Quote:
Originally posted by DarG
I guess the old "1/3 rd the output, tested and measured" goes flying out the window.
My expectations were:
-The Nova Pro would have higher par than the TEK with the same bulbs and BOTH UNITS fitted with their acrylic splash shields AND the TEK running stock WITHOUT external fans to cool the lamps/endcaps.
GRIM ... I still have the one question. With the same lamps in both, Nova Pro 6 bulb vs. TEK 6 bulb. WITH the acrylic shield on both units. Both units warmed up and running for a while. And with the stock TEK meaning NO FAN rigged up to cool the TEKs lamps/endcaps. Does the heat hurt the PAR enough in the non-fan cooled TEK with it's acrylic shield in place that the Nova Pro beats it?
|
The acrylic doesn't really cut much light, less than a percent on a Tek. They have so many vents in them the acrylic isn't really trapping much heat. In the case of the Nova it will start losing PAR if the shield is off. It obviously screws up the cooling sheme.
As far as the Tek PAR goes I think the Tek is going to have more but not by a huge amount. I saw some readings for a guy with a 75 bare bottom which would have the sensor a tad farther away from the tank frame than mine considering my sandbed and raised bottom plate. He got 182 with his fixture sitting 4" above the frame. I know raising my Fauna Marine fixture a little less than 2 inches dropped the PAR from the 280's down to the 240's. It was around a 13% drop. I think saying lowering the Tek 4" would add 25% to the PAR is a very conservative guess. That would make the output about even with the Nova but you gotta remember he was running 2 actinics in his fixture. Lamps were also about 6 months old. I figure running these lamps the Tek would probably be around 250 at least. I will try to score a tek fixture to test but it wont happen till this white nastyness leaves town.
12/28/2007, 01:52 AM
Threaded Mode