Frag Propagation lighting ????
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I've bought the material to make a few of the luminarc-style reflectors myself.
I was/am planning on using 6-8 250's over my 4'x8' setup, but the light rail part would be really really cool.
Based on my tank size, would you run 2 rails the length of the tank (8') and one light per side?
I am figuring that a single 250 will light a 2'x3' area, or am I incorrect?
The rail would really cut down on my electric bill for sure! 2 -4 bulbs instead of 6-8!
I was/am planning on using 6-8 250's over my 4'x8' setup, but the light rail part would be really really cool.
Based on my tank size, would you run 2 rails the length of the tank (8') and one light per side?
I am figuring that a single 250 will light a 2'x3' area, or am I incorrect?
The rail would really cut down on my electric bill for sure! 2 -4 bulbs instead of 6-8!
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Hmmm... 2 6' rails, 2 250 MH's... Crap, the motors and rails will cost as much as the bulbs....but then I start saving. And the electric bill would be much much cheaper.
Crap, sorry for the thread-jack Roland! Seems like we have similar frag tanks.
Crap, sorry for the thread-jack Roland! Seems like we have similar frag tanks.
skriz
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I'm not sold on the lumenbright reflectors. That pic is just odd; I would want to see some other tests run.
I use the lumenmax and love them. I was going to use the same on my frag tank..if I ever set one up that is.
I would do 250w, just b/c you can find the ballasts very very cheap and the bulbs are reasonable too.
I use the lumenmax and love them. I was going to use the same on my frag tank..if I ever set one up that is.
I would do 250w, just b/c you can find the ballasts very very cheap and the bulbs are reasonable too.
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Brother, your right on topic. Saving Electricity$$ is what this is all about. The most PAR for the $$$ long and short trem.
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The question with Lumenarc vs lumenbright is. What better for your tank?
The Spot light, farther away VS The Flood light, closer up.
The Photo/test only shows the spot light in the area that it shines best, 21"away.
They needed to put the flood light (lumenarc) at 14" away or so to fairly compare the Two.
The Spot light, farther away VS The Flood light, closer up.
The Photo/test only shows the spot light in the area that it shines best, 21"away.
They needed to put the flood light (lumenarc) at 14" away or so to fairly compare the Two.
I know first hand a light rail is a really cool thing, I am using one right now, I will tale you this much though, I ran 2 250's on my 240 (8foot) and running the display in that maner the tank always looked odd. Half the tank nice and bright the other half dim. I ended up taking off the light rail. If it were a frag system it would not have bothered me a much. Now I use the rail on a 10 x 4 foot tank but from front to back, works really well and not as noticeable. I still only use half the light bulbs which helps save the power grid, and wallet.
I'm using the Lumenarc minis with the Iwasaki 175w 15k bulbs and get way better PAR numbers than those being assigned to the LA III (which is a much larger reflector). There has to be something effecting the numbers. From my reading, the lumenbrights will be more focused versus the spread of the lumenarcs. The tradeoff in your proposed setup would be the arrangement of the reflector. The minis give an approx. 24" spread so you'd want to go with the larger LA III to cover your 30" depth. If you use the lumenbrights up might end up having to stack 2 to cover that same space.
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Mike raise your lights to 21" above the tank and then see what you get. Don't you think the 21" distance explains the low numbers for the LA?
Jaandgc, for your display tank do you wish they moved slower?
Jaandgc, for your display tank do you wish they moved slower?
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How long and how many passes are we talking about in a day? Does the light just move back and forth ?
My setup may not work for this, as I was planning on growing under 6500k and then switching to a higher kelvin bulbs for a few months to get the coloration back/brighter. I suppose I could have one side the 6500, and the other the higher kelvin 14k? Seems like the 2 would mix. Or maybe a bit of the mixing isn't bad?
Anyone ever done anything like that? Since I'm mainly planning on growing softies, shrooms/rics/yumas and zoos, and maybe a leather or 3. I'd love a frag tank of SPS, but I don't have 2 years to grow-out all those frags...
The K rating is a different thread, but having a rail with 6500 and another with 14k 2' away...?
My setup may not work for this, as I was planning on growing under 6500k and then switching to a higher kelvin bulbs for a few months to get the coloration back/brighter. I suppose I could have one side the 6500, and the other the higher kelvin 14k? Seems like the 2 would mix. Or maybe a bit of the mixing isn't bad?
Anyone ever done anything like that? Since I'm mainly planning on growing softies, shrooms/rics/yumas and zoos, and maybe a leather or 3. I'd love a frag tank of SPS, but I don't have 2 years to grow-out all those frags...
The K rating is a different thread, but having a rail with 6500 and another with 14k 2' away...?
Roland, I think the speed is fine for what I'm doing, heck it's only moving about 2 feet.
TAftonomos, all that depends on what you get, mine takes right at 30 sec to get from the front to the back with a 30sec. delay at both ends. If it was going to travel 6 foot then it would take longer to make 1 pass, thus fewer trips per day.
TAftonomos, all that depends on what you get, mine takes right at 30 sec to get from the front to the back with a 30sec. delay at both ends. If it was going to travel 6 foot then it would take longer to make 1 pass, thus fewer trips per day.
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