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  #451  
Old 12/12/2007, 08:39 AM
JRaquatics JRaquatics is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by ganjero
so according to these numbers the lumen bright is really much better than the LAIII? Is it worth geeting 2 big ones for a 100g tank or should I go with minis?

BTW is lumen bright the same as lumenbrite III?
What are the dimensions of your tank? Yes, the Lumen Bright and the lumen bright 3 are one and the same.
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180 Gal Reefready, 75 gal Sump/Fuge, Reeflo 200 skimmer, 3 250 Reeflux Bulbs in Lumen Bright reflectors powered by coralvue electronic ballasts, PM Kalk reactor, 2 Vortechs, Geo 618 calcium reactor
  #452  
Old 12/12/2007, 11:39 AM
ganjero ganjero is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by JRaquatics
What are the dimensions of your tank? Yes, the Lumen Bright and the lumen bright 3 are one and the same.
My tank is 60"lx18"wx20"H
so is the lumen brite a lot better than the lumen arc?
  #453  
Old 12/12/2007, 11:46 AM
bubbletip2 bubbletip2 is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by ganjero
My tank is 60"lx18"wx20"H
so is the lumen brite a lot better than the lumen arc?
In my opinion it is beter if you can apply the reflector properly to the set up in question. When set at the proper height for your application the numbers on the LB are simply higher across the board at that designated height.

Now if you have an 8"-10" canopy I think you will have trouble with either reflector getting a decent spread. Both reflectors need additional room to work effectively.

For your situation 2 minis up at 14" should be just fine because your tank is only 20" deep and 18" wide - if you went with the big one's the either reflector is wider than your tank and would kind of be a waste.

Do you have a canopy or is this an open tank? It is important to know because if you do you need to remember that the LB is 16" wide. Hopefully that helps.
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156g - 2-400W 12K Reeflux Bulbs - CV Ballasts - 2 Large LB's("every inch counts..."), VTech MP40W, mjmod 1200, Reeflo Dart, Octo DNW-200 w/ mag7, Eshopps 37g sump, RK 2, Ltrmtr + 1 for top off/alk-ca
  #454  
Old 12/12/2007, 01:19 PM
ganjero ganjero is offline
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open tank, planning to use them as pendants
  #455  
Old 12/12/2007, 01:24 PM
JRaquatics JRaquatics is offline
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I agree with Jim go with the minis. LB Larges would waste your light output and decreasing the benefits of the reflector.
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180 Gal Reefready, 75 gal Sump/Fuge, Reeflo 200 skimmer, 3 250 Reeflux Bulbs in Lumen Bright reflectors powered by coralvue electronic ballasts, PM Kalk reactor, 2 Vortechs, Geo 618 calcium reactor
  #456  
Old 12/12/2007, 01:30 PM
burton14e7 burton14e7 is offline
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On a tank 24" deep would the mini's still be effective?
  #457  
Old 12/12/2007, 01:37 PM
JRaquatics JRaquatics is offline
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Look at the specs that Jim posted on my 180gal. My Dem. are 24x24x72. More than plenty light.
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180 Gal Reefready, 75 gal Sump/Fuge, Reeflo 200 skimmer, 3 250 Reeflux Bulbs in Lumen Bright reflectors powered by coralvue electronic ballasts, PM Kalk reactor, 2 Vortechs, Geo 618 calcium reactor
  #458  
Old 12/12/2007, 01:42 PM
jnarowe jnarowe is offline
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I think the LB would fry a 20" deep tank.
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  #459  
Old 12/12/2007, 01:43 PM
gigiba gigiba is offline
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My tank is 92x27x24 (LxWxH). Should I go large or mini? and how high should I mount it?

I am planning to get 4 of these reflectors.

TIA
  #460  
Old 12/12/2007, 01:44 PM
burton14e7 burton14e7 is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by JRaquatics
Look at the specs that Jim posted on my 180gal. My Dem. are 24x24x72. More than plenty light.
Thank you sir.
  #461  
Old 12/12/2007, 02:06 PM
JRaquatics JRaquatics is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by gigiba
My tank is 92x27x24 (LxWxH). Should I go large or mini? and how high should I mount it?

I am planning to get 4 of these reflectors.

TIA
You can get away with 4 minis. That is one reflector every 23 inches on your tank if spaced in perportion. I have mine positioned about 22" apart on my 180. I don't think you would even have to raise them any higher than 15 inches and have plenty spread. Are you going to run 400s or 250s?
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180 Gal Reefready, 75 gal Sump/Fuge, Reeflo 200 skimmer, 3 250 Reeflux Bulbs in Lumen Bright reflectors powered by coralvue electronic ballasts, PM Kalk reactor, 2 Vortechs, Geo 618 calcium reactor
  #462  
Old 12/12/2007, 02:11 PM
gigiba gigiba is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by JRaquatics
You can get away with 4 minis. That is one reflector every 23 inches on your tank if spaced in perportion. I have mine positioned about 22" apart on my 180. I don't think you would even have to raise them any higher than 15 inches and have plenty spread. Are you going to run 400s or 250s?
250s. Thanks
  #463  
Old 12/12/2007, 02:46 PM
bubbletip2 bubbletip2 is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by ganjero
open tank, planning to use them as pendants
good idea Even less heat and plenty of air circulation. I think you will find that your fan or fans will hardly have to come on. I am going to do a test with my current Lumenmax reflector by Sunlight Supply(7" ultra mini) which I usually keep at 8"-9" off the water. My fan currently comes on 10 minutes after the light comes on using an RK2. I am confident that when I swap out with a new LumenBright mini set at 14" that my fan will come on 2-4 hours after the light comes on just like it does in my main display.

As qouted by jnarowe, "I think the LB would fry a 20" deep tank." I could not agree more if you set these reflectors with bulbs 8"-9" off the water with a 250w or 400w bulb. This has been the crtical point since the beginning of this thread. These reflectors are really strong. From all of the tests I have done under both Lumenarcs and Lumenbrights, I can honestly say the difference in intensity is not 16% but more like 30%-35%. Lumenarcs were not meant to be so high off a tank. And in fact Lumenarcs were not even designed for the reefkeeping hobby but for agriculture.

The LumenBright reflector was designed specifically for the reefkeeping hobby with historical knowledge of all the heat issues reefkeepers have faced with many reflector choices that need to be so close to the surface of the water. The point in designing these reflectors was to keep the bulb away from the water but still add some punch to anything available to reefkeepers today.

Glixtrix showed some impressive numbers with 3-175w bulbs 11" off the water. If he raises them 1" or 2" he will have great numbers still and not have to worry about frying his tank as we are talking about 175w bulbs.

Ganjero, for your application, having them 14"-16" with 16" being optimal for your 5ft tank - you will not have any problems at all with frying coral and have plenty of light from 2 -250w bulbs depending upon the manufacturer of the bulb and ballast combination. Because you will have an open system, you wil have the luxury of easily raising and lowering your reflectors to see for yourself what is optimal also knowing that by raising a LumenBright you don't have to worry about losing so much PAR as it still will drive the light into your tank.

I have been hearing a lot of talk on RC about frying coral and I have to ask myself why so many reefkeepers are having trouble? Is it their water quality? There temp swings dramatically? They have very little flow? They don't feed their coral enough? There bulbs are so close to the water? and probably most importantly are they patient enough to wait 2-3 weeks to slowly move that coral up into the water column where the PAR will certainly increase to assure they don't bleach their coral.

With patience and an understanding of the specific coral in your tank, you can properly acclimate a coral to be able to show multiple colors like this quad or quintcolor mille that is 20" away from the bulb as well as all these other coral on this pillar. In my opinion, lack of patience will fry you



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156g - 2-400W 12K Reeflux Bulbs - CV Ballasts - 2 Large LB's("every inch counts..."), VTech MP40W, mjmod 1200, Reeflo Dart, Octo DNW-200 w/ mag7, Eshopps 37g sump, RK 2, Ltrmtr + 1 for top off/alk-ca
  #464  
Old 12/12/2007, 03:01 PM
JRaquatics JRaquatics is offline
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Jim I still have not had to turn on my fans yet. I have an increase of 1-1.5 degrees at the end of the photoperiod at a room temp of 78. I am still amazed everytime I reach into my tank and think, I wouldn't be able to do this with any other reflector without removing the canopy. There is not a day goes by that I don't regret getting rid of my Lumenarcs.
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180 Gal Reefready, 75 gal Sump/Fuge, Reeflo 200 skimmer, 3 250 Reeflux Bulbs in Lumen Bright reflectors powered by coralvue electronic ballasts, PM Kalk reactor, 2 Vortechs, Geo 618 calcium reactor
  #465  
Old 12/12/2007, 03:37 PM
ganjero ganjero is offline
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all these numbers are using a 400w right? will they be also "superior" with 250w?

btw where did everyone buy theirs?

thanks
  #466  
Old 12/12/2007, 03:46 PM
JRaquatics JRaquatics is offline
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The numbers over my tank were with 3 - 250 watters.

I got mine from Reef Specialty 773-851-3861.
Great service and a pleasure to speak with.
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180 Gal Reefready, 75 gal Sump/Fuge, Reeflo 200 skimmer, 3 250 Reeflux Bulbs in Lumen Bright reflectors powered by coralvue electronic ballasts, PM Kalk reactor, 2 Vortechs, Geo 618 calcium reactor

Last edited by JRaquatics; 12/12/2007 at 03:59 PM.
  #467  
Old 12/12/2007, 04:47 PM
glxtrix glxtrix is offline
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I'll go as far as to say the numbers are "superior" with 175's too! Check a look at my PAR readings....and my tank is 24" deep as well.
  #468  
Old 12/12/2007, 05:31 PM
ganjero ganjero is offline
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The only thing that worries me is something that somebody mentioned too, I dont like canopies and this umbrella looking reflectors are ugly to just have them hanging. I now they can be more effective but the pendants for the lumeracs are convincing me to get those.
It's a hard decision
  #469  
Old 12/12/2007, 05:55 PM
JRaquatics JRaquatics is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by ganjero
The only thing that worries me is something that somebody mentioned too, I dont like canopies and this umbrella looking reflectors are ugly to just have them hanging. I now they can be more effective but the pendants for the lumeracs are convincing me to get those.
It's a hard decision
It really would be a decision you will have to make yourself. Personally I don't think the raw reflector looks bad at all. As you can see mine are placed above my canopy. The only real reason I am using a canopy is to keep the jumpers in and to cover my beat up trim.

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180 Gal Reefready, 75 gal Sump/Fuge, Reeflo 200 skimmer, 3 250 Reeflux Bulbs in Lumen Bright reflectors powered by coralvue electronic ballasts, PM Kalk reactor, 2 Vortechs, Geo 618 calcium reactor
  #470  
Old 12/12/2007, 06:02 PM
salmon alley salmon alley is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by jnarowe
I think the LB would fry a 20" deep tank.

Not if you're using a lower PAR bulb.
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  #471  
Old 12/12/2007, 06:25 PM
ganjero ganjero is offline
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Maybe I can spray paint the outside black, and make look a little bit better.
  #472  
Old 12/12/2007, 06:35 PM
setec69 setec69 is offline
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Here are my pics.

3 250w Reeflux 12k on a 180g.

My bulbs are only 24 hours old.





  #473  
Old 12/12/2007, 06:43 PM
burton14e7 burton14e7 is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by ganjero
The only thing that worries me is something that somebody mentioned too, I dont like canopies and this umbrella looking reflectors are ugly to just have them hanging. I now they can be more effective but the pendants for the lumeracs are convincing me to get those.
It's a hard decision
I'm fighting the same delima right now, I really don't want to wreck the sleekness of the office my tank is in....
  #474  
Old 12/12/2007, 06:48 PM
gary faulkner gary faulkner is offline
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bubbletip2

How high would I have to place the minis above a 265?

Dimensions are 84x24x30

Will be using three reflectors running 250W 12K Reeflux.

TIA
  #475  
Old 12/12/2007, 06:53 PM
setec69 setec69 is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by ganjero
all these numbers are using a 400w right? will they be also "superior" with 250w?

btw where did everyone buy theirs?

thanks
I got mine from Mike and www.reefspecialty.com or call him at 773.851-3861

You wont beat the price nor the customer service.
 

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