Nova Extreme Pro EXCLUSIVE!!! just arrived

[siwelk]

Originally posted by Txcowboy22
ok I did it! I just ordered mine from Petmountain.com, great price! But I did have to pay sales tax still it was the cheapest place. Ok, so now what 2 bulbs do I replace? 2 atintic or 1 of each, and what should I replace them with? local store carries Giesemann.
I have rics, yuma, zoos, green leathers and I like the bluish look. Thanks guys!

if youre only going to replace two bulbs, id replace two 10Ks. you dont really need 3 bulbs in that spectrum. the blue bulbs are low in PAR, and you wont see a huge increase in output by just swapping out two bulbs. it will be an improvement though. i was planning on swapping out 2 blue and 2 10K. if youre just changing 2, id replace the other two 10Ks with a Gieseman pure actinic and a actinic plus. that combo should result in ~20K.

[Txcowboy22]

ok maybe I will replace 3 bulbs, I will replace 2 10ks and 1 blue? with 2 blue plus and 1 pure atinic?

[Zoom]

But I did have to pay sales tax

Why.....Are they located localy to you ?

[siwelk]

have you checked out the Nova Extreme Pro owners thread?

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...readid=1281829

i was planning on swapping out bulbs initially too, until i saw the pics of another members tank lit by the new fixture. i was very impressed with the coloration of the stock bulbs. it made me think twice about swapping bulbs so early. i think ill probably hold off for 6 months or so for bulb replacement.


if you do decide to replace 3 bulbs, what you suggested would be a good combo i think. you wont get much PAR from the actinic but the fixture doesnt have a "true" actinic bulb so i would get one anyway. the addition of the 2 blue + would give you roughly the same amount of PAR that you had removed via the 10Ks


HTH

[Txcowboy22]

yes, they are in Cali, so I will get my light tomarrow! HAHA! thats the good thing, tax was like 20 bucks....

[Txcowboy22]

yrs, they are in Cali, so I will get my light tomarrow! HAHA! thats the good thing, tax was like 20 bucks....

[Txcowboy22]

yeah those pics look pretty good. But I read earlier in this thread that Grim said the stock Nova looked horrible.....

[siwelk]

thats nice you get yours so fast. i ordered mine right when they were advertised by the Drs. nearly 6 weeks and 3 backorder postponments later (as well as a customs issue) i had mine.


...only to sit on my tank for the next 3 months

[martinphillip03]

I think Grim wasn't happy with the output of the bulbs. The par was much less.

Marty

Originally posted by Txcowboy22
yeah those pics look pretty good. But I read earlier in this thread that Grim said the stock Nova looked horrible.....

[Txcowboy22]

I am sorry, He said it looked "just nasty"

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
Preliminary readings

With the 3 Blues and 3 10K's (Which looks just nasty) got 245 at the sandbed with the unit sitting right on the tank, about 2" above the water with the sensor about 17" under the water.

Changed to replicate lamps I used when I tested the Fauna Marin and ATI sun power, 4 blues, 1 AS Duo 1 AS Special got 224
I suspect the Current lamps have been tweaked or they are using a different OEM since I last measured them. If I had the guess I would say they are the same as the Helios lamps which are OK. Only issue is the longevity of the lamps. I will do some individule PAR readings tonight.

With the same mix of lamps and the fixture raised 3/4" higher the Fauna Marin did 310. ATI Sun Power did 346. A 4x39 watt Tek did 152 with 1 Aquablue, 1 Blue Plus, 1 Actinic and 1 Sun. Aquactinics unit did 194 and the ATI Powermodule was 301.

With the nasty weather I wont be able to snag a Tek fixture to do a head to head comparison. I can tell you the Nova reflectors are nothing special. They are about like what Catalina uses, polished aluminum with a simple bend on each side.

What Nova did do right is the cooling. I know from experimenting with the Tek that cooling the unit with a fan blowing over the top of the fixture that the PAR increased from 152 to 189. The fans do make noise but it is the sound of the air passing through rather than whiny fans which is a good thing.

These aren't going to match the Tek, especially on a taller tank but for a budget they really aren't bad. With the improved reflectors and active cooling they are at least in the same time zone as the Tek now. Of course for about 30 bux you can get an external fan for the Tek Quality seem alright. They are fairly light and the looks are OK. With good lamps I wouldn't think twice about keeping anemones and SPS properly placed in a 75 which is 20" tall. Over a 90 (24" tall) I would be very carefull what I had more than at the top of the rocks.

[siwelk]

Originally posted by Txcowboy22
I am sorry, He said it looked "just nasty"

he also runs a Fauna Marin Ultra Solaris with all ATI or UVL bulbs. a 50/50 mix of currents 10Ks and blues certainly wont appeal to the G-Reefer. you said earlier that the pics did look good. if you want to replace bulbs from the get-go, by all means go ahead. based on the pictures ive seen so far, i think the stock bulbs arent horrible, and most definately dont warrant an immediate replacement. i did pay for both the bulbs and fixture, so id like to get at least some use out of the stock bulbs. not replacing bulbs right away will save me ~100 bucks that i could use elsewhere. just tryin to help!

[Txcowboy22]

well, I was thinking I could replace 3 right off the bat and when it was time to buy new bulbs use the 3 I replaced and just get 3 more? Do you think that sounds good?

[siwelk]

Originally posted by martinphillip03
I think Grim wasn't happy with the output of the bulbs. The par was much less.

Marty

thats true about the blues. the 10Ks were actually really good, close to an ATI aquablue special.

[siwelk]

Originally posted by Txcowboy22
well, I was thinking I could replace 3 right off the bat and when it was time to buy new bulbs use the 3 I replaced and just get 3 more? Do you think that sounds good?

yeah, that should work out fine. i had planned on swapping out bulbs from the start too, i just think now that ill keep them and get some use out of them and then buy all new ATI and UVL bulbs in 6-8 months or so. im just trying to dictate worthy places to spend my money, and after seeing some pics of the stock bulbs, i think i can hold off on new bulbs for a bit.

[Txcowboy22]

I got you Lewis. But if $60 more now will really improve my look I say, why not? Besides I will use them later anyways....

[siwelk]

go for it. that $60-$80 i save by not buying bulbs right now will drill my tank, get my internal overflow, finish my plumbing, and buy me a pizza and a 6-pack.

[DarG]

Grim knows T5's and all and certainly deserves respect and thanks for his efforts, but, his comments on the look of the stock bulbs were personal preference. I dont think he intended to imply that you had to change them immediatley because he didnt like how they looked
If you dont like them, change them. If you do like them, dont change them because Grim hates the color. Personally, I didnt think they looked too bad when I ran an 8 bulb Nova Extreme (4+4). I replaced two blues with two UVL super actinics and two daylights with Aquablue specials.

[Txcowboy22]

Originally posted by siwelk
go for it. that $60-$80 i save by not buying bulbs right now will drill my tank, get my internal overflow, finish my plumbing, and buy me a pizza and a 6-pack.

Lol, sweet have one for me. I am just looking at it being basically the same cost in 8 months, b/c I would have to replace all the bulbs. Do you get what I am saying? I am not really paying an extra 60-80 if I use the bulbs in 8 months. I am just paying now half of what I would have to pay in 6-8 months replacing them all, so its the same in the long run...

[siwelk]

Originally posted by DarG
Grim knows T5's and all and certainly deserves respect and thanks for his efforts, but, his comments on the look of the stock bulbs were personal preference. I dont think he intended to imply that you had to change them immediatley because he didnt like how they looked
If you dont like them, change them. If you do like them, dont change them because Grim hates the color. Personally, I didnt think they looked too bad when I ran an 8 bulb Nova Extreme (4+4). I replaced two blues with two UVL super actinics and two daylights with Aquablue specials.

thanks DarG, thats what i was trying to convey.

[siwelk]

Originally posted by Txcowboy22
Lol, sweet have one for me. I am just looking at it being basically the same cost in 8 months, b/c I would have to replace all the bulbs. Do you get what I am saying? I am not really paying an extra 60-80 if I use the bulbs in 8 months. I am just paying now half of what I would have to pay in 6-8 months replacing them all, so its the same in the long run...

i understand, in a roundabout way thats true. either way youre going to be replacing them, im just gonna do all 6 at the same time. be sure to post some pics when you do this though, id like to see the new bulb config.

[Txcowboy22]

I was thinking maybe I should just replace one 10k then? Just to give me a more blue look????

[chaungo]

Darn it! Spoke too soon. They are out of stock of the 48" that I ordered at petmountain.com and refunded my money. I believe that they still have the 36" and 72".

[siwelk]

Originally posted by Txcowboy22
I was thinking maybe I should just replace one 10k then? Just to give me a more blue look????

you could swap out a 10K for an ATI aquablue special. high in PAR with a blue-tint.

[Txcowboy22]

Originally posted by siwelk
you could swap out a 10K for an ATI aquablue special. high in PAR with a blue-tint.

My store only carries Giesemann, that type is that in giesmann?

[DarG]

Giesemann Aquablue special ... may just be called Aquablue now.