A little off topic.....but

Billybeau1 · #1 07/28/2007, 10:35 PM

I purchased a Current USA Power Compact Satellite Fixture. 48" to replace my old standard lighting.

My pH went up a full 1.5 units. Wow. Photosynthesis really does drive pH up.

Anyway, this thing has 2 lunar lights in it. Do you guys think I should keep the moon lights on all night or what ?

At least at this point, it might be the best 100 dollars I ever spent on my tank.

Jar*Head · #2 07/29/2007, 12:56 AM

I keep my moonlight on all night..... Just incase the fish need to go take a poo

kau_cinta_ku · #3 07/29/2007, 01:00 AM

wow pH 1.5 i wouldn't have thought that just from diff lighting.

anyway i leave my moonlights on 24/7 just cause i am to cheap to buy a timer just for led's lol, plus i heard leds can last years so i am not worried about having to replace them to often.

HBtank · #4 07/29/2007, 01:05 AM

I let mine turn off for 4 hours in the dead of the night, no reason other than it seemed like a good idea and I would not be looking at that time.

Maudsley · #5 07/29/2007, 09:29 PM

I run my moonlights by the lunar cycle....they are shut off at least one night a month to simulate a luner phase. One thing i have noticed is my Green BTA moves, not each month, but during the cycle when I have the moonlights off for the night.

Billybeau1 · #6 07/30/2007, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by kau_cinta_ku
wow pH 1.5 i wouldn't have thought that just from diff lighting.

Yup, a full 1.5 units. Amazing huh ?

I had really bad lighting before.

Reefer , funny........

HB, thats kinda what I was thinking.

Mauds... very interesting. Hmm

Thanks all.

Boomer · #7 07/30/2007, 12:26 AM

High pH acocrding to this guy named Billybeau1 is due to pH testing error

Billybeau1 · #8 07/30/2007, 12:41 AM

Sorry buddy, Pinpoint pH monitor. Saw it with my own two eyes.

A full 1.5 units in 12 hrs.

And the house was closed up so CO2 not the issue here. It was all the new lighting.

Of course it dropped back down by morning. But went back up the next day.

Boomer · #9 07/30/2007, 01:22 AM

Billy would say when did you calibrate that meter last time

He would also ask what are you smoking today

Billy may even think outside the box and say "do you need new glasses, did you have them on or was it really a dream you had"

Jar*Head · #10 07/30/2007, 04:51 PM

Last time i change the light bulb from 20K to 10K. My pH doesn't go up but all my corals got sun burned

.

SALTWATERSIG · #11 07/30/2007, 06:32 PM

i had similar experiance when i switched my light from 2 175's to 2 250's with t5 for actinics and i noticed within a couple of days that ph was hitting 8.3-8.4 during photo period and dropping to 8.1-8.2 during night.......i stopped dosing mrs. wages pickling lime and was quite satisfied that stronger light helped. about 7weeks later i recalibrated ph moniter and to my surprise ph was only @ 7.9 during photo period and lower @ nite......needless to say i should have recalibrated right from the time i switched light fixtures.

NanoReefWanabe · #12 07/30/2007, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SALTWATERSIG
i had similar experiance when i switched my light from 2 175's to 2 250's with t5 for actinics and i noticed within a couple of days that ph was hitting 8.3-8.4 during photo period and dropping to 8.1-8.2 during night.......i stopped dosing mrs. wages pickling lime and was quite satisfied that stronger light helped. about 7weeks later i recalibrated ph moniter and to my surprise ph was only @ 7.9 during photo period and lower @ nite......needless to say i should have recalibrated right from the time i switched light fixtures.

'
Which makes me think that it is the increase of temperature playing a role in the PH spiking

Billybeau1 · #13 08/02/2007, 04:41 PM

I had no increase in tank temperature when changing lighting.

And, Boomer....... quit picking on me............

Boomer · #14 08/13/2007, 11:05 AM

I have been fishing for the last few days

So, no picking, you had a vacation and now vacation is over

Jar*Head · #15 08/13/2007, 01:14 PM

Welcome back Boomer

Boomer · #16 08/13/2007, 10:01 PM

Thanks Reef

Billybeau1 · #17 08/13/2007, 11:23 PM

Jar*Head · #18 08/13/2007, 11:43 PM

Are you both taking vacation together? cuz both of us were missing at the same time

.....

Boomer, my Ozone working very well. Finally, i got my reactor under control

Boomer · #19 08/14/2007, 09:16 AM

That's good Reef

HowardW · #20 08/14/2007, 09:42 AM

<<< I purchased a Current USA Power Compact Satellite Fixture >>>

Did you get the Single Satellite or Dual Satellite fixture?

Billybeau1 · #21 08/14/2007, 11:59 AM

I got the single 48" 2 x 65w with 2 moon lights. It has a 7100K Blue/10000K White (50/50) bulbs.

The advertisement said no fan, but mine has a fan.

I couldn't believe it was $104 bucks plus $20 shipping. I am extremely pleased with this lighting. The moonlights look fantastic at night.

The only draw back is my microalgae is growing much faster and I have to get more aggressive with my GFO

HowardW · #22 08/14/2007, 12:11 PM

<<< I got the single 48" 2 x 65w with 2 moon lights. It has a 7100K Blue/10000K White (50/50) bulbs. >>>

Yes, I've seen that fixture and it's nice for a FOWLR tank. I have the 48" Dual Satellite fixture on one of my Florida rock tanks which came with 2 X 65W dual daylights and 2 X 65W dual actinics. I ended up replacing the 2 dual actinics with the 420nm true actinics because I felt they were better at showing off greens and purples and they offset the yellowish cast from the dual daylights. I have my moonlights set to come on when the main lights go off and turn off in the morning when they come back on. One of my moonlights went really dim a couple months ago so I called Current and they sent me out a new LED but you have to take apart the fixture a bit to replace it. I have also noticed all the moonlights have dimmed somewhat over time, and I will probably just replace them all one day.

Billybeau1 · #23 08/14/2007, 12:19 PM

I'm purposely leaving my moonlights on 24/7. I want to see how long they will last.

The manufacturer states the fluorescents last about 12 months.

I'm not using the docking mounts yet. Since I'm having increased algae growth, I may try the mounts to raise the fixture up a little.

HowardW · #24 08/14/2007, 12:36 PM

At 24/7, you should start to notice them dimming within 5-7 months would be my guess, and significantly dimmer at 1 year.

I've noticed the same thing with the blue moonlights in my Coralife PC fixture, they are maybe at 50% or so after about a year. It's a shame IMO the manufacturers didn't design these fixtures so you could simply 'plug in' new moonlights rather then having to remove the reflector and wire them in.

Billybeau1 · #25 08/14/2007, 01:02 PM

Well, for 120 bucks a pop, I won't mind replacing the whole fixture once a year.