T5 PAR Test Mar 2009

[derek_s]

Here is my latest. The color is more blue than before, and supposedly the apogee meter underestimates blues, so maybe I am getting a little better.

SPS keepers, LMK what you think.

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Light details:
7 T5s overdriven on ic660s (7x80W)
1 110W VHO

Front:
VHO Super Actinic
ATI Blue +
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue +
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI BLue +
ATI aQUABLUE
ati blUE +

 

[weaglereefer]

Dang! I forget, how tall is your tank?

 

[seedless reefer]

**** those SA's are blue. Your tank is as blue as mine.

Whered you get the par meter? Is it available to rent?

Oh and did you do a comparison with them off and then with them on?

 

[seedless reefer]

Last question....did the SA's change the coloring of the Anthias?

 

[derek_s]

The tank is 27" deep.

The par meter is not mine, it is borrowed.

I did a comparison with the one VHO on and off, and it made no difference in the PAR.

The color in the pic is deceptive, it isnt that blue. It is nice and blue, though. THe color is just hard to photograph.

THey didnt seem to change the color of the anthias, but the blue flashes on the fins sure to glow better.

 

[seedless reefer]

Derek_S;317820 wrote:

THey didnt seem to change the color of the anthias, but the blue flashes on the fins sure to glow better.

Have you taken a look at the blue stripe at their eyes? I bet it is electric as well.

 

[stacy22]

Derek, you gotta be happy with those par numbers, right? I think they are great.

 

[kr561]

i want your lights =p

 

[glxtrix]

Awesome numbers man! Heh, told you the VHO's wouldn't do anything. How are you liking them?

 

[acroholic]

Derek,
You sould be able to grow SPS on the sand with those numbers. Looks good. Nothin' like a blue tank....ahhhhhhhhhh!
Dave

 

[sailfish]

Very good numbers!

Joe

 

[derek_s]

Now if I could only get the rocks the way I like. I hate the scaping currenly, but my rocks just dont seem to go any other way. Guess teh SPS will just have to grow and hide them.

 

[derek_s]

glxtrix;317851 wrote: Awesome numbers man! Heh, told you the VHO's wouldn't do anything. How are you liking them?

The V is awesome They add a nice pop, especially in the evening in the 'dusk' lighting. I only have it set to run at taht time, and a couple hours into the evening stand alone. Looks like cosmic reefing in there.. And the best thing is I didnt LOSE any par by adding it. It certainly does not add any to the tank, but the T5 that was in it's place just was not really shining down on anything. As you can see, at my front sandbed I get over 300, and I think that is pretty much what I have always gotten there. MAybe in a taller canopy that t5 could have been aimed better, but for me it was worthless. I read on RC that this was the case on tanks that had lights to the very front, but I wasnt sure how true it was. Now I know.

AND, as a fantastic and interesting note, my outer 3 t5s are on a different ballast than the inner 4. When only the outer ones are on (dawn/dusk) I get somewhat of a shimmer in the tank. Not significant, but it is there.

Now what MH geeks!

 

[FutureInterest]

Those are still fantastic par readings. I'm going to have to look into the vho for a t5 swap that you did...

 

[derek_s]

Its easy to do, and If I remember right you actually have room Jin without removing anything else.

You can run it off of the IC660. but I opted to run mine off of a WH ballast so it could be controlled seperatly.

 

[derek_s]

stacy22;317826 wrote: Derek, you gotta be happy with those par numbers, right? I think they are great.

I'm not sure if I am or not. They are no doubt good, but I would like to get 500 to teh bottom if I was going to go all SPS. I'm not too far off, and I will probably never be entirely sps, so maybe just careful observation of coral's placement is the key.

last night I moved some corals lower to see how it affected them. If you look in the very center bottom at teh 375, that is a green mille colony that I am gonna see if it does ok that low. I may also try my pink birdsnest low to see what happens.