Giesemann System 260 moonlights

mx_tang · 04/17/2003, 09:58 PM

Roger,

I know this is the Tunze forum, but you're also a distributor for Tunze, so I thought I'd ask you some questions about the System 260 moonlight. If I shouldn't post here, let me know and I can delete this thread and PM you.

Thanks!

rvitko · 04/18/2003, 07:28 AM

No problem. I read your other post. I use a System 260 Moonlight on my home planted aquarium and we have sold about a half dozen of these fixtures. At present they only are available with magnetic ballasts as the fixture produces too much internal heat to acommodate the Electronic ballasts. In fall we should have a high heat electronic ballast system available for this fixture. The system is housed in extruded aluminum shell with special high grade reflectors. The HQI reflectors are coated witha quartz dust to enhance reflection. The fixtures are delivered standard with 2 T-8 Osram blue lamps- many people find this to be a most pleasing blue and better than traditional actinics because it has a very broad blue spectrum that creates a very intense effect. The lamps are BLV 10K DE in either 150 or 250w. The moonlight uses a 12V Halogen lamp. A small computer to one side programs two off and on times for both the pair of flourescents and the pair of HQI. The Moonlight is programmed for it's own off on cycle and then you also coordinate it with the current lunar phase and it begins a 28 day cycle of increasing and decreasing in intensity to simulate lunar cycles. In addition you program the date of lamp installation and the hours of rated life and it begins a countdown and notifies you of time to change lamps. Available options include custom color which generally carries a $300 surcharge and T-5 lamp upgrade which also carries about a $300 surcharge. Most fixtures also allow a choice of cables On the current US configuration system moonlight your choices are white and black. The new configuration will likely allow the additional choices of clear and spiral wound black. The current model uses a 5wire cable to connect two capacitors in a remote transformer box for 115V to 230V step up and this limits the cable choices. It uses infinite height adjustment cable system. So height adjustment is very simple The current model in 1200mm weighs about 40lbs. The electonic ballast will likely remove 15 lbs.

mx_tang · 04/18/2003, 03:39 PM

thank you for that extremely informative post!

Do you happen to have any pics of the System 260 Moonlight? I went to their website, but it's still kind of small. I'd like to have some macroshots of it if it were possible.

When you say that the the ballasts generate too much heat and they had to go magnetic, are you saying that the ballasts are inside the fixture? I thought all of the Giesemann's had their ballasts outside of the fixture, but I only get my information from the web and I can't see these things first hand.

Also, on the high heat electronic ballasts: how much extra will this option be and could Giesemann change over my magnetic ballasts if I ordered this fixture before electronic ballasts were available? I'm pretty sure the answer is no, and that's really giving me something to think about. I am sure I could hold out for the electronic ones and I heard from Philippe at Xenia that the electronic ballasts are much better and carry a 2 year warranty over the 1 year warranty on magnetic ballasts. BTW, what's the warranty on the 260 Moonlight?

When you say 2 on/off times, do you mean 2 independent times for each type of light? So, you can turn the fluorescents on twice/day and the MH twice/day and have them come on independent of each other? Hmm, I don't know why I would need to turn of the lights twice/day or photoperiod, but I suppose this is good to know. I also would like to find out how the fixture does the cloud simulation. I'm pretty sure the sunlight simulation would just mean having each MH light power up with a delay, right?

I'd love to get T-5's on the Moonlight, but as it stands, that thing is already $2300 and another $300 might just put it on the verge of ridiculousness for me to be spending

Are the T-8's are 36" long on the 120mm fixture?

Is the Moonlight a true US version/configuration? What I mean is that it doesn't need a transformer to switch 220vac to 115vac, etc. I read that it has an external transformer box, so I can only assume that this is what it's implying.

The black and white wire for the US configuration is for the electrical wires, right? The one that looks like a telephone cord? And the structural wires are aircraft grade?

I think I have a lot more questions, but I'll wait for your reply. Thanks!

rvitko · 04/18/2003, 04:40 PM

I will see if I can't get some shots of it. The ballasts are inside the fixture- the transformer from 115V to 230V is in a remote box. The new electronic version will be 115V without transformer. It will not likely be feasible to convert the ballasts. Just getting into one of these fixtures is several man hours of labor- think rediculously overengineered like a Mercedes or Lexus. Something that 2 screws would suffice will have 10 screws and be siliconed in place to boot. Yes two independednt off on times for each set of lights. Sunrise and cloud simulation are not available on the current model of moonlight- these are features of the System 260 Sunrise. Cloud simulation is a period of running the lights at 70% power. Yes, the black or white refers to the electrical cable. The support cables are stainless steel braid. Yes on the 1200mm fixture the t-8 is 36"

mx_tang · 04/18/2003, 06:39 PM

What's the warranty on the 260 Moonlight? If I understand you correctly, the electronic ballasts are already available, but won't be for sale until later this year, correct?

rvitko · 04/20/2003, 08:18 AM

The Electonic ballasts are not yet available. The current models have a 6 month warranty and the new one I believe is going to be 3 years- it may however be 2 years.

mx_tang · 04/20/2003, 04:46 PM

I hear that the new Moonlights will be out in July of this year. Do you have any confirmation on this? Also, I had a question about Giesemann vs AB vs Icecap ballasts. They are all made in Germany, right? I just wanted to be sure that they all made their own ballasts and if they didn't why there are different warranties on all of them.

rvitko · 04/20/2003, 04:59 PM

Ice Cap makes their own ballasts- the Electronic Giesemann ballasts - I can't say- haven't seen one yet but I believe they are made in Greater Deutchland- could be Swiss or Austrian or Lichtenstein too. As for AB- I don't know the fixture quality is not too impressive to me and they don't have electronic ballasts. My understanding is the high temp Electronic ballasts won't be available to the end consumer in North America until November.

NAGA · 04/22/2003, 08:18 PM

Look at this fixture www.aquaconnect.com

The UFO Complete is the one with the moonlamps.

NAGA

04/17/2003, 09:58 PM	#1
mx_tang Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Chandler Arizona Posts: 3,099	Giesemann System 260 moonlights Roger, I know this is the Tunze forum, but you're also a distributor for Tunze, so I thought I'd ask you some questions about the System 260 moonlight. If I shouldn't post here, let me know and I can delete this thread and PM you. Thanks! __________________ My mother used to say, "He who angers you, conquers you!" But my mother was a saint - Elizabeth Kenny Current Tank Info: 135g - Tunze stream 6000, Euroreef CS 8-3+, No Harlequin Tusks, No Desjardinis, Hippo tang, No Mandarins, No Maroon Clowns, No BTAs, SPS

04/18/2003, 07:28 AM	#2
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 30,879	No problem. I read your other post. I use a System 260 Moonlight on my home planted aquarium and we have sold about a half dozen of these fixtures. At present they only are available with magnetic ballasts as the fixture produces too much internal heat to acommodate the Electronic ballasts. In fall we should have a high heat electronic ballast system available for this fixture. The system is housed in extruded aluminum shell with special high grade reflectors. The HQI reflectors are coated witha quartz dust to enhance reflection. The fixtures are delivered standard with 2 T-8 Osram blue lamps- many people find this to be a most pleasing blue and better than traditional actinics because it has a very broad blue spectrum that creates a very intense effect. The lamps are BLV 10K DE in either 150 or 250w. The moonlight uses a 12V Halogen lamp. A small computer to one side programs two off and on times for both the pair of flourescents and the pair of HQI. The Moonlight is programmed for it's own off on cycle and then you also coordinate it with the current lunar phase and it begins a 28 day cycle of increasing and decreasing in intensity to simulate lunar cycles. In addition you program the date of lamp installation and the hours of rated life and it begins a countdown and notifies you of time to change lamps. Available options include custom color which generally carries a $300 surcharge and T-5 lamp upgrade which also carries about a $300 surcharge. Most fixtures also allow a choice of cables On the current US configuration system moonlight your choices are white and black. The new configuration will likely allow the additional choices of clear and spiral wound black. The current model uses a 5wire cable to connect two capacitors in a remote transformer box for 115V to 230V step up and this limits the cable choices. It uses infinite height adjustment cable system. So height adjustment is very simple The current model in 1200mm weighs about 40lbs. The electonic ballast will likely remove 15 lbs. __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

04/18/2003, 03:39 PM	#3
mx_tang Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Chandler Arizona Posts: 3,099	thank you for that extremely informative post! Do you happen to have any pics of the System 260 Moonlight? I went to their website, but it's still kind of small. I'd like to have some macroshots of it if it were possible. When you say that the the ballasts generate too much heat and they had to go magnetic, are you saying that the ballasts are inside the fixture? I thought all of the Giesemann's had their ballasts outside of the fixture, but I only get my information from the web and I can't see these things first hand. Also, on the high heat electronic ballasts: how much extra will this option be and could Giesemann change over my magnetic ballasts if I ordered this fixture before electronic ballasts were available? I'm pretty sure the answer is no, and that's really giving me something to think about. I am sure I could hold out for the electronic ones and I heard from Philippe at Xenia that the electronic ballasts are much better and carry a 2 year warranty over the 1 year warranty on magnetic ballasts. BTW, what's the warranty on the 260 Moonlight? When you say 2 on/off times, do you mean 2 independent times for each type of light? So, you can turn the fluorescents on twice/day and the MH twice/day and have them come on independent of each other? Hmm, I don't know why I would need to turn of the lights twice/day or photoperiod, but I suppose this is good to know. I also would like to find out how the fixture does the cloud simulation. I'm pretty sure the sunlight simulation would just mean having each MH light power up with a delay, right? I'd love to get T-5's on the Moonlight, but as it stands, that thing is already $2300 and another $300 might just put it on the verge of ridiculousness for me to be spending Are the T-8's are 36" long on the 120mm fixture? Is the Moonlight a true US version/configuration? What I mean is that it doesn't need a transformer to switch 220vac to 115vac, etc. I read that it has an external transformer box, so I can only assume that this is what it's implying. The black and white wire for the US configuration is for the electrical wires, right? The one that looks like a telephone cord? And the structural wires are aircraft grade? I think I have a lot more questions, but I'll wait for your reply. Thanks! __________________ My mother used to say, "He who angers you, conquers you!" But my mother was a saint - Elizabeth Kenny Current Tank Info: 135g - Tunze stream 6000, Euroreef CS 8-3+, No Harlequin Tusks, No Desjardinis, Hippo tang, No Mandarins, No Maroon Clowns, No BTAs, SPS

04/18/2003, 04:40 PM	#4
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 30,879	I will see if I can't get some shots of it. The ballasts are inside the fixture- the transformer from 115V to 230V is in a remote box. The new electronic version will be 115V without transformer. It will not likely be feasible to convert the ballasts. Just getting into one of these fixtures is several man hours of labor- think rediculously overengineered like a Mercedes or Lexus. Something that 2 screws would suffice will have 10 screws and be siliconed in place to boot. Yes two independednt off on times for each set of lights. Sunrise and cloud simulation are not available on the current model of moonlight- these are features of the System 260 Sunrise. Cloud simulation is a period of running the lights at 70% power. Yes, the black or white refers to the electrical cable. The support cables are stainless steel braid. Yes on the 1200mm fixture the t-8 is 36" __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

04/18/2003, 06:39 PM	#5
mx_tang Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Chandler Arizona Posts: 3,099	What's the warranty on the 260 Moonlight? If I understand you correctly, the electronic ballasts are already available, but won't be for sale until later this year, correct? __________________ My mother used to say, "He who angers you, conquers you!" But my mother was a saint - Elizabeth Kenny Current Tank Info: 135g - Tunze stream 6000, Euroreef CS 8-3+, No Harlequin Tusks, No Desjardinis, Hippo tang, No Mandarins, No Maroon Clowns, No BTAs, SPS

04/20/2003, 08:18 AM	#6
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 30,879	The Electonic ballasts are not yet available. The current models have a 6 month warranty and the new one I believe is going to be 3 years- it may however be 2 years. __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

04/20/2003, 04:46 PM	#7
mx_tang Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Chandler Arizona Posts: 3,099	I hear that the new Moonlights will be out in July of this year. Do you have any confirmation on this? Also, I had a question about Giesemann vs AB vs Icecap ballasts. They are all made in Germany, right? I just wanted to be sure that they all made their own ballasts and if they didn't why there are different warranties on all of them. __________________ My mother used to say, "He who angers you, conquers you!" But my mother was a saint - Elizabeth Kenny Current Tank Info: 135g - Tunze stream 6000, Euroreef CS 8-3+, No Harlequin Tusks, No Desjardinis, Hippo tang, No Mandarins, No Maroon Clowns, No BTAs, SPS

04/20/2003, 04:59 PM	#8
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 30,879	Ice Cap makes their own ballasts- the Electronic Giesemann ballasts - I can't say- haven't seen one yet but I believe they are made in Greater Deutchland- could be Swiss or Austrian or Lichtenstein too. As for AB- I don't know the fixture quality is not too impressive to me and they don't have electronic ballasts. My understanding is the high temp Electronic ballasts won't be available to the end consumer in North America until November. __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

04/22/2003, 08:18 PM	#9
NAGA Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Maryland Posts: 494	Look at this fixture www.aquaconnect.com The UFO Complete is the one with the moonlamps. NAGA __________________ NAGA Current Tank Info: none