Lumenarc reflector

[BigJay]

I'm thinking of tossing my spider reflectors, and going with three lumenarc three mini's for my 250 halides on my 180.

I want to add a few beginner softies in a few weeks, what kind of photoperiod would I be looking at with three good reflectors? Most reefers I know with good reflectors only run for 6 hours or so, is that a good starting point?

 

[Guest]

you need to start out really slow maybe four hours the every week you gradually add 30 min to an hour till you get the photoperiod you want. If you dont do this you will burn your corals

 

[hegi]

Agreed. Start out slow. I was using a pfo mini pendant before I upgraded to my present Lumenarc III and some of my sps browned out a bit right after the change. Since I don't have any supplemental lights I run light 10 hours a day.

 

[BigJay]

I'm doing the math, looking into SanJay's analysis of the different reflectors. It looks like the Sunlight Supply LumenMax spreads light a bit more evenly over a larger surface, while Diamond Lumenarcs have slightly more penetration.

Table 3. Percent of PAR lost from 6” to 12” from the lamp
6" 9" 12"

Spider Light (What I have now)
24% 36% 59%

Diamond Light - Lumenarc
7% 18% 36%

Sunlight Supply - LumenMax
1.9% 12.0% 26.3%


<hr class="bbcode_rule" />
Incident PAR
Distance: 3x3 2x2 1x1 Max-PPFD:

Spiderlight (Now)
6" 42,185 37,456 24,986 2,033
9” 34,909 27,927 14,225 762
12” 31,904 24,100 10,261 545

Diamond - Lumenarc
6” 46143 46099 33542 2450
9” 45317 42782 27432 1538
12” 42752 37853 21562 1018

Sunlight Supply - LumenMax
6" 46636 46542 28846 1682
9" 45596 44010 26180 1338
12" 45713 40933 21246 996

LumenMax cost a bit more ($35.00) but they have the full black powder-coated pendant shell and glass cover. The lumenarc mini's have a "stealth" version with the same features that costs the same.

Sources:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/2/review/view
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2003/feature.htm

 

[bimmerzs]

You are not interested in the lumenbright's/Lumenbright mini's?????? http://www.melevsreef.com/par_readings.html

Cheers,

 

[BigJay]

@bimmerzs wrote:

I looked at that, but you have to mount them up far too high. I have an open top canopy with 8-9 inches of space. Marc has his bulbs mounted up over a foot and a half in comparison.

While I love the idea of 20+ optical facets over the 12 of the LM, I only have a 24 inch deep tank. I don't think I need that kind of penetration.

 

[bimmerzs]

@BigJay wrote:

I looked at that, but you have to mount them up far too high. I have an open top canopy with 8-9 inches of space. Marc has his bulbs mounted up over a foot and a half in comparison.

While I love the idea of 20+ optical facets over the 12 of the LM, I only have a 24 inch deep tank. I don't think I need that kind of penetration."]

Ahhhh...I see

 

[gmax]

Seriously if you are only going to keep softies in the tank I would not go to the expense of MHs and really high end reflectors. They are most useful for coloring up SPS. You can probably even keep most LPS with VHOs or T-5s. And with T-5s you can keep SPS at the top of the tank, I am doing it in my 55 quite successfully.

 

[BigJay]

I am certainly planning on SPS. Technically I already have one since Pete gave me a few tiny "rescue frags" that broke off during his recent aquascape adventure.

Im hoping with a better reflector I can cut my photoperiod down to 6 hours halide, and 10 hours VHO.

Seriously though, I'm so miffed about a VHO wiring incident today that I'm about to forego better reflectors and go with a fixture that I don't have to mess with. Ever. I figure Maristar or Coralife can do that. :?