trble81 July 27, 2007 Share July 27, 2007 I think this is a good reason to go the the BRK social coming up. Isn't that lighting guy going to be there (excuse my ignorance for not remembering his name or not taking the time to look up the social forum)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesprite July 27, 2007 Share July 27, 2007 I'm not experienced with lighting enough to mess with setting up my own rather than using a pre-fab fixture, otherwise I would happily do it. Perhaps in teh most likely to be distant future, I can get some sweet person from here to help me out with it. As far as the social goes, I myself can't get there unless someone else is going from my area who is willing to let me hitch a ride, because I have car issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YBeNormal July 27, 2007 Share July 27, 2007 It's more than just having individual reflectors for each bub. You also need to consider the reflective quality of the metal that the reflector is made of, how many bends and where they are placed and even what types of bubs are used. Adding a piece of sheet metal from Home Depot won't help much -- if at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rrubberbandman July 27, 2007 Share July 27, 2007 It's more than just having individual reflectors for each bub. You also need to consider the reflective quality of the metal that the reflector is made of, how many bends and where they are placed and even what types of bubs are used. Adding a piece of sheet metal from Home Depot won't help much -- if at all. Exactly........sheet metal is not a good reflective material...it should be a polished parabolic material...... it makes me wonder if the space between the light coming off the four bulbs, traveling to the one big reflector is that much less lumens then the light coming off the bulb traveling to the single reflector on top of each bulb...........surely it will measure different on a lumen meter....but is it gonna let your SPS perish???????? kinda reminds me of the argument we have had on the auto boards on synthetic oil vs. conventional oil......... Bryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesprite July 27, 2007 Share July 27, 2007 I'm talking about "mirror" metal which some craft stores sell. I was using it about 6 years ago to make kaleidescopes because I was wasting actual glass mirror trying to cut it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NSC July 27, 2007 Share July 27, 2007 Treesprite I would like to know what you come up with fro a retrofit for the Novas; I have a 8x54 and I am experiencing some browning on a light needy acro and some color variation(doesn't seem right) on two other SPS's. It is true Current fixtures spark serious debate which is why I selected the 8x54 model, if the reflector doesn't work than its the bulbs is my theory. My thought is if there is a way to isolate the bulbs with individual reflectors and upgrade the bulbs(I think they are weak) then the fixtures would be out of the box straight up reef ready. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesprite July 27, 2007 Share July 27, 2007 hmmm.... I know absolutely nothing about this kind of thing, just wondering what might give me better lighting. Next time I go in a craft store I'll have to look for that mirror metal and get a price on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rrubberbandman July 27, 2007 Share July 27, 2007 (edited) I'm talking about "mirror" metal which some craft stores sell. I was using it about 6 years ago to make kaleidescopes because I was wasting actual glass mirror trying to cut it. ahhh gotcha Treesprite I would like to know what you come up with fro a retrofit for the Novas; I have a 8x54 and I am experiencing some browning on a light needy acro and some color variation(doesn't seem right) on two other SPS's. It is true Current fixtures spark serious debate which is why I selected the 8x54 model, if the reflector doesn't work than its the bulbs is my theory. My thought is if there is a way to isolate the bulbs with individual reflectors and upgrade the bulbs(I think they are weak) then the fixtures would be out of the box straight up reef ready. There was a guy over on RC who had all the lumens for T-5's and yes........currents bulbs were near the bottom.....i have since replaced one my 10k's with a URI/URL actinic white and one of the blue 460's with a UV actinic.....nowe i hAVE 2 SPARE bulbs.....UV bulbs were also near the middle/lower scale of lumens....but for my neeeds they are way powerful enough(non SPS) Back in the late 90's....i kept several clams under 2 vho and 2 ro t-12 url bulbs, on top of a 30 gallon, for years before finally selling the tank and all inverts.... Bryan Edited July 27, 2007 by rrubberbandman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rioreef July 27, 2007 Share July 27, 2007 Buy the SLR T5 Retrofit Reflector's. High reflectance, maximized angles, and individually clips to each bulb. Your corals will be pleased and you will be to. DIY something else that does not have such a direct influence on the coral health. Then get an Ice Cap 660 ballast and OVERDRIVE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie97L July 27, 2007 Share July 27, 2007 Buy the SLR T5 Retrofit Reflector's. High reflectance, maximized angles, and individually clips to each bulb. Your corals will be pleased and you will be to. DIY something else that does not have such a direct influence on the coral health. Then get an Ice Cap 660 ballast and OVERDRIVE. i just ordered a 36" aquactinics fixture yesterday... i'll post a review in the review section when it's up. i'm excited. if it works well i'll get one for my 20 frag setup as well, that's got PCs on it right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alieu07 July 27, 2007 Author Share July 27, 2007 i just ordered a 36" aquactinics fixture yesterday... i'll post a review in the review section when it's up. i'm excited. if it works well i'll get one for my 20 frag setup as well, that's got PCs on it right now. Hey Charlie Where did you order a aquactinics fixture from? Do you have the links? I want to look in to it. Cause i heard Bob (YbeNormal) said its a good T5 fixture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesprite July 27, 2007 Share July 27, 2007 so are certain clams and corals able to survive under something like a combo of HO 10K T-12s & actinic T-8s? That's all I had before getting the T-5s, and I was certain from everything I read that it wasn't enough even for low-light corals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie97L July 27, 2007 Share July 27, 2007 so are certain clams and corals able to survive under something like a combo of HO 10K T-12s & actinic T-8s? That's all I had before getting the T-5s, and I was certain from everything I read that it wasn't enough even for low-light corals. if by t12's you mean vhos... you can get some button polyps and maybe a few softies/easy LPS with those, but i don't think SPS or clam. i'd say you *might* be able to get away with a squammy or deresa under a lot of PC, one of the more brown ones... but the vivid blue/green ones need more light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VicSkimmr August 2, 2007 Share August 2, 2007 I've seen an awesome SPS dominated tank lit by VHOs only. In fact, he had MH over his frag tank but got better colors under the VHOs. His name was Paul, and he lives in Columbia, SC. I wish I knew anything about those NOVA fixtures, but I went out and bought a Tek fixture for my tank. Now I KNOW I have enough light by using T5s, but there seems to be a huge difference between the high end fixtures and the low end fixtures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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