Reef optix or luminarcs???

[rommelgin]

need help deciding on lighting. would like to run 2 x 250w mh but cant decide on reflectors. what would you all recommend to light 60''x24''x24 tank. want to keep a mixed reef with softies and lps on bottom and middle and eventually try sps on top later.

Thanks!

[foshizzle]

I just bought the lumenarc mini, huge difference over my spider reflector. Two lumenarcs would give you great coverage.... but watch out for the fakes out there

Check this article and his previous ones: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/2/review

[chaffey]

luminarcs all the way, I just got 2 and I love it, cover lot of area better then other reflectors.

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

Also LumenMax 2 for SE lamps.

[rommelgin]

can i get your opinions on DE or SE lamps. I was leaning towards DE because i hear they put out more PAR but i could me wrong. This will be my first time picking out halides and want to make a decision where i dont have to switch out in the future.

[foshizzle]

Originally posted by rommelgin
I was leaning towards DE because i hear they put out more PAR

this is not absolutely true. there are a ton of factors. check out Sanjay Joshi's reeflightingarchive for comparisons of bulbs and ballast.

IMO the best approach is to choose your bulb and move from there

[Bebo77]

i like both the radium 20k se and the Helios 20k se bulbs best


here is sanjays website

http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/

[minireefer03]

Luminarcs(mini) rock!Love mine,made a huge difference over my tank.

[rommelgin]

gonna be doing some reading tonight. Thanks for the link to sanjays bebo77!

minireefer, are you using the L mini's on the pics you have up in your gallery? nice looking reef you got there!

[TwistedTiger]

Originally posted by rommelgin

minireefer, are you using the L mini's on the pics you have up in your gallery? nice looking reef you got there!

I added a pair of mini's a couple of weeks ago and it is an incredible difference in light spread and penetration over the standard spider reflectors.

[rommelgin]

you guys have any before and after shots? would like to see the difference these reflectors make.

[gcarroll]

If given the choice of Luminarcs or Reef Optix, it really depends on a lot of factors. When taking into account your tank dimensions w/ 2 bulbs I would choose the Reef Optix 1 ofer the Lumenarc/ That combunation I would bet would put more light in your tank than the Luminarc. Primary reason is that the RO1 has a lightspread in the shape of a rectangle. The area you are lighting is 30" x 24". The Luminarc would have more spill-over than the RO1 because the reflector is optimized to provide light in all directions equally. Don't get me wrong, the Luminarc is the better reflector but possibly not in this case. If you plan to possibly upgrade to that 3rd bulb, I would choose lumenarc minis or SLS Lumenmax 2 pendants instead of the RO1

[rommelgin]

yeah, still undecided on whether going for the full LIII or the minis. lifes so full of hard decisions.

[strictlySPS]

if you have the space..go with the LIII

[rommelgin]

thats what i was thinking.....i would have the space if i decide to go open top but if i want to add vho's and put on a canopy im not sure how that would work out.

[Reef55]

I have a 48" by 24" by 24". I have dual lumenarc mini's, and 4 URI actinic vho's (2 in front and 2 in back of the lumenarc mini's). These barely fit over the 24"... no way the full size lumenarc's and 4 vho or T5 bulbs would fit.