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View Full Version : Questions for you Experts - New Lights


chemesgh
07/06/2007, 05:03 PM
Hi everyone. I put my new lights on the tank this afternoon. It's a Current USA Nova Extreme 8x54 T5 HO with 4 lunar lights. With all 8 bulbs I'm running 432 watts on a 55 gallon tank. However, I took two actinics and two 10K bulbs out so I'm only running 4x54 on the tank currently. Man it's night and day between it and my old Coralife T5 strip at 2x36.

Do any of you see a problem with only running 4 of the available 8 bulbs? My reasoning for overshooting a bit was that I'd like to upgrade to a 110 deep at some point in the future and can then run all 8 bulbs to maintain 4 watts/gal, however I felt that 432 watts on a 55 was a little overkill, especially as I only have some zoos, candy cane and a frogspawn in the tank.

Here are before and after pics:

Before
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v56/chemengineer/Fish%20Tank/OLDLIGHTS.jpg

After
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v56/chemengineer/Fish%20Tank/NewLights7.jpg

Mishap
07/06/2007, 06:07 PM
Did you literally pull 4 bulbs out? or just turn one set off?


You could slowly acclimate your tank to all 8 bulbs, do 4 for a few weeks, then turn the other set on.

chemesgh
07/06/2007, 06:25 PM
I literally pulled two 10K and two actinics out. I figured I could use them as spares until I finally convince my wife to let me upgrade to the 110. As far as acclimating the tank, how would this work when adding new corals? Would I have to reacclimate every time?

Peter Eichler
07/06/2007, 06:41 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10287058#post10287058 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chemesgh
I literally pulled two 10K and two actinics out. I figured I could use them as spares until I finally convince my wife to let me upgrade to the 110. As far as acclimating the tank, how would this work when adding new corals? Would I have to reacclimate every time?

You would just acclimate the new corals like you should any new coral. Start them towards the bottom in a sahdier area and over the courtse of a few weeks slowly give them more light. Some people prefer to use layers of fiberglass screening and take one lasyer off every few days.

Since you don't have individual reflectors and the bulbs that come with that fixture aren't great you could use all 8 lights and it probably wouldn't be overkill, though with the inhabitants you have now 4 bulbs should do the trick.

chemesgh
07/06/2007, 06:47 PM
Ah, thanks for the advice!!! As for the current bulbs, why are they not considered any good? Also what brand is recommended for good T5 bulbs?

Peter Eichler
07/06/2007, 06:57 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10287218#post10287218 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chemesgh
Ah, thanks for the advice!!! As for the current bulbs, why are they not considered any good? Also what brand is recommended for good T5 bulbs?

The main reason if the par levels are lower than other comparable bulbs. The spectrum may also leave a little to be desired though I haven't looked closely at them. Also, they don't look nearly as nice as other bulbs IMO. Right now ATI bulbs as a whole are the best available.

chemesgh
07/06/2007, 07:17 PM
I guess they look really good to me since I've been looking at 2x36 NO with 1 yr old bulbs for a while. Also, don't base them on my pictures, my digital camera leaves alot to be desired as far as color detail. I know the candy cane seemed much more vibrant and open with the new lights on. I figured running 216 would be enough for my needs for now, and save some money on the power bill as well. :) I really appreciate your advice!

Mishap
07/06/2007, 07:46 PM
bulb a
bulb b
bulb c
bulb d
bulb e
bulb f
bulb g
bulb h

If bulbs a,c,e, and g are on one switch, and b,d,f,h are on another, why not just move bulbs around so you have the mix of actinic/10000k you want rather than just removing bulbs?

chemesgh
07/06/2007, 07:57 PM
By removing bulbs I can still keep actinics on one circuit and 10K's on another, so I can run them independently of each other. I thought about what you suggested and almost went that route first, but unless I go back in and modify that single circuit, I wouldn't be able to have independent control of actinics vs. 10K. This way I can keep them on independent timers and simulate the sunrise/sunset conditions in the morning and evening.

Scuba_Steve
07/06/2007, 07:57 PM
The onlyproblem i see is you may get some evaporation inside the endcaps of the missing bulbs, and it may start to rust. I would do as suggested above and leave all the slots full, and just turn 4 on at a time.

chemesgh
07/06/2007, 08:02 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10287690#post10287690 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Scuba_Steve
The onlyproblem i see is you may get some evaporation inside the endcaps of the missing bulbs, and it may start to rust. I would do as suggested above and leave all the slots full, and just turn 4 on at a time.

That was the only thing that worried me about it. There is a vinyl cover separating the lights from the top of the aquarium, but I was considering taping over the end caps to keep out any small amount of evaporation that might make it through and into the bulb area.

Peter Eichler
07/06/2007, 08:06 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10287409#post10287409 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chemesgh
I guess they look really good to me since I've been looking at 2x36 NO with 1 yr old bulbs for a while. Also, don't base them on my pictures, my digital camera leaves alot to be desired as far as color detail. I know the candy cane seemed much more vibrant and open with the new lights on. I figured running 216 would be enough for my needs for now, and save some money on the power bill as well. :) I really appreciate your advice!

I have a 2 bulb T5 HO fixture with the same bulbs on a 10L. I just like the look of other bulbs over the Current bulbs.

Steve, the current fixture doesn't have endcaps,

chemesgh
07/06/2007, 08:15 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10287756#post10287756 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Peter Eichler
I have a 2 bulb T5 HO fixture with the same bulbs on a 10L. I just like the look of other bulbs over the Current bulbs.

Steve, the current fixture doesn't have endcaps,


Do you think it would be worthwhile to tape over the inserts where the bulbs rotate into the fixture? It doesn't seem like much would get past the vinyl shield, but better to be safe than sorry.

Peter Eichler
07/06/2007, 08:44 PM
I wouldn't worry about it.

reefworm
07/06/2007, 08:49 PM
totally unrelated to your lighting question - BEAUTIFUL aquascaping! Is the structure glued, pinned or otherwise anchored? How did you do it?

chemesgh
07/06/2007, 09:07 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10288154#post10288154 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefworm
totally unrelated to your lighting question - BEAUTIFUL aquascaping! Is the structure glued, pinned or otherwise anchored? How did you do it?


Thank you! :) Actually, I just used my largest rocks as the base, then arranged my smaller rock on top and moved them close enough to sort of wedge everything in place. I tested each section of rock with the age old "press and shake moderately hard with your hand" technique to make sure it would take some force to move any of it. :D

I also was able to keep a clear path both in front of and behind the rock for access to all faces of the glass. The smaller rock and coral skeletons are free at the front of the tank, and some smaller rubble which I left easily accessible for gluing future corals on. The corals are the only things I glued onto the rock. Otherwise, I just positioned everything tightly together and double checked for loose/shaky sections. It's held up well for several weeks now, so I'm optimistic! :)

plandy
07/06/2007, 09:07 PM
Glad to see Evo Extreme 8x working out so nicely. Mine is still in the box until the rest of the project comes together. In addition, I've purchased optional bulbs with superior performance to the ones included from the factory.

reefworm
07/06/2007, 09:16 PM
Good thinking and planning - just don't get any turbo snails :D How about some side views?

-rw

chemesgh
07/06/2007, 09:31 PM
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v56/chemengineer/Fish%20Tank/SideTank1.jpg

That's the only decent side pic I could get tonight. I'll see what I can do tomorrow with the lights full on. Again I'm limited by my camera's abilities so most shots look blurry without adequate lighting.

And yeah I'm done with Turbo snails. After having three in my tank when we were living in GA, and having them all fall over and die, I'll stick to astreas and nassarius. :D