Reef nutrition

Which reflector and how high to mount?

So while I'm waiting for the new tank to be built (it's a 48"Lx28"Dx22"H), I'm trying to decide which reflectors to use and how high to mount them. I'm planning on using 250W Radiums to light the tank in addition to possibly adding blue LED's to supplement. I currently have 2 lumenarc minis that I was planning to use but Robert down at Neptune recommended I look into Lumenmax Elite reflectors. Does anyone have experience using both? Or does anyone have any advice as to which one I should go with? And how high would you mount these reflectors? Trying to figure out these details for the canopy build. Thanks!
 
I have the lumenarc mini over my tank right now with a SE 250. It gives a very even spread of light. I have read that the lumenbrights are designed to mount higher off the water, but if you already have the lumenarcs I don't know if it would be worth the extra $.

Here is a review of the lumenbrights

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-06/review/index.php
 
oops sorry, just re-read your post. Don't know much about the lumenmax. Why do they name all these reflectors so similar?
 
I went with the Lumnxmax elite because I didn't have the space for the lumenarcs. Don't know how both compare, I think they're both very good, if space were no issue I'd probably go with the Lumenarcs, but I'm perfectly happy with the Lumenmaxes I have.
 
If you have the Lumenarcs mini's already I see no need to buy something else. As far as mounting height mine are 8" off of the water line from the bottom of the reflector.
 
DurTBear said:
Thanks for all of the advice so far.

Brian, how tall and deep is your tank? And are you running 250W or 400W?
I have the Marineland 120rr tank. I believe it is 24"tall. I am also running a 3"sand bed. I am currently running 250W Radiums
 
Tumbleweed said:
DurTBear said:
Thanks for all of the advice so far.

Brian, how tall and deep is your tank? And are you running 250W or 400W?
I have the Marineland 120rr tank. I believe it is 24"tall. I am also running a 3"sand bed. I am currently running 250W Radiums

Cool...thanks! Mine will be 22" tall and bare bottom so the dimensions are about the same.
 
My Lumenarc sit 7" from the water surface, light spread is amazing. Running two 250W Radium, also my tank is 24" tall.
I can only wish they had them in the hammer-tone material just to compare.
 
Thanks for the input...right now, I'm discussing the layout of the canopy and the tentative height for the lumenarcs is 6". Maybe I should raise it up a couple inches...
 
I have mine at that height since I used plywood already cut for my canopy, it was handy so why not; otherwise I could have planned for a couple inches more. I'm sort of a skinny guy and when I reach inside the tank all the way to the bottom, my shoulder touches the reflector and glass gets a wee hot.
Your tank being wider F to B can avoid the touch the sizzling reflector effect.
You can play with the height by getting a cheap piece of electrical conduit, bend it and place it over your tank, fire the bulb in the reflector fixed on the lamp tree and play with the height to check the surface distance and bottom of the tank coverage.
 
xcaret said:
You can play with the height by getting a cheap piece of electrical conduit, bend it and place it over your tank, fire the bulb in the reflector fixed on the lamp tree and play with the height to check the surface distance and bottom of the tank coverage.

This is what I'm gonna do but I got some SLS Sun Lifts so I can adjust the height. :) What about the spacing between each reflector? Just mount it evenly spaced from each other on center from the tank? Say you have a 60" tank mount the reflectors 15" on center of the reflector to the center of the tank for both sides?
 
sfboarders said:
xcaret said:
You can play with the height by getting a cheap piece of electrical conduit, bend it and place it over your tank, fire the bulb in the reflector fixed on the lamp tree and play with the height to check the surface distance and bottom of the tank coverage.

This is what I'm gonna do but I got some SLS Sun Lifts so I can adjust the height. :) What about the spacing between each reflector? Just mount it evenly spaced from each other on center from the tank? Say you have a 60" tank mount the reflectors 15" on center of the reflector to the center of the tank for both sides?

Good question...I'd be interested to know as well. I suppose it depends on the spread of the light. I'm guessing we don't want any dark areas in the middle of the tank. So I guess we could theoretically make them as wide as possible while keeping the middle as bright as possible.
 
If I were designing the canopy, I wouldn't make it so tall that you would be putting 6" reflectors in it, I'd go with 4" reflectors; LumenMax elite, or minis or whatever size if 4" and works well because the performance difference of the 4" vs. 6" reflectors is likely minimal relative to having to make an extra tall canopy. I also like at least 8" space to get my arm/ shoulder in there, so having a shorter reflector is a plus IMO.
 
Back
Top