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05/07/2012, 08:38 AM | #51 | |
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05/07/2012, 09:41 AM | #52 | |
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150g Marineland Deep Dimension |
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05/07/2012, 09:43 AM | #53 | |
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05/07/2012, 09:48 AM | #54 | |
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With that said, I would choose 1 radion over 2 AIs in a heartbeat. But the ratio of 1 radion = 2 AI's is probably pretty accurate. I have 2 Radions over my 36"x36"x27" tank. The PAR at the sand bed is low, but it grows zoanthids and ricordea just fine. If I added 1 or 2 more radions I bet I could get some SPS growth on the bottom. So while the 30" numbers might be low for 1 Radion, as someone else pointed out, vivid is growing SPS on the bottom of their 30" tank with Radions. The question then is HOW MANY do you need to achieve that. (They have 12 Radions over a 7 foot tank).
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05/07/2012, 10:19 AM | #55 |
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that graph allows for a lot of assumtions and misunderstanding without a depth associated on the distribution. According to Ecotechs graph +/- 15 inches from the center of the fixture is approaching zero par on the X axis.
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05/07/2012, 10:24 AM | #56 |
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No matter who has the best product right now, I think AI is making a move in the right direction. The variation of colored LEDs is going to (I would guess) make the colors pop. I'm very excited. I already picked up some AI blues, but not enough. So now I will add the rest in Vega. I'll go blue-vega-blue-vega across 72"
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05/07/2012, 10:31 AM | #57 | |
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05/07/2012, 10:36 AM | #58 |
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I actually think AI is getting much better with the degree of spread per watt. This unit should give you roughly the same distribution as the Radion which will be interesting to see how it performs in real world. I see a lot of people knocking the video but I have to keep in mind that the video, as AI stated,"was intended for internal distribution" and was probably meant to show more of what the AI team had accomplished rather than being intended to be an advertisement. When I see it I think of a fighter walking to the ring with some theme music in the back round, announcer then introdues the return of AI, biding to be top unit in the market again.
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05/07/2012, 10:38 AM | #59 | |
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05/07/2012, 02:30 PM | #60 | |
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05/07/2012, 07:56 PM | #61 |
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Could you snap a quick picture of your tank. I've been considering a similar type of tank in the near future. I love wider tanks. Maybe even a 48"X36"X25" tank.
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05/07/2012, 08:02 PM | #62 | |
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[AI] [MH] [AI] [MH] [AI] I think I'd run 2 - 150 watt Metal Halides for 4 hours a day. Or should I run 2 250's. HQI or Mogul Socket? Which bulb? Ushio 20K? So many options with metal halides. Let me know what you think Sir. You too Med.
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05/07/2012, 08:22 PM | #63 |
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I would run 150 watt Radiums on M81 ballasts. Rainmkr's tank is sweet, I like how he has the tank set up, the rock work is great.
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05/07/2012, 09:05 PM | #64 | |
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05/07/2012, 09:15 PM | #65 |
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Aqua Medic Reeflex Cube, great price and a brilliant design. The only electronic I would run with 150's is the ARO 175. I actually run those when I want to slightly overdrive my 150's, but the cube ballast is the normal one, a 150 electronic under drives the 150, no sense in doing that.
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Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon. |
05/07/2012, 11:02 PM | #66 | |
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Something else to keep in mind -- the Radions and Vegas each use a different design. The Radions seem better for shallower tanks, while the Sols (and Vegas, assuming the optics are similar) are better for deeper tanks based on the narrower optics giving the ability to penetrate deeper. The Radions may have better color mixing based on the design too, and they can be mounted lower to the tank. Conversely, the Sols can be mounted higher off the tank for better dispersion of light but also better penetration -- but the cost is inferior color mixing (which causes the mirror ball effect which some find annoying). Although I have Radions, I still like the look of halide the best, since it gives the most even dispersion since it's a single point light source. Kessils come close by design, but need to be at least 12" off the tank to avoid spotlighting. I'm hoping that a company will figure out how to get the look of halide/Kessil dense matrix in a panel type LED fixture, allowing us to mount the fixture lower on the tank. |
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05/08/2012, 08:56 AM | #67 | |
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I personally think LEDs are better paired with T5 than MH. MH will drown out the light the LED's put out and the extra par won't be as noticeable to the naked eye, but may cook your corals. IMO, I'd use T5's to supplement the color rendition and actual color of the corals. You'll get most of the benefits of using LED with a boost in the color department.
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05/08/2012, 09:22 AM | #68 | |
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I hope the Vega ends up being a better (more versatile) fixture than the Radion, if it comes in at a better price than it will be a win/win.
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05/08/2012, 11:57 AM | #69 | ||
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05/08/2012, 12:20 PM | #70 |
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I don't think there is anything wrong with them, but why not use the correct ballast, the difference in electricity is negligible. Most electronic ballasts under drive HQI bulbs, it may not matter for you because you have more than enough light to offset the drop in par from under driving the halides.
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05/08/2012, 12:29 PM | #71 |
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Those ballasts can push HQI, 150, 175, and 250 watts. Could I possibly run them at 175? I had one set of magnetic ballasts in the past and hated the Heat, Hum, and all the extra space they needed. But I don't know. I still might go with the Aqua Medic 150.
http://www.marinedepot.com/Lumatek_250W
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05/08/2012, 12:45 PM | #72 |
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The Lumatek is a solid (no pun intended) ballast, but the HQI setting is only for 250 watts IIRC. I would be the last person to tell you not to run the 150's at 175 watts, it is what I am currently doing to get maximum par out of the Ushio's, but it isn't good for the bulb, though I have used the ARO 150/175 ballast for about 8 years off and on. I have never blown a bulb and never had any issues from it.
My Cube ballasts have been great, the Radium with them was just gorgeous and they do not hum, the only sound they make is the fan. I had an old Hamilton 250 HQI that drove me nuts with the humming, the Cube does not do that. It isn't a small ballast, but that is ok, it runs very cool because of the design and the active cooling from the fan helps a lot. There are some good things with the Lumatek so it becomes a matter of what you expect to do in the future.
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05/08/2012, 06:36 PM | #73 |
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What is the recomended height above tank for radions? I have my AI out of the way 12" over top so its nice to get in and out. If radions need to be 4-6" it would be a pain. I really like the easy controler for AI, just a turn of the dial, no laptop. I think the color spread is better on radions so colored vega would be fair comparison, and I'm sure radions will step up the punch to be more versitile for placement.
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05/08/2012, 07:42 PM | #74 |
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Generally they recommend to put Rads about 8" above the water.
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05/09/2012, 12:45 PM | #75 |
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I spoke with AI tech support today and he confirmed for me via email that they will indeed have an upgrade kit for the SOL to function as a Vega. Price is TBD
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