you test your middle reflector only with the bulb 14.5" off the surface to give a better comparison. I have been curious about these 175's myself, although I always thought the Iwasaki 14K was the bulb with the high numbers. I think it is great that you can and are willing to fit 3 bulbs under a 4.5ft tank as the numbers are impressive. I think most people's applications will not be stacking the reflectors right next to each other. The amount of crossover light you are getting is significant in comparison to all of the previous tests as well as the shots I am showing here. Thanks for taking the time





I will post the FTS as soon as I can to show the spread and the crossover light elevating these side numbers on the 12K Reeflux - Jeremy and I only had 2 - EVC 14K's and 2-Blueline 10K's so we were unable to get full tank shots with them. More to come...

[JRaquatics]

Jim, I just wanted to thank you again for testing my tank and taking the time to test a few other bulbs above my tank. The shots came out dead on in color and brightness.

[cweder]

I have had my Lumen Brights for a few days now and am glad I got the larger version. The light really does not change that much below the reflector, it is really directed down. So you have to have the reflector over your intended target or it will does not seem to get nearly the same amount of light. Its a fairly sharp divide. The light beam does get wider the deeper you go, but if you have a shallow tank you will need the reflectors just a few inches apart.

[JRaquatics]

Congratulations Mike Leonard (Acropora Nut). His wife just gave birth to a healthy baby girl.

He stated that he is sorry for those who tried contacting him today as he has been busy. He will return any messages as soon as he can.

[glxtrix]

congrats mike! yes bubbletip I'll post my numbers with just 1 Iwasaki turned on. I'll also raise my canopy 4" to meet your guys height. Look for the numbers tomorrow.

[bubbletip2]

Here is the 3-250's 12K Reeflux FTS:



and the 1 bulb:


Showing the individual bulbs is really for comparison of each bulb under the reflector. Here you can see what the spread from the left and right reflector are doing. Numbers increase across the board. Pretty impressive numbers again.

I wish we had a better comparison Glixtrix as this is a 6ft tank as opposed to a 4'7" tank as well as the height difference. Maybe you can do the same thing here where you show one bulb and all three bulbs at 14.5." The tank length will still come into play though...

[bubbletip2]

Originally posted by JRaquatics
Congratulations Mike Leonard (Acropora Nut). His wife just gave birth to a healthy baby girl.

He stated that he is sorry for those who tried contacting him today as he has been busy. He will return any messages as soon as he can.

Congratulations, Mike & Holly

And your very welcome Jeremy - glad you like the pics

[drudude]

really cool stuff guys,

1) Congrats mike thats amazing, nothing better then a healthy kid.

2) glxtrix, those numbers are cool, you can aford to keep them so close to the water because they give off no heat?

3) the numbers for both look amazing.

I still like the color of the reeflux 12k.

great stuff guys!!

[Flint&Eric]

Originally posted by bubbletip2
One of the things that confuses most people on here is the differences in controls as far as testing these reflectors out. I can understand wanting to know the numbers at different heights as every application is different. The problem here is that different bulbs, wattages , and ballasts get in the way of giving some concrete evidence in comparisons.

i'll i suggested was to measure the spread. this is not dictated by ballast or bulb, but just the reflector. it's really quite simple to do, but being on a message board i realize the limits and inaccuracies involved. clearly this information is not wanted by those in this thread, so i apologize for posting it here....

[JRaquatics]

Originally posted by Flint&Eric
i'll i suggested was to measure the spread. this is not dictated by ballast or bulb, but just the reflector. it's really quite simple to do, but being on a message board i realize the limits and inaccuracies involved. clearly this information is not wanted by those in this thread, so i apologize for posting it here....

I thought that the post above with the one reflector does show the spread in #s. Is there a better way to figure out spread that someone like Jim can do with these reflectors? Jim was right though, these reflectors are different than most and depending on the hieght the spread will change.

[bubbletip2]

Originally posted by Flint&Eric
i'll i suggested was to measure the spread. this is not dictated by ballast or bulb, but just the reflector. it's really quite simple to do, but being on a message board i realize the limits and inaccuracies involved. clearly this information is not wanted by those in this thread, so i apologize for posting it here....

Sorry you took it the way you did FLint&Eric. I was not really directing that towards you. I was addressing Glixtrix because I would as well as others would like to see a direct comparison without so many variables. If I get the chance to do the testing you requested I will. I am just focusing on other things right now and can't do every test in the immediate.

When I get the chance though I will be more than happy to test the spread for you. What woudl you like 6" , 9" and 12" or should we do 9", 12" and 14.5". I would rather do it on my 30g cube though as it will be 1 bulb and easy to raise the reflector.

[JRaquatics]

Actually Eric and Flint mentioned to me that the best way would be to not do it above the tank at all. Just position the reflector above a solid surface at different hieghts and mesure the spread. I will test the LB Minis this weekend. I think the results might be interesting.

[glxtrix]

ok guys here are the results from my testing lastnight. I did however bubbletip forget to look at the packaging to see the exact name of the bulbs. I'll do that tonight when I get home from work. Anywho there are 3 pics here, pretty much speak for themself. Enjoy and shoot some questions if you have. Drudude, after looking at my numbers yes I could keep them low. The higher does spread a lil bit more light, but i dont think its that great vs the loss of PAR in certain areas. I think i got a decent height going for 175's. As far as heat goes, yeah they kick some heat, but nothing a few canopy fans cant take care of.

This is only 1 halide on with orignal height. Bottom reflector 7" off water. That makes the bulb about 10" off the water.



Now the main test....Pretty much everyone runs their bulbs 14-16" off the water. Seeing how these reflectors have such a direct light source youre able to raise them up to get you more light spread and still keep decently high numbers at the bottom. Someone was getting mid 400's at the bottom of their 30" tank with 400's 16" off the water!



And finally all 3 on at 14" off water.

[JRaquatics]

Thanks glxtrix. Your tank is looking good BTW.

[glxtrix]

thanks JR, its comin along. A lot of my corals browned out during my move, but they are starting to color up nicely now with the new mass amount of light. Hopefuly before I know it it'll be back to the way it use to be.

[bubbletip2]

Glxtrix,

Those are some great numbers that high off the water. For you, spread is obviously not important with three bulbs on your tank length so if the heat is not a problem(which it shouldn't be with 175's), I don't see any reason not to lower them.

Thanks a lot for taking the time to test things out.
It does take a while for sure.

Today I was over at Advanced Aquatics and Justin helped me out testing a LumenBright and a LumenArc both large. Justin and I had been testing their Lumenarcs over the past few weeks and really decided it was time to rig up both reflectors to the same bulb and ballast. Lots of apples and oranges otherwise.

Finally a comparison test between the two. I was not surprised with the results being higher even though Justin and I both hypothesized the 16% increase just based on all of the testing we had seen so far from everyone. The numbers will show much different than 16%.

I should have it out soon...

[cweder]

Is anyone doing this kind of test comparing the Lumenarcs to Lumenbrights. That would be interesting.

[glxtrix]

isnt that what bubbletip just said? yeah no worries bubbletip, I was fortunate enough to have the PAR meter so i was able to do the testing. I did lower them back, I'd think about running them that high because heat is a lil issue, but I donthave fans in my canopy yet. Once I get them in I dont thikn I'll have to worry.

[bubbletip2]

I wanted to thank Glenn at Advanced Aquatics for allowing Justin and I to test out his LumenArcs over the past few weeks and for finally allowing us to dismantle the setup to switch one out with a LumenBright.

This test will be a bit different than most of what we have seen so far as all measurments were taken in a 36" wide trough where the frags are placed 3" below the surface of the water. I feel these results are still pretty telling, however I do believe the LumenBrights would show their true colors with deeper water testing. I wish I had the meter when I owned two LumenArcs to be able to perform this test.

So in order to single out the reflector we used the same 400w PFO Magnetic ballast and the same 400w XM 20K bulb. Here we go folks... Thanks again Justin for helping to verify the real deal between these two reflectors.

[Rickyrooz1]

Wow, that's a big difference. Thanks for the information!

[glxtrix]

wow man, these numbers are just stunning! Funny story, I had ordered the LA3's from D&T I think it was and they sent me the LB's....I called and was like ***, wrong things! Guy told m they were the new and improved LA's and I could return them no problem....Sure glad I kept them